Individuals and teams in nine categories aligned directly to NAVAIR’s focus areas—speed of capability, affordability and availability— were recognized at the 25th annual NAVAIR Commander’s Awards on Wednesday, June 4
NAVAIR Commander Vice Adm. Carl Chebi recognized individuals and teams in nine categories aligned directly to NAVAIR’s focus areas—speed of capability, affordability and availability—at the 25th annual NAVAIR Commander’s Awards held here June 4.
Finalists were selected from 129 teams and individuals from across NAVAIR who exemplify the behaviors and collaborative approaches that will help NAVAIR deliver the warfighting capability the fleet needs at an affordable cost. Winners of the Small Business Advocacy Awards and the Association of Naval Aviation Edward H. Heinemann Award were also recognized.
“Right now, our fleet is deployed in harm’s way, operating in some of the most demanding environments in the world,” Chebi said “The capabilities you deliver are helping our warfighters execute their missions successfully and return home safely. This is the true power of what you do. You are defending freedom and protecting lives. Your work matters. The teams we are honoring today are proof of that—they embody the very best of NAVAIR. You’ve achieved outcomes that matter to the warfighter.”
The 2025 NAVAIR Commander’s Award winners are as follows:
AFFORDABILITY CATEGORY
Durable Landing Gear Team
By developing new test methods with a cross-disciplinary team, the Durable Landing Gear Team proved successfully that applying zinc-nickel plating as a replacement for cadmium is three times more effective at preventing corrosion. For F-18 E/F Super Hornet aircraft, this technology transition is projected to save between $2-3 billion over the life of the landing gear overhaul program. Additionally, with the critical shortage of Aermet 100 ultra-high strength steel alloy as a raw material for F-35 lightning II, F-18 and MQ-25 Stingray landing gear, this more robust coating system will ensure landing gear in the fleet will be better preserved and will reduce strain on the logistics train for replacement parts.
AVAILABILITY CATEGORY
H-1 Light/Attack Helicopter Programs Office In-Service Team
The H-1 Light/Attack Helicopter Programs Office In-Service Team has been key to the H-1 achieving exceptional mission capable aircraft required (MCAR) and fully mission capable aircraft required (FMCAR) conditions, exceeding Naval Aviation Enterprise North Star goals on a nearly monthly basis. By coordinating with fleet representatives and all responsible stakeholders, the team resolved readiness issues that impact availability. The team also executed a government-led modification line, enhancing H-1 capability with minimal impact to squadron aircraft availability.
BUSINESS INNOVATION CATEGORY
Proposal Analysis Team
The innovations in the price lightning tool that were released in fiscal year 2024 have greatly improved the NAVAIR Procurement Group’s ability to perform fast, accurate and data-driven pricing analysis. These advancements have reduced cycle time, enriched cost reduction efforts, enhanced the flexibility of the tool to respond to an even greater problem set and fostered greater collaboration across the DoD. By automating and streamlining critical aspects of the proposal evaluation process, price lightning tool has empowered teams to make better, faster decisions, ultimately driving efficiency in how NAVAIR procures and delivers essential products and services to the fleet.
Presidential Helicopters Program Office VH-92A Patriot Interactive Electronic Technical Manual (IETM) Team
The IETM Team demonstrated outstanding performance and enterprise-level excellence in business innovation by delivering critical technical publications in support of fleet and depot-level maintainers at both Marine Helicopter Squadron One (HMX-1) and the Presidential Helicopter Support Facility (PHSF) at Naval Air Station Patuxent River. The team’s innovative approach to product development, focusing on organic capabilities, as well as involving the customer in the design, reduced program costs significantly by 50% per year, or $78 million across the life of the VH-92A program. The team also decreased publication update cycle time from 30 days to 12 hours, a 5,900% reduction. The long-term result has led to improved technical publication services and support for maintainers, where the IETM product has helped generate NAVAIR-leading aircraft readiness for the VH-92A, achieving 90% MCAR and 84% FMAR averages for calendar year 2024.
‘GET REAL, GET BETTER’ CATEGORY
Air Wing of the Future Working Spaces Working Group
The Air Wing of the Future Working Spaces Working Group’s exceptional achievements and contributions stemmed from the need to add additional type/model/series, warfighting capability and logistical footprint on board space-limited aircraft carriers, nuclear propulsion, without an equivalent removal of legacy footprint. They identified spaces successfully to support CMV-22 Osprey integration and an additional 15 working spaces to support MQ-25 Stingray integration on all Nimitz-class carriers. They also completed a similar effort for Ford-class carriers, obtaining approval for these space modifications for the current CVN-79 USS Kennedy and follow-on Ford-class carrier construction. Their vision, expertise and innovation have revolutionized how the Navy addresses and solves space limitations on carriers effectively.
MOST COLLABORATIVE IPT LEAD CATEGORY
Caroline McPherson
McPherson serves as the In-Service Integrated Program Team (IPT) lead within the warfighting readiness pillar for the H-1 Light/Attack Helicopter Programs Office. During calendar year 2024, she established a dynamic aircraft modification operation and coordinated with multiple entities to deliver full modified aircraft incorporated with the latest combat capabilities, communication and munition upgrades. She partnered with the contractor to obtain access to important documentation, thereby enhancing the government’s ability to conduct organic support activities. Her collaboration and leadership abilities have been instrumental to the success of the H-1 enterprise.
MOST IMPACTFUL SUPERVISOR CATEGORY
Christopher Albright
As the F/A-18 Hornet and EA-18G Growler System Configuration Set IPT lead, Albright’s forward-thinking leadership has resulted in numerous successes for the F/A-18 and EA-18G Program Office. By empowering his teammates to take ownership and identify areas for improvement, he has fostered a culture of innovation and collaboration, encouraging them to find and fix problems at any level. His revolutionary approach to software development and fielding, decisive budget execution and constant drive to improve existing processes have made direct and positive impacts to the fleet.
SPEED OF CAPABILITY DELIVERY CATEGORY
Carrier Air Wing Three (CVW-3) Tiger Team
A NAVAIR-wide team-of-teams responded rapidly to an urgent fleet need from CVW-3 to modify the F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet to counter Houthi attacks threatening shipping in the Middle East. Within days, the team delivered crucial APG-79 radar improvements to maximize detection and tracking of inbound threats. Within weeks, the team doubled the authorized carriage of AIM-9X Sidewinder missiles to enable the best weapon-to-target defense against one-way attack unmanned aerial vehicles. Then, the team delivered a restricted clearance that increased the recovery weight of the F/A-18E/F, allowing the CVW-3 commander to better balance operational risks when conducting large-scale strikes. The team also reprogrammed electronic warfare software rapidly to counter regional threats. In the words of the CVW-3 commander, the “hustle, heart and high-caliber efforts made CVW-3 a more survivable and lethal force.”
TECHNICAL INNOVATION CATEGORY
V-22 Clutch Investigation and Osprey Drive System Safety and Health Information (ODSSHI) Development Teams
The clutch investigation team demonstrated outstanding innovation when they developed and employed novel technology to measure and record input quill assembly sprag clutch behavior during flight. This novel instrumentation can record rotational data at 100,000 kHz. When paired with accelerometers, it provides unprecedented clutch dynamics observations. This marked the first time such high-resolution data was collected in flight. The ODSSHI team is using the data to inform ODSSHI system algorithms to detect and classify drive system anomalies. This ODSSHI system, currently fielding, will deliver this much-needed capability quickly to the V-22 Osprey fleet. The HCE and ODSSHI teams used advanced instrumentation technology to gather significant insight and address critical safety hazards on the V-22. Their work has set a benchmark for advancing aviation safety and readiness.
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT CATEGORY
Weapons And Warfare Systems Test Department Workforce Development Team
The Weapons and Warfare Systems Test Department Workforce Development Team has demonstrated exceptional leadership in advancing training and employee development. When faced with under executing their training plan and budget, the team developed a new business tool to track and organize training plans, ensuring 100% budget execution. In FY24, the team offered more than 45 different development opportunities, specifically, technical and leadership training to employees, including advanced courses and participation in key conferences. They also brought test and evaluation cohort training in-house, saving more than $25,000 per cohort while providing leadership opportunities for subject matter experts. The teams’ collaboration with the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division and the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division improved training efficiency and resource sharing, setting a lasting precedent for continuous improvement across NAVAIR.
NAVAIR SMALL BUSINESS ADVOCACY AWARD (INDIVIDUAL)
Amber Spiegel
Spiegel exemplifies what it means to be a passionate and dedicated advocate for small businesses. As the advanced development lead for the Persistent Maritime Unmanned Aircraft Systems Program Office, she works consistently to break down barriers and overcome challenges to ensure small businesses are supported and can succeed. Her leadership, determination and unwavering commitment to maximizing opportunities for small businesses have contributed greatly to the warfighter’s success, because she is helping facilitate innovative solutions and advance critical technologies affordably.
NAVAIR SMALL BUSINESS ADVOCACY AWARD (TEAM)
Mission Systems and DAiTA Group Acquisition Team
The NAWCAD Mission Systems and DAiTA Group Acquisition Team remains an advocate for small businesses. By providing opportunities and significant industry outreach, the team has maximized small business participation in crafting mission systems and DAiTA group acquisition policies, processes, guidance and strategies. The team was responsible for more than $2.7 billion in small business major services contract opportunities, approximately $40 million in small business other transactional authority awards and more than $7 million in supply procurements through 616 different small businesses. Overall, this represents more than 67% of all acquisitions.
EDWARD H. HEINEMANN AWARD
APG-79v4 Active Electronically Scanned Array Radar Team
During 2024, the APG-79v4 Radar Team partnered with commercial and government entities to overcome supplier issues, development delays and sparing shortfalls and deliver a generational leap in sensor performance for the F/A-18C/D Hornet fleet via the APG-79v4 active electronically scanned array radar. The upgrade boosted the F/A-18C/D’s combat effectiveness significantly, enhancing lethality and survivability dramatically and providing a crucial fourth- and fifth-generation fighter mix to deter adversaries in the Pacific. With a v4 radar, the F/A-18C/D provides affordable mass that can detect and track threat ships and aircraft at ranges that ensure aircrew can survive peer adversary fights. The team’s seasoned experts were crucial in mitigating vendor quality control issues, software development delays and parts obsolescence. The team engaged with the vendor and ensured a quality product was delivered on time, culminating in the first APG-79v4-equipped Marine Corps squadron deployment in 2024. The v4 radars also allowed the first royal Canadian Air Force squadron to achieve initial operational capability in its Hornet extension program. The team has also ensured a smaller sustainment footprint by implementing a design that has fewer moving components and shares many commonalities with the APG-79v1 on F/A-18E/F Super Hornet aircraft, driving down costs to an affordable level and increasing overall radar availability rates for the fleet. This team’s efforts resulted in delivering the Navy’s greatest capability improvement to the F/A-18C/D in its nearly 40-year history.
This completes the 2025 NAVAIR Commander’s Award winners in each category.
“The thing I am most proud of is the team we have here [and] what you do each and every day—you are providing tremendous support to the warfighter,” Chebi said in his concluding remarks. “We deliver great capability, and when the fleet has a need, we react quickly. We know they are on mission—in theater—and we react with a sense of urgency to get their capability out there. The NAVAIR team has set the standard.”
Individuals and teams in nine categories aligned directly to NAVAIR’s focus areas—speed of capability, affordability and availability— were recognized at the 25th annual NAVAIR Commander’s Awards on Wednesday, June 4
