Recorded live at the 2026 Space and Missile Defense (SMD) Symposium, Matt Norton, group leader at Systems Planning & Analysis (SPA), joined The Tec-Talk Podcast to discuss engineering, analytics and SPA’s work in national security.

Matt spoke about the importance of bringing technologies and systems together across a mission. As new capabilities are introduced, they must work alongside legacy systems that remain in place. Matt described SPA’s role in understanding how those pieces fit together and using systems engineering and analytics to inform client decisions.

The discussion also covered the growing role of artificial intelligence (AI). Matt pointed to opportunities to apply AI to the structured data behind model-based systems engineering and related processes. Work that is often done manually could benefit from AI that connects information across systems and brings capabilities together more efficiently.

Matt also discussed how SPA’s work across the defense community can create connections between organizations facing similar challenges. With teams embedded across different organizations, SPA can identify relevant work happening elsewhere in the department and bring those connections to clients as they consider potential solutions.

The conversation turned to small businesses and their role in bringing new technology to government. Drawing from his own experience at a small business before joining SPA, Matt encouraged companies with specialized capabilities to build relationships with larger businesses. He noted that those partnerships can provide opportunities for technologies that might otherwise struggle to gain visibility.

When asked what he wants people to associate with SPA, Matt described the company as a “trusted partner” focused on making better decisions and moving faster. He also emphasized SPA’s investments in pursuing that speed smartly and safely while keeping the government mission and warfighter at the center of the work.