THE AERONAUTICS RESEARCH MISSION DIRECTORATE (ARMD) PROGRAMS HAVE UNDERGONE A SERIES OF SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN BOTH THEIR TECHNICAL AND PROGRAMMATIC APPROACHES OVER THE PAST YEAR. IT IS CRITICAL IN THIS TIME OF CHANGE TO DEFINE AND EXPLAIN THE PUBLIC INVESTMENT IN AERONAUTICS RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT-WHY THE PROGRAMS ARE DOING WHAT THEY ARC DOING, AND WHERE THIS WORK IS LIKELY TO TAKE US. PROGRAM AND DIRECTORATE LEADERSHIP KNOWS THAT IT IS CRITICAL FOR ARMD TO BE POSITIONED AS A CREDIBLE ORGANIZATION WITH SOLID AERONAUTICS RESEARCH MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AND PROCESSES, AND ONE THAT UNDERSTANDS THE ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH IT MUST OPERATE, AND ANTICIPATES THE NEEDS OF ITS CUSTOMERS, PARTNERS AND STAKEHOLDERS WITHIN THAT CONTEXT. THE PROGRAMS HAVE REVISED THEIR TECHNICAL RESEARCH AREAS, AND ARE WORKING TO DEVELOP COLLABORATIONS AND PARTNERSHIPS WITH INDUSTRY CONSORTIA, STRENGTHEN TICS AND INTERACTIONS WITH THE ACADEMIC COMMUNITY AND WORK WITH TECHNICAL AND SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES AND OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCIES ON AERONAUTICS TECHNOLOGIES AND ISSUES THAT WOULD SUPPORT NATIONAL POLICY AND INTERESTS. THE ARMD PROGRAMS ARE DEPENDENT UPON THESE PARTNERSHIPS IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS AND SUPPORT THE MISSION OF THE AGENCY. IMPLEMENTATION OF NEW ORGANIZATIONAL POLICIES REQUIRES STRATEGIC ANALYSES AND PLANNING SUPPORT TO ENSURE THAT ORGANIZATIONAL AND BUSINESS PRACTICES AND PROCESSES, AS WELL AS COMMUNICATIONS ACTIVITIES AND PRODUCTS ARE ALIGNED TO EFFECTIVELY SUPPORT THE ARMD MISSION.