The Air Combat Electronics Program Office (PMA-209) changed command with Capt. Margaret “Maggie” Wilson turning over to Capt. Jarrod Hair in a ceremony held June 15 in Patuxent River. Hair, incoming PMA-209 program manager, delivers remarks as Wilson, left, and Program Executive Officer, Aviation Common Systems and Commercial Services, Robert Kimble, right, observe.
The Navy’s Air Combat Electronics Program Office (PMA-209) welcomed a new program manager during a change of command and retirement ceremony June 15 at Patuxent River.
Capt. Margaret “Maggie” Wilson, who retired after more than 27 years of service, transferred leadership to Capt. Jarrod Hair, who most recently served as chief of staff to the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Air and Ground Programs.
Program Executive Officer for Aviation Common Systems and Commercial Services (PEO(CS)) Robert Kimble gave credit to Wilson’s leadership style, focus on her people, and her commitment to readiness and delivery of capabilities to the warfighter as keys to PMA-209 mission accomplishment.
“It is my pleasure to be here today to celebrate your determination, warfighter focus and commitment as an adept leader and team builder,” said Kimble. “Maggie expertly built teams to successfully manage more than 250 in-service avionics programs that are critical to enabling warfighting capability across all NAVAIR platforms.”
Guest speaker Randolph White, deputy director for the Advanced Strategic Education Program at the U.S. Army War College, spoke highly of the personal and professional relationship he’s had with Wilson for nearly three decades.
“Maggie has always exhibited the intellect and drive you would expect from a great analytical mind,” White said. “I know that great leaders are also great people, and Maggie sets that standard very high with humility and respect.”
As the PMA-209 program manager, Wilson led a team of more than 300 government and contractor personnel. Her team was responsible for the programmatic, technical and acquisition efforts for cutting-edge air combat electronics systems and the continued advancements and improvements in open architecture implementation and interoperability.
Prior to PMA-209, Wilson led the NAVAIR Cyber Warfare Detachment as the military director, where she improved the detection and deterrence of systems interference, improved systems resilience and conducted cyber-smart acquisition. Wilson then served as the Ship Air Traffic Management deputy program manager for Naval Air Traffic Management Systems (PMA-213).
“My time as PMA-209 program manager afforded me the chance to work with teams that are laser-focused on supporting the warfighter,” she said. “What I found in my time in acquisition is that what is foundational to making naval aviation work is not products, but rather the people who make it happen.”
Hair, a U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Naval Test Pilot School, and Air Force Institute of Technology graduate, has more than 2,400 flight hours in more than 20 aircraft types and has supported multiple combat missions. He supported major programs in positions of increasing responsibility, including in the H-60 Multi-Mission Helicopters Program Office (PMA-299), Persistent Maritime Unmanned Aircraft Systems Program Office (PMA-262) and Naval Air Traffic Management Systems (PMA-213).
He will now lead the program office responsible for 14 active programs and more than 250 in-service avionics systems.
“PMA-209 is a busy program office delivering real-time, critical warfighting capability with touchpoints throughout many of our platforms here at NAVAIR,” said Hair. “I look forward to working alongside such a great team that already has the determination and resolve we need to fight and win.”
About PMA-209
PMA-209 is a collaborative team of proactive acquisition professionals enabling current and future foundational aviation requirements led by Capt. Jarrod Hair, PMA-209 program manager. The program office is NAVAIR’s executive agent for the development and management of cutting-edge air combat electronics systems. Established in 1988, PMA-209 is responsible for providing critical capabilities to the warfighter in the form of common, fully developed, supportable, and reliable systems that align with the strategic and operational requirements of our platform PEO and PMA customers.
The Air Combat Electronics Program Office (PMA-209) changed command with Capt. Margaret “Maggie” Wilson turning over to Capt. Jarrod Hair in a ceremony held June 15 in Patuxent River. Hair, incoming PMA-209 program manager, delivers remarks as Wilson, left, and Program Executive Officer, Aviation Common Systems and Commercial Services, Robert Kimble, right, observe.
Capt. Margaret Wilson, outgoing PMA-209 program manager, delivers her retirement remarks during the PMA-209 change of command ceremony June 15 in Patuxent River. Wilson’s guest speaker, Randolph White, deputy director for the Advanced Strategic Education Program at the Army War College, listens to her remarks.
