Dr. Karla Strong

Dr. Karla Strong serves as Program Manager for the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Propulsion Directorate (AFRL/PZL), where she leads the strategic planning and execution of high-priority research and development acquisitions in aerospace propulsion, hypersonics, and advanced materials. In this role, she interfaces directly with industry and academic partners to translate foundational scientific breakthroughs into mission-critical propulsion systems and adaptive flight control technologies that sustain U.S. air and space dominance. Her procurement portfolio centers on complex, long-term R&D contracts requiring technical rigor, systems integration, and rapid prototyping capabilities, often supporting classified and expeditionary operational needs. Dr. Strong maintains enduring partnerships with leading aerospace and defense contractors including UES INC, General Electric Company, DCS Corporation, Spirit AeroSystems Inc., and Advanced Thermoplastic Composites LLC. These relationships are characterized by deep technical collaboration, sustained performance on multi-year programs, and a shared focus on advancing propulsion efficiency, thermal management, and high-temperature structural materials. Her contracting approach emphasizes performance-based outcomes, technical innovation, and iterative development cycles aligned with AFRL’s mission acceleration goals. Dr. Strong’s procurement activity is exclusively non-set-aside, with 100% of awards issued under full and open competition. This reflects the highly specialized nature of the technical domains she oversees, where only a limited pool of vendors possesses the requisite expertise in hypersonic propulsion, turbine engine integration, and advanced composite manufacturing. While small business participation is not formally incentivized through set-asides, her team actively engages capable small firms as subcontractors within larger prime contracts. Her primary procurement focus is under NAICS 541715—Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences—where she acquires advanced propulsion systems, adaptive control algorithms, and high-performance functional materials. Her domain expertise spans gas turbine optimization, scramjet integration, ceramic matrix composites, and thermal protection systems, ensuring that AFRL’s R&D investments directly enable next-generation air and space platforms.