Mission and Vision Statement
Institute for the Study of Arms & Armor™ (ISAA™)

The Institute for the Study of Arms & Armor (ISAA) is committed to the preservation, research, documentation, and public education of arms and armor across the entirety of human history. Our mission is to safeguard the material heritage of arms and armor while advancing knowledge, standards, and responsible stewardship for both historical and modern defense-related technologies.

​

ISAA’s vision is to build a world-class institutional ecosystem that serves researchers, historians, collectors, industry, government entities, and the public, preserving the past while providing clarity, rigor, and trust for the present and future.

​​

​

Organizational Structure

​

ISAA operates through a multi-division model under a unified holding organization, with each division serving a distinct and complementary role:

​

• ISAA Library™ — a nonprofit entity dedicated to archival preservation, scholarly research, and public access.​​

​

• ISAA Compliance™ — an international compliance and regulatory advisory division focused on firearms licensing, compliance, and regulatory interpretation across national jurisdictions.

​

• ​ISAA Labs™ — an independent testing and standards organization focused on objective evaluation, validation, and certification.

​

This structure ensures clear separation of missions while allowing shared institutional knowledge, methodology, and long-term sustainability.

​​

​

 

​

​​​

ISAA Library™ is dedicated to becoming the modern-day “Library of Alexandria” for arms and armor. A global center for conservation, scholarship, and historical documentation. The Library focuses on the acquisition, preservation, and study of arms, armor, and related artifacts across eras and cultures, ensuring that this material heritage is protected and accessible for generations to come.

​

 

​

​​​​

ISAA Compliance™ serves as ISAA’s international firearms compliance and licensing advisory division, operating exclusively in a non-operational, non-advocacy capacity. Its mission is to help individuals, organizations, and institutions understand and comply with firearms laws accurately, transparently, and responsibly, on a country-by-country basis.

​

ISAA Compliance translates complex regulatory frameworks into clear, defensible processes, reducing risk and preventing costly mistakes while maintaining strict neutrality and deference to national authorities. It does not engage in firearms handling, trade, repair, enforcement, or legal representation. Through this work, ISAA Compliance supports lawful ownership, institutional accountability, and regulatory clarity worldwide.

​

 

​

​​​

ISAA Labs™ is envisioned as the functional equivalent of Underwriters Laboratories (UL) for the defense and protective technologies sector. It will operate as a large, independent, and fully equipped testing and certification facility, providing objective, unbiased evaluation of modern arms, armor, ammunition, and related systems.

​

ISAA Labs will also offer specialized services to private parties and government entities, including controlled forensic and ballistic testing, long-range ammunition performance analysis, and scientific validation of defense-related technologies. Commercial activities of ISAA Labs are designed to help fund and sustain the nonprofit mission of ISAA Library.

 

​

Standards, Documentation, and Global Impact

​

In addition to archival preservation, scientific testing, and compliance advisory, ISAA will establish and administer a unified global coding and identification system for arms, armor, ammunition, and related accessories, similar in concept to the ISBN system for books. This initiative will ensure accurate classification, cataloging, and historical documentation of defense-related articles, both past and present.

​

​

Looking Forward

​

ISAA is currently establishing a micro-library to serve as a foundational base for early collection development, cataloging, and public engagement. Our long-term goal is to raise the resources necessary to construct purpose-built archival, laboratory, and institutional facilities, securing ISAA’s role as a global leader in the stewardship, study, certification, compliance, and documentation of arms and armor.

​

Through its integrated mission, ISAA seeks to preserve history, advance knowledge, and strengthen trust in how arms and armor are understood, regulated, and evaluated worldwide.

​

​