Dr.-Ing. Dirk Zimper has been Director Future Systems and a member of the Executive Board of MBDA Deutschland GmbH since November 2022. In his role, he is responsible for the future topics of MBDA Germany. These include high-energy lasers, hypersonic applications, the further development of ground-based air defense and remote carriers for the Future Combat Air System. Previously, Dr. Zimper, appointed by the Senate of the German Aerospace Center (DLR), was responsible for all security and defence research at DLR as Executive Board Representative. His military career began in 2004 when he joined the German Armed Forces and completed the 92nd officer training course at the Air Force Officer School. Dr. Zimper studied aerospace engineering at the University of the German Armed Forces in Munich and received his doctorate in engineering in 2015.