Lt. Gen. Heath Collins is the Director, Missile Defense Agency and advises the UnderSecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering on Missile Defense programmatic policy, requirements, priorities, systems, resources and programs.MDA's global mission is to develop, test, fi eld and sustain integrated, layered missile defense capabilities to defend the United States, its deployed forces, allies and friends against missile attacks in all phases of fl ight. Collins directs the $11 billion global organization with more than 9,000 military, civilian and contract personnel.He exercises management oversight for the Missile Defense System to include program management of missile defense resources which he synchronizes with the services in support of Combatant Command requirements.

Prior to assuming his current position, Lt. Gen. Collins was the Program Executive for Ground-Based Weapon Systems for the Missile Defense Agency, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama. Programs in Lt. Gen. Collins' portfolio included Ground-Based Midcourse Defense, Terminal High Altitude Area Defense System, four Joint U.S.and Israeli programs and several classifi ed programs collectively valued at over$3.4 billion annually.

Lt. Gen. Collins entered the Air Force in 1993, receiving his commission through the Reserve Offi cer Training Corps program at Clarkson University. His acquisition,space, test, operations and staff assignments encompass weapons, electronic countermeasures, space, radar, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance,nuclear, fi ghter, bomber and missile defense systems. He has served in numerous program management and senior leader positions including Air Force Program Executive Offi cer for Weapons, Air Force Program Executive Offi cer for Fighters and Bombers, System Program Director for the Ground-Based Strategic Deterrent(Sentinel) program, Deputy Director for the Infrared Space Systems Directorate andthe Remote Sensing Systems Directorate, Deputy Group Commander, Wideband Satellite Communications Systems and Commander, Space Based Infrared System Space Squadron. Lt. Gen. Collins has also served in the Offi ce of the UnderSecretary of Defense for Intelligence, overseeing the department's Airborne ISR;Space; and Special Programs. He is a graduate of the Air Command and Staff College and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces. He holds master’s degrees from Florida State University, Air University and National Defense University.