The 23rd annual Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) Commander’s Awards, held both virtually and in-person Wednesday, May 31, recognized individuals and teams in 10 categories aligned directly to NAVAIR’s focus areas: speed of capability, affordability and availability.

Finalists were selected from 101 teams and individuals from across NAVAIR who exemplify the behaviors and approaches that will enable NAVAIR to deliver the warfighting capability the fleet needs, at an affordable cost.

Vice Adm. Carl Chebi, commander, NAVAIR, opened the event, saying, “Each year, we take time out of our busy schedules to recognize our colleagues at this special event. We do this because we know NAVAIR’s success is only possible because of you – our people.”

This year’s categories were restructured to recognize and reward outstanding individuals and teams for delivering outcomes that matter to the warfighters and for demonstrating behaviors and actions that enable those results. Awarded were teams who worked together toward a common goal and demonstrated a new way of thinking, acting and problem-solving. 

Chebi continued, “Each of you, and your teammates, are living NAVAIR’s core values: you start with the fleet; you change the game; you win with inclusion and respect. As a result, the NAVAIR team is delivering game-changing capability to the fleet.” 

Also recognized during the event were awardees for Small Business Advocacy and the Association of Naval Aviation Edward H. Heinemann Award.

The 2023 Commander’s Award winners are as follows:

AFFORDABILITY (COST SAVINGS)

The Aerial Targets program office (PMA-208) Supersonic Sea-Skimming Target Team

The Aerial Targets program office PMA-208 Supersonic Sea-skimming Target team worked vigorously in 2022 to increase affordability and cost savings for the U.S. Navy and its customers. The team generated measurable cost savings and reinvested funds in productivity efforts to increase efficiency, while delivering high quality services and products to the fleet. Team members actively pursued cost savings by executing an innovative approach to awarding the latest full-rate production lot of the GQM-163A Supersonic Sea-skimming Target, reducing the unit price by 20 percent and saving $20 million, which was reinvested in critical capabilities across the program office. This achievement demonstrates the team’s commitment to affordability, and to continually assess, improve, innovate and learn in service to PMA-208 and the Navy.

 

AVAILABILITY

Cartridge Actuated Devices/Propellant Actuate Devices Joint Program Office

The Cartridge Actuated Devices/Propellant Actuated Devices (CAD/PAD) Joint Program Office team responded to an unprecedented quality escape that grounded over 500 aircraft. CAD/PAD personnel developed inspection procedures, adopted agile logistics processes, and systematically managed over 20,000 suspect devices. Their timely and innovative efforts allowed naval aviation to rapidly return to an acceptable readiness posture, restore confidence in the energetics of the Navy’s egress systems, and ensure that aviators operate with the safest aircraft possible.

 

BUSINESS INNOVATION

Procurement Analysis Team Price Lightning Development Team

The Procurement Group’s Procurement Analysis team developed a revolutionary Price Lightning software application to automate and accelerate the ingestion and analysis of vast amounts of contractor proposal data and produce dynamic cost analysis visualizations to facilitate accelerated and informed contract negotiation efforts. The most transformative results are the scale and speed-of-data analysis and visualizations. The Price Lightning app significantly reduces workforce cost and workhours necessary to produce robust statistical analysis; enabling analysis of an entire bill of materials or labor datasets, in an automated, accelerated manner. In 2022, this capability enabled the workforce to complete analysis valued at about $4.5 billion in support of 17 requirements.

H-60 Multi-Mission Helicopter Program (PMA-299) Special Project Team

The H-60 Multi-Mission Helicopter Program (PMA-299) Special Project team developed an innovative acquisition strategy to conduct the planned maintenance interval (PMI) depot scheduled maintenance inspection of a U.S. Navy fleet aircraft through a maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) event in the Commonwealth of Australia. The Navy is in the long-term process of shifting operational emphasis to strategic, peer competition, particularly in the East Asia and Indo-Pacific area of responsibility. In the event of a regional conflict, Navy forces may not have access to currently established supply, MRO facilities, and infrastructure. This PMI event demonstrates the Navy’s capability to rapidly address emergent MRO requirements outside of domestic depot sites, support critical capabilities during in-theater contingency operations, and address the Navy’s long-term priorities. The PMA-299 team has demonstrated the importance of planning for the future, adapting strategy and strengthening partnerships.

 

EXCELLENCE IN DIVERSITY & INCLUSION (LEADING CULTURE CHANGE) INDIVIDUAL

Veronica Wesson

As NAVAIR’s African American Pipelines Action Team (APAT) national administrator, Veronica Wesson tirelessly promoted diversity and inclusion at NAVAIR, while helping eliminate barriers and creating a supportive, inclusive, and welcoming culture for all people and perspectives, regardless of race, color, religion, sex (including gender identity), national origin, or sexual orientation. She briefed quarterly executive champion and APAT national team meetings, led APAT efforts to promote participation from underrepresented populations in leadership development programs, revised Human Capital Management Note 33 to update policy guiding the high-grade selection process, successfully coordinated NAVAIR’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. commemoration event, and created a working group of APAT representatives from across NAVAIR to address a perceived lack of supervisor support for participation in employee development opportunities. Wesson actively pursues inclusionary behavior in her day-to-day role as a program analyst in PMA-281, and sets an example for those around her, demonstrating the power of workplace diversity. Her countless efforts to promote an inclusive and welcoming work environment have positively impacted hundreds of NAVAIR employees.

 

GET REAL, GET BETTER

E-2D Advanced Hawkeye Product Line Team

The Fleet Readiness Center (FRC) Southwest E-2D Advanced Hawkeye Product Line’s innovative application of analytical software has delivered on the Naval Aviation Enterprise requirement for an E-2D planned maintenance interval two (PMI-2) turnaround time of 220 days. The team developed customized, automated reports, powered by a tenaciously collaborative and inclusive culture. This dramatic improvement was driven by the team’s real-time data-driven approach, enabling rapid decisions at the lowest levels. Further distinguishing the FRC E-2D team’s fleet-focused culture and winning behaviors, they scaled their learning by sharing their analytical tool set with the FRC V-22 team, and assisted them in achieving similar turnaround time improvements.

 

MOST COLLABORATIVE IPT LEAD

Walter Olt

Walter Olt, Aircraft Launch and Recovery Equipment (PMA-251) Marine deputy program manager, pioneered an innovative acquisition strategy for Aircraft Launch and Recovery Equipment (ALRE) and the U.S. Marine Corps community. Under his expert leadership, the ALRE team fielded recurring updates and replacements for Marine aviation legacy systems, introduced a prototype Marine aviation data management system for consolidated controls, and enhanced warfighting capability on amphibious assault ships by installing visual landing aids (VLA) to provide the F-35B an additional night-time landing spot. Olt’s collaborative and innovative strategy of blending the use of commercial off-the-shelf with traditional acquisition approaches enabled the team to deliver ahead of anticipated timelines and below cost estimates.  These efforts resulted in a 70 percent reduction in schedule, 50 percent reduction in labor for vertical take-off landing matting and enabled the completion of the ship’s spot-9 VLA upgrade in less than six months. 

 

MOST IMPACTFUL SUPERVISOR

Donald P. Blottenberger

Don Blottenberger is the program manager of the Aerial Targets Program Office (PMA-208). Over the past year, Blottenberger has had an extremely positive impact on his personnel. In PMA-208, both the mission and the personnel supporting it are of equal importance, each reinforcing the other. He empowered his team to do business differently and nurtured the mindset required to be successful. Blottenberger has shown his people what they are capable of, enjoying great success over the past year. He saved $20.1 million on the combined fiscal year 2022/2023 GQM-163 buy, reducing unit cost by 20 percent. He initiated a new advanced acquisition plan that will reduce the cost of a supersonic presentation by 90 percent, and saved $1 million by proactively finding customers for the AQM-37 target. Through these successes and the positive, collaborative and supportive work culture he has fostered; his employees have found a renewed sense of purpose, motivation and commitment to fleet outcomes.

 

SPEED OF CAPABILITY DELIVERY

Light Attack Helicopter Program Office (PMA-276) Communications and Navigation Team

The U.S. Marine Corps Light Attack Helicopter Program Office (PMA-276) Communications and Navigation team answered the combatant commander’s need to expedite the delivery of beyond the line-of-sight communication capabilities. The team boldly advanced from initial concept to fleet authorization to employing the interim mobile user objective system (MUOS) capability in only two months.  In doing so, the team accelerated development of the long-term MUOS solution and avoided $20 million in cost, further demonstrating their commitment to speed of capability and affordability.

 

TECHNICAL INNOVATION

Link 16 Inject to Live Team

The Link 16 Inject to Live (LITL) team advanced innovative technologies and facilitated rapid expansion and growth of LITL, an encrypted, lower-cost, software-only solution to the Navy’s complex live, virtual and constructive training needs. LITL provides the ability to inject high-fidelity radar, radar warning receiver, fighter-to-fighter, and surveillance tracks into the F/A-18E/F and EA-18G systems and displays using Link 16. LITL is also instrumental in providing the Navy’s first capability for connecting live aircraft to the ground training network, which will significantly enhance how the fleet trains while forward deployed and at home base, increasing readiness by preparing the warfighter to face sophisticated air and surface threats.

 

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

H-1 Light Attack Helicopter Program Office (PMA-276) Light Attack Academy

The H-1 Light Attack Helicopter Program Office (PMA-276) established the Light Attack Academy (LAA) to provide new team leads with knowledge and support vital to their success and the successful execution of the PMA-276 mission. LAA subject matter experts provide two weeks of training to new team leads, providing an in-depth understanding of the processes and tools involved in managing people and projects. LAA has proved highly effective and is a flagship program for NAVAIR workforce development. PMA-276 clearly understands the importance of workforce development to mission success. They have modeled “appreciative inquiry,” finding what is working and teaching others, raising the collective performance of the entire team.

 

NAVAIR SMALL BUSINESS ADVOCACY AWARD (INDIVIDUAL)

Eric Pfefferkorn

Eric Pfefferkorn consistently supports the Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division (NAWCTSD) Office of Small Business Programs (OSBP) mission, consistently advocating for the best solutions for the warfighter through maximizing opportunities for small business in several ways. He is always willing to provide insightful and meaningful feedback on small business company capabilities which helps the OSBP be more efficient and effective in making connections to the appropriate NAWCTSD program office or technical point of contact. Additionally, this helps small businesses focus their resources pursuing opportunities that are better aligned with their capabilities. In fiscal year 2022, Pfefferkorn was a key team member who supported the team Orlando HUBZone showcase event.  He was instrumental in making the HUBZone showcase a successful event not only because of his part in the planning, but by encouraging his fellow project directors and project managers to attend and engage with the HUBZones. His continuing efforts have helped to identify new sources to increase the defense industrial base and leverage the multitude of small business programs to meet mission needs, such as the 8(a) Business Development Program and HUBZone Small Business Program.

 

NAVAIR SMALL BUSINESS ADVOCACY AWARD (TEAM)

Common Aviation Support Equipment Program Office (PMA-260) Team

A staunch supporter of small businesses, the PMA-260 Common Aviation Support Equipment (CASE) Program Office continues to use numerous small businesses to satisfy a wide range of Navy and Marine Corps requirements for both new and existing aviation support equipment. PMA-260 CASE Program team obligated over 20 percent of its total obligation authority to 39 small businesses through 128 contract actions with a total value of $81.9 million. Contracts awarded include those to service-disabled and Veteran-owned small businesses, woman-owned small businesses, historically underutilized business zone small businesses, and small disadvantaged businesses. At the heart of the U.S. defense industrial base is the small business, and no other program office knows this more than PMA-260. Through continued use of this important and valuable resource, PMA-260 delivers new capabilities to the fleet faster, improving aircraft readiness and resulting in increased combat effectiveness.

 

EDWARD H. HEINEMANN AWARD (TEAM)

Long Range Anti-Ship Missile Team

The Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) team enhanced fleet capability through expansion of the AGM-158C product line. Originally envisioned as a stopgap weapon, LRASM brought unprecedented capability to the anti-surface warfare mission. The LRASM team worked across boundaries at every level to expand the capability by rapidly reconfiguring the baseline LRASM into a more versatile munition for Navy, Air Force and coalition partners. The first upgrade capitalized on an existing modification already in progress and the second modification addressed a completely different mission area for Strike aircraft. Both efforts capitalized on modifications already in progress and enabled significant cost/schedule savings while bolstering fleet capability.

“NAVAIR is in the business of naval aviation,” Chebi said after the finalists were recognized. “Our business is to deliver the warfighting capability the fleet needs to win at a cost we can afford. This is our promise to the fleet warfighter, our sons and daughters. It matters what you are doing.”

He concluded by giving the Commander’s Awards winners a charge: “Take your learning, what has made you successful, and go back and teach others.”

Watch the event via LinkedIn.