The Navy’s Aerial Targets program office (PMA-208) welcomed a new program manager during a change of command ceremony August 1 at Naval Air Station Patuxent River.

Rear Adm. Stephen Tedford, Program Executive Officer for Unmanned Aviation and Strike Weapons (PEO (U&W)), presided over the change of command ceremony where Greg Crewse relieved Don Blottenberger, who was recently selected as a Senior Executive Officer and is now the director for NAVAIR’s Engineering and Cyber Warfare Group.

The Navy launched the last two remaining AQM-37 targets Sept. 22 in support of the U.S. Army’s Integrated Fires Mission Command operations at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico.

 “The final launch of the AQM-37 represents the closing of a chapter for the Aerial Targets Program Office (PMA-208) and our industry partners, but also intensifies our focus and provides us the opportunity to start and sustain new chapters with more advanced technology and capabilities that closer resemble the threats we face,” said Don Blottenberger, PMA-208 program manager.

NAVAL AIR SYSTEMS COMMAND, PATUXENT RIVER, Md. – The Navy’s Aerial Target program office (PMA-208) recently completed three back-to-back test flights with its newest subsonic aerial target, BQM-177A, in preparation for Full Operational Capability (FOC) this year.

The Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF) Detachment-Far East (DET FE) with assistance from PMA-208’s Pacific Targets and Maritime Operations team conducted operations Sept. 9-10 from the USNS Alan Shepard (T-AKE 3) to qualify BQM-177A for training exercises at that location.

The Aerial Targets program office (PMA-208) welcomed a new program manager during a ceremony July 1 at the Patuxent River Naval Air Museum.

Rear Adm. Brian Corey, Program Executive Officer for Unmanned Aviation and Strike Weapons (PEO (U&W)), presided over the change of command ceremony that transferred leadership from Capt. Molly Boron to Don Blottenberger.

The Navy successfully launched its first GQM-163A Coyote Supersonic Sea Skimming Target (SSST) from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility (WFF) in Virginia Sept. 12 to meet expanding fleet training requirements on the East Coast.

The Navy’s aerial targets program office (PMA-208) worked with multiple stakeholders to launch two GQM-163A targets, demonstrating operational capability and completing the WFF site activation for an East Coast supersonic target capability in support of a fleet missile exercise (MSLEX) training.