NAVAL AIR SYSTEMS COMMAND, PATUXENT RIVER, Md. — The Department of the Navy (DON) recognized several engineers from the NAVAIR Test and Evaluation (T&E) community during the second annual DON T&E Awards ceremony held May 1.

Rick Quade, acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of Navy for Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, presented four of the seven department T&E awards to NAVAIR recipients for their outstanding efforts and significant achievements in the field.

“Looking at all of the nomination packages, each year we see the Navy setting the bar high for the Department of Defense,” Quade said during his opening remarks. “When it comes to NAVAIR, every year you demonstrate that you have a very strong T&E model. NAVAIR has got this right and it’s a lot easier to lead somebody when they have it right. Be proud of the competition you had — the board had a difficult time making their selections.”

The DON named Andrew Maack as lead tester, recognizing his excellence in the planning, management, and oversight of T&E activities as the Chief Test Engineer and Chief Developmental Tester, Naval Variants, at the Patuxent River F-35 Integrated Test Force (ITF). Maack led a team of more than 920 military and civilian personnel as they conducted the safe and efficient execution of pivotal flight test milestones for the F-35 Lightning II.

Dennis Normyle won the Technical Excellence at a T&E Facility or Range award for his work in creating a telemetry network to support the MQ-4C Triton unmanned air system flight test program. His efforts allowed the team to remotely monitor West Coast flights from the Atlantic Test Range at Pax River and analyze data in real time.

The Joint Mission Planning System-Maritime T&E Working Integrated Product Team (WIPT) from the Strike Planning and Execution Office (PMA-281) for received an award for its efforts in managing test activities for 14 mission planning environments that provide capabilities to dozens of aircraft.  Their efforts were crucial to the fielding of critical, enabling mission planning functionality to the warfighter while saving hundreds of thousands of dollars for test events.

The Unmanned Combat Air System Demonstration Integrated Test Team received an award for its outstanding performance of duties, effective teamwork and exceptional service that led to a number of firsts in naval aviation. The team executed the first launch and recovery of an unmanned aircraft from a carrier at sea.

Gary Kessler, Deputy Assistant Commander for Test and Evaluation at Patuxent River, delivered closing remarks at the ceremony and praised the award recipients for their excellence and professionalism as they develop quality air vehicles, weapons and related systems to the warfighter.

 “We have been at this for decades and we know the importance of conducting safe and efficient capabilities-based T&E day in and day out,” Kessler said. “I am very proud of you — winning more than half of the awards showcases your professionalism and you are being recognized at the highest levels of the Navy.”