Mr. Stephen E. Cricchi

Mr. Stephen E. Cricchi currently serves as the Deputy Commander of the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR). As the senior civilian reporting directly to the Commander, he acts as the principal authority and advisor on corporate planning and management, strategic direction, resource management, and program support for the delivery and sustainment of integrated warfighting capability. NAVAIR’s workforce—comprising 30,000 military and civilian personnel across eight primary sites — supports Naval Aviation and the Program Executive Offices in research and development, engineering, test and evaluation, acquisition, in-service support, and the repair and modification of aircraft, weapons, and related systems.

From July 2021 to February 2026, Mr. Cricchi served as Executive Director of the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD), providing comprehensive leadership to more than 10,000 civilian and military personnel across four geographic sites. He oversaw research, development, test and evaluation (RDT&E), acquisition, and sustainment products delivering capability for Naval Aviation, other services, and allied partners. Mr. Cricchi provided personnel and infrastructure to Naval Aviation Program Executive Officers, advancing warfighting capabilities through program execution across all phases of the acquisition lifecycle. He also delivered innovative capability directly to the Fleet inside traditional acquisition timelines by leveraging NAWCAD’s technical expertise, business flexibility, and partnerships with industry. His responsibilities included operations, sustainment, and modernization of over 400 laboratories and facilities, as well as safe operation of more than 200 manned and unmanned RDT&E aircraft. He was accountable for successful business and financial results across a total annual revenue exceeding $5 billion.

From September 2019 to July 2021, Mr. Cricchi served as Director, Engineering & Cyber Warfare Group, NAVAIR. He provided engineering planning, policy, standards, and oversight for science and technology, systems acquisition, and product support of all Naval Aviation aircraft, weapons, and support systems. He was responsible for digital and information technologies across the enterprise, including airworthiness, CyberSafe, cybersecurity and anti-tamper programs, cost and schedule analysis, and mission engineering and analysis.

From June 2015 to August 2019, Mr. Cricchi served as Assistant Commander for Corporate Operations and Total Force, NAVAIR. In this role, he led all command business operations, including command administration, total force management, military and civilian human resources, information technology, security, public affairs, financial management, and infrastructure operations.

From November 2005 to May 2015, Mr. Cricchi served as Director, Integrated Systems Evaluation, Experimentation, and Test, NAVAIR. He led over 3,000 flight test engineers, military test pilots and project officers, aircraft maintainers, and acquisition professionals performing flight test and experimentation. His responsibilities included oversight of two test air wings with approximately 200 aircraft and the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School.

In March 2005, he was promoted to the Senior Executive Service and appointed as the first Director for Flight Test Engineering, serving as Chief Flight Test Engineer for Naval Aviation.

Earlier in his career, Mr. Cricchi held several key positions, including Deputy Director for the Test and Evaluation Engineering Department, Chief Test Engineer for the Strike Aircraft Test Squadron (VX-23), T-45 Project and Platform Coordinator, and flight test engineer on the T-45A Goshawk, AV-8B, and T/AV-8B Harrier II aircraft.

Mr. Cricchi earned a bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Virginia in 1985 and is a Distinguished Graduate of the United States Naval Test Pilot School (Class of 97).