NAVAL AIR SYSTEMS COMMAND, Patuxent River, Md. - The P-3 team, in support of Command, Control, Communications and Computers (C4) for Anti-Submarine Warfare, has won the Naval Aviation Foundation’s 2009 Edward H. Heinemann award.

Vice Admiral David Architzel, Commander, Naval Air Systems Command presented the award to the Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Aircraft (PMA-290) team for their accomplishments in reviving and restructuring a struggling program and ensuring critical capabilities such as Link-16 and International Marine/Maritime Satellite (INMARSAT) capabilities will be employed onboard P-3 Anti-Surface Warfare Improvement Program (AIP) aircraft.

PMA-290 Principle Deputy Program Manager Martin Ahmad said, “the team resurrected the program that was heading for certain destruction then guided it from concept through design, integration, developmental test and a successful Milestone-C full rate production decision within seven months.”

“The C4 team’s exceptional work resulted in the delivery of greatly needed key capabilities to improve P-3C combat aircrew situational awareness,” added Ahmad.

Capt. Aaron Rondeau served as team leader for the esteemed group. Rondeau remarked that the team developed a technical solution in record time to design, integrate and install Link-16 and INMARSAT capabilities.

The award is sponsored by the Naval Aviation Foundation (formerly the Association of Naval Aviators) and is presented annually to the individual or group of individuals within Naval Air Systems Command who achieved or helped achieve significant improvement in the design or modification of an aircraft or an aircraft system.

The Heinemann Award honors the legendary Douglas Aircraft Company Chief Engineer, Edward H. Heinemann who designed many naval aircraft including the SBD Dauntless, A-1 Skyraider, A-3 Skywarrior, A-4 Skyhawk, F3D Skynight, F4D Skyray and the experimental aircraft Skystreak and Skyrocket.

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