Mr. Tom Rudowsky

Mr. Rudowsky serves as the Deputy Commander of the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR). As the senior civilian reporting directly to the Commander, he serves as the authority and advisor to the Commander on corporate planning and management, strategic planning, resource management, and program support matters in delivery and sustainment of integrated warfighting capability. With a workforce of military and civilian personnel located at eight primary sites, NAVAIR provides support to Naval Aviation and Program Executive Offices in research and development; engineering; test and evaluation; acquisition; in-service support; and repair/modification of aircraft, weapons and related systems.

Previously, Mr. Rudowsky has served in four senior executive positions spanning Test and Evaluation; Engineering; Logistics and Sustainment; and Program Management. Initiating with his appointment to the Senior Executive Service in January 2010, he was named as the Director of NAVAIR’s Integrated Battlespace Simulation and Test Department supporting test and evaluation of aircraft avionics and weapon systems. In August of 2011, he was selected as the Director of NAVAIR’s Air Vehicle Engineering Department responsible for all acquisition and in-service engineering associated with air vehicle systems engineering, aeromechanics, structures, materials, and subsystems. In November 2017, he was selected as the Deputy to the Assistant Commander for Logistics and Industrial Operations. In May of 2018, he transitioned from the Deputy role to the Assistant Commander for Logistics and Industrial Operations. Most recently, he served as the Deputy Program Executive Officer, Tactical Aircraft Programs, from December 2019 to January 2022 responsible for the executive leadership and oversight of all assigned programs.

Mr. Rudowsky earned both a bachelor and master degree in aerospace engineering from the Pennsylvania State University and is a graduate of the United States Naval Test Pilot School (Class 99). He is also a graduate of the NAVAIR Senior Executive Management Development Program, the Federal Executive Institute, and is a member of the Acquisition Professional Community. He is certified as a Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act Level III in Program Management; Engineering; Test and Evaluation; and Life Cycle Logistics. He has also completed the Defense Acquisition University Program Manager’s Course (PMT4010/4020).

His most notable awards include the Meritorious Service Award, the Department of Defense Exceptional Civilian Service Award, and the Presidential Rank Award for Meritorious Executive.