Mr. Robert Helfant

Mr. Helfant

Since April 2017, Mr. Helfant has been the Principal Director for the Building Partner Capacity (BPC) Directorate at the Defense Security Cooperation Agency. BPC is the focal point within DOD for planning, execution and management, and oversight of numerous Title 10 Security Cooperation (SC) programs. The BPC team is committed to the planning and execution of programs supporting the full spectrum of capabilities that security cooperation endeavors to deliver.

From November 2015 to April 2017, Mr Helfant was DSCA's Principal Director for Strategy, where he led DSCA development and dissemination of security cooperation policy, strategic planning to better integrate security cooperation authorities with combatant commander requirements, strategic relations and engagements by DSCA within DoD and with key external counterparts, and execution of numerous Title 10 and 22 programs designed to advance partner nation capacity and capabilities through the provision of training.

Prior to that, he was Deputy Director for International Affairs, MDA, reporting to the Director for International Affairs. He was responsible for shaping and coordinating country engagement activities in support of the expansion of international cooperation in missile defense. Mr. Helfant was at MDA (and its predecessor organizations) for more than 20 years in assorted contractor and then US governent capacities. Key assignments included program element support to the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) program, the Russian American Observation Satellites program office, lead for US-UK cooperative BMD programs, and Division Chief for Strategy and Integration and later Deputy for Regional Affairs within the International Affairs Directorate.

Prior to joining MDA, Mr. Helfant worked in the defense industry where he supported various U.S. Government customers in the areas of theater missile defense requirements and operations, political and military threat assessment, mission and force posture planning, and arms control.

Mr. Helfant graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute with a Bachelor of Science degree in Science and Technology Studies. He has a Master’s degree in International Affairs from the School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University.