Dr. Dirk Zimper has been Director Future Systems and a member of the Management Board of MBDA Missile Systems Germany since November 2022. In his role, he is responsible for the future topics of MBDA Germany, including high-energy lasers, hypersonic applications, the further development of ground-based air defence and remote carriers for the Future Combat Air System. Previously, he worked for the German Aerospace Centre and was in charge of security and defence research as Executive Board Representative. His military career started 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 completed his doctorate in engineering in 2015.