Test/Validate Technology | MSET - Mississippi Enterprise for Technology

ERDCWERX

ERDCWERX is a public-private innovation platform that extends the reach of the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) by connecting its scientists and engineers with industry, academia, and startups to accelerate dual-use technology. As the link for direct access to ERDC’s world-class labs, ERDCWERX brings Mississippi companies and researchers a direct line to federal R&D capability that would otherwise be hard to access—translating government science into commercial and defense-ready solutions in the state.

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Mississippi State University Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems

MSU’s Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems (CAVS) is a nationally recognized research center focused on autonomous systems, advanced manufacturing, computational engineering, and high-performance materials for the automotive, aerospace, and defense industries. CAVS brings R&D capabilities—including digital engineering, additive manufacturing, and autonomy—into direct contact with aerospace and defense companies operating in Mississippi, turning specialized research strengths into industry-usable capability.

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NASA (Stennis Space Center)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)’s John C. Stennis Space Center is the nation’s largest rocket propulsion test site and a foundational multi-agency federal campus that enables cross-domain collaboration in aerospace, energy, and national security missions. As Mississippi’s most consequential federal asset, Stennis hosts more than 50 resident agencies and companies and supports roughly 6,000 aerospace jobs—establishing the state as a launch-and-test capital for both government and commercial space programs. NASA’s continued investment in Stennis is the catalyst for landmark Mississippi wins like Evolution Space’s relocation to SSC, brokered with MDA and MSET, demonstrating how federal infrastructure converts directly into in-state commercial growth.

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Naval Air Systems Command

Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) is the Navy’s principal organization for acquiring, developing, testing, and sustaining naval aviation systems—from aircraft and weapons to training and engineering services. NAVAIR’s procurement, sustainment, and research pipelines are a direct fit for Mississippi’s existing aerospace and defense industrial base, opening contracting and partnership pathways for the state’s manufacturers, suppliers, and engineering firms.

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NAVSEA

Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) is the Navy’s largest systems command, responsible for the design, engineering, sustainment, and procurement of the Navy’s ships, submarines, and combat systems. NAVSEA’s procurement and sustainment programs are a direct match for Mississippi’s Gulf Coast shipbuilding base—most prominently Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula—and a primary source of work for the state’s defense supply chain.

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U.S. Naval Research Laboratory

The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) is the Navy’s corporate research lab and runs a broad program of scientific research and advanced technology development, with a major detachment at Stennis Space Center focused on oceanography and marine geosciences. NRL’s Stennis presence brings world-class naval R&D into Mississippi’s backyard—creating commercialization opportunities, defense applications, and high-skill research positions that pull talent and investment into the state.

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