Traditional siloed approaches to national security are insufficient for an era defined by converging geopolitical, technological and spatial change, according to leading U.S. defense experts gathered at the University of Arizona for the inaugural Kyl Institute for National Security Forum. 

The Jan. 16 gathering in Tucson served three main purposes: to honor the distinguished legacy of former U.S. Sen. Jon Kyl, an esteemed alumnus of the university; to dedicate the Kyl Institute for National Security in his name; and to create a space for discussion among policy, industry and former military leaders around the rapidly evolving national security landscape. 

“This inaugural National Security Forum is meant to be an opportunity to combine rigorous pursuit of knowledge with the practical demands of national readiness. We are here today to listen, to challenge our own assumptions, and to work together for the national interest and security in an era of unprecedented change,” said University of Arizona President Suresh Garimella. “Our work is guided by a standard of leadership personified by former U.S. Senator Jon Kyl, and this forum honors his remarkable contributions to Arizona and the United States. In his career, Senator Kyl witnessed and drove significant shifts in global policy, and his work laid the foundations that shaped our modern national security landscape.”

Kyl represented Arizona in Congress for 26 years. He served in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate, where he emerged as a leading voice on national security, defense and intelligence policy. During his Senate tenure, he served as Minority Whip and as a member of the Intelligence, Judiciary, Finance and Armed Services committees, playing a pivotal role in shaping arms control and strategic deterrence policy. 

The institute, which replaces and expands upon the UA-Applied Research Corporation, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit affiliated with the U of A. Its goal is to serve as a trusted platform for seamless collaboration between academia, government and industry and is poised to become a critical hub for tackling the most complex security challenges facing the United States.

A legacy honored, a mission launched

During the forum, Kyl Institute leaders committed to carry Kyl’s principles forward, applying his rigorous, clear-eyed approach to modern security problems. Retired Air Force Gen. Robin Rand, the first president and CEO of the Kyl Institute, served as emcee during the opening remarks.

Rand's 40-year military career included six overseas assignments and eight command tours, including commander of Air Education and Training Command and commander of Air Force Global Strike Command. Since retiring in 2018, Rand has continued to shape national security and aerospace innovation through leadership and advisory roles in the nonprofit, academic and private sectors.

“We are here to honor the legacy of Sen. Jon Kyl and his contributions to national security as a statesman, as a principled leader who has great clarity and insight,” Rand said. “As someone who has personally served in Arizona during multiple military assignments, I had the distinct privilege to see firsthand the enormous time, effort and commitment Senator Kyl dedicated to the men and women and their families who wear our nation’s cloth.”

Rep. Juan Ciscomani, who represents Arizona’s 6th congressional district that includes Fort Huachuca and Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, called Kyl a “role model” and “a towering figure in the history of our state and in our country.” Regent Cecilia Mata, treasurer of the Arizona Board of Regents, added, “Few individuals have done more to shape modern national security policy. His leadership and foresight created much of the framework we continue to build on today.”

Christopher and Alicia Gavin, Kyl’s grandchildren, captured the essence of his life’s work in their remarks, providing a guiding principle for his namesake institute. Kyl’s children, John Kyl and Kristine Kyl Gavin, also attended.

“Our grandfather often said that the true measure of leadership and legacy is whether your grandchildren inherit a safer and freer world because you were willing to make hard decisions,” Alicia Gavin said. Christopher Gavin said, “It is an honor to see the Kyl legacy continuing as a living commitment to pragmatic leadership, serious policy and a safer future.”

Tomás Díaz de la Rubia, who serves as the chairman of the board of the Kyle Institute and as the U of A senior vice president for research and partnerships, shared personal reflections on Kyl’s career and legacy, stating that Kyl "protected and supported the requirements that are needed to maintain a strong nuclear deterrent throughout his entire career." 

In his remarks, Díaz de la Rubia introduced Douglas Feith, former under secretary for defense policy. Feith’s keynote, “Jon Kyl: Taking America Seriously,” underscored that national security is best achieved by “peace through strength,” prioritizing robust missile defense, increased defense investment and a healthy skepticism of unverifiable international arms control treaties. He also said that the United States must reject isolationism in favor of strategic global leadership and alliances that preserve America’s freedom of action.

Three panel discussions followed the opening comments and dedication.

Strategic Posture 2035 – U.S. Power, Allied Resolve, and the Technologies That Will Shape Deterrence

Panelists: Hon. Thomas D’Agostino, Former Under Secretary for Nuclear Security, NNSA (Moderator); retired U.S. Air Force Gen. Kevin Chilton, former commander, U.S. Strategic Command; Hon. Mary Beth Long, former Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs; retired U.S. Navy Adm. William Fallon, former Commander, U.S. Central Command.

This panel explored the urgent need to adapt U.S. strategy and alliances to deter modern threats from peer adversaries like Russia and China. The discussion emphasized that deterrence now spans multiple domains – including space and cyber – and requires a significant recapitalization of the nation’s nuclear capabilities. A primary takeaway was the critical importance of international alliances and the integration of private-sector innovation to maintain a competitive edge and prevent global conflict.

The foundational focus for this discussion was the landmark 2023 report on nuclear modernization and global deterrence, by the Congressional Commission on the Strategic Posture of the United States. Kyl was vice chair of the commission.

Beyond the Horizon – Operationalizing Space Power for National Security and Global Leadership

Panelists: Erika Hamden, Director, Arizona Space Institute (Moderator); Hon. Jim Bridenstine, former U.S. Representative and former NASA Administrator; retired U.S. Air Force Gen. Kevin Chilton, former Commander, U.S. Strategic Command; retired U.S. Space Force Lt. Gen. DeAnna Burt, former Deputy Chief of Space Operations

Focused on the evolution of space as a contested warfighting domain, the second panel examined the strategic challenges of maintaining U.S. leadership in an increasingly crowded orbit. Experts highlighted the need for resilient architectures and suggested that the U.S. must diversify its assets across different orbits to avoid vulnerability. 

With the university already home to world renowned expertise in astronomy and space sciences as well as to the Space4 Center – the nation’s largest academic space domain awareness program – experts discussed how academic research must now directly feed into military readiness. 

The panel concluded that success in this domain depends on advanced domain awareness—extending to the moon and beyond—and deeper collaboration with commercial and international partners.

Innovation at Speed – The New Competitive Mandate

Panelists: Retired U.S. Air Force General Hawk Carlisle, former Commander, Air Combat Command (Moderator); Eric Evans, Director Emeritus, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln Laboratory; Barbara Borgonovi, President of Naval Power, Raytheon (RTX Corporation); Chris Moran, Vice President and General Manager, Lockheed Martin Ventures

The third panel addressed the competitive mandate to rapidly transition research from the lab into the hands of warfighters. The discussion centered on the necessity of embracing calculated risk and the philosophy of "failing fast" to accelerate development cycles – that is, testing capabilities early and often, learning from failures and iterating quickly. 

Panelists identified artificial intelligence, advanced materials and additive manufacturing as key enablers for speed, while stressing that the military, industry and academia must collaborate more closely to overcome bureaucratic hurdles and scale new technologies effectively.