The National Defense Industrial Association named Jacob Kiehlmeier (pictured) as the civilian Tester of the Year for 2023 (U.S. Navy photo).
NAVAL AIR SYSTEMS COMMAND, PATUXENT RIVER, MD.: The National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) has selected Jacob Kiehlmeier as the civilian Tester of the Year for 2023.
Kiehlmeier served as the lead test engineer for the Next Generation Jammer Mid-Band (NGJ-MB) Integrated Test Team (ITT) supporting the Airborne Electronic Attack Systems Program Office (PMA-234).
Kiehlmeier led a national integrated team and provided oversight during comprehensive testing of the Navy’s NGJ-MB electronic warfare pod. NGJ-MB was developed to augment and ultimately replace the ALQ-99 Tactical Jamming System on the EA-18G Growler.
Kiehlmeier masterfully planned and executed the Operational Test Readiness Review (OTRR), despite scheduling, weather and aircraft maintenance issues. The OTRR was conducted flawlessly and included hundreds of flight test hours and thousands of chamber test hours.
When preparing for OTRR, the ITT faced instrumentation issues and a maintenance depot period in the middle of the test program that would have delayed the program by nearly a year. PMA-234 Program Manager Capt. David Rueter credits Kiehlmeier for saving the U.S. Navy $60 million and months of delays.
“Mr. Kiehlmeier’s innovative guidance inspired his team to think outside-of-the-box by coordinating a plan to troubleshoot and replace large portions of the system, instead of continuing to handle individual issues as they arose. By doing this, he brought the program back on schedule and even allowed for early completion in several areas,” Rueter explained.
The national ITT was comprised of developmental and operational test squadrons, multiple prime contractors, test chambers and test ranges and over a dozen test aircraft. Under Kiehlmeier’s leadership, the team adapted and pivoted the flight test schedules and testing strategies to gather test data while issues were being resolved.
“This past year’s successful OTRR is a culmination of the hard work and dedication of Mr. Kiehlmeier and the ITT,” Rueter said. “He seamlessly intertwined interdependences from multiple organizations and ensured testing was continuously optimized for the best results. His vision and diligence kept the test team, and the program focused on what mattered most—the fleet.”
Kiehlmeier’s constant communication with the ITT resulted in the OTRR being held on schedule and the Program Executive Office for Tactical Aircraft Programs certified the system as ready for operational testing.
