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Electronic Systems Pulse

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DisclaimerThe publishers, authors and printers cannot accept liability for any errors or omissions. Electronic Systems Pulse is produced by BAE Systems corporate and business unit internal communications teams. Editor, Kelly Hussey. Please send any comments and feedback to [email protected] or leave a message on (607) 770 3783. Email: [email protected] or opinions expressed in this publication may not reflect company policy. All rights reserved. On no account may any part of this publication be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the copyright holder, application for which should be made to [email protected]. Designed and produced by BAE Systems Electronic Systems Creative Services http//www.baesystems.com/es© BAE Systems 2019.

Inside this Edition: Electronic Systems’ Pulse celebrates the 50-year anniversary of the historic lunar landing, all of the spellbinding technological achievements since, and the exciting future of space innovation.

On the cover: Fifty years of progress in space technology, and looking toward the future.

Cover designed by Justin Bogart.

You can follow BAE Systems’ program milestones and other events in real-time by following or liking the company’s social media sites below: facebook.com/baesystemsinc twitter.com/baesystemsinc flickr.com/baesystemsinc linkedin.com/company/bae-systems @baesystemsinc

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For more information on Electronic Systems, contact Nicole Gable, Manager, Media Relations. E-mail: [email protected]

As our company continuously improves, our intention is that this newsletter will as well. If you have a story idea or suggestion for the newsletter, please contact an ES Communications representative or Pulse’s editor, Kelly Hussey, at [email protected].

© BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc., BAE Systems Controls Inc., BAE Systems (Operations) Ltd. 2019 All rights reserved

The 50th anniversary of the moon landing sparks different memories, reactions, and nostalgia for many people. For me, it conjures a treasured memory of my childhood. My father was a scientist at a nearby Air Force base, and they were analyzing moon rocks as part of the experiments they were conducting. I was able to visit the base and see some of the work they were doing. So as a young person, I had the unique opportunity to see artifacts that came back from those historic missions and that brush with history spawned my interest in science. Today, I’m excited and humbled to be part of our country’s continued legacy of innovation, from the depths of the ocean all the way up into the solar system and beyond.

Our nation is facing many challenges, which threaten both our military service members and the valuable assets we have in space. One example is the speed and scale at which our adversaries are leveraging commercial technology. Where it previously may have taken a decade to evolve a particular system, they can now manufacture a threat in years or months, so it’s important that our systems are adaptive. And so we’re leveraging technologies like machine learning and artificial intelligence to allow our

systems to learn, in real time, how to mitigate the impact of those techniques – not in months or years, but in line with executing the mission, in a way that is transparent to the operator.

BAE Systems is also combining our decades of space computing experience with our radio frequency engineering knowledge to create a whole family of capabilities as an electronic component provider for space payloads. As you can imagine, this is inherently a collaborative, multi-functional effort across multiple business areas, with engineering and operations serving as the glue that holds it all altogether. For everything we do at BAE Systems, collaboration is key, which is becoming increasingly important as the global velocity of innovation increases.

With the recent InSight landing on Mars, and other exciting advances in space exploration, it’s truly an exciting time not just for BAE Systems, but for all who contribute to furthering humankind’s knowledge and progress in space, and protecting our critical assets there.

I look forward to seeing where the next 50 years take us.

50 yearssince that giant leapBy Dave Logan, vice president of C4ISR* Systemswith Kelly Hussey, Hudson, New Hampshire

Dave Loganvice president of C4ISR Systems


*Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance.

2 • Electronic Systems Pulse

The Beacon

www.baesystems.com/pulse

Table of Contents • 3

Contents

Page 12

Page 10

Page 8

Page 6

Page 4

Page 23

Page 22

Page 20

Page 16

Page 15

From moon landing to Mars landing: Celebrating 50 years of space technology innovation

Hallmark: Using machine learning to provide space situational awareness

Built space tough

When capability rises to discriminator

Our ticket to go fast

A 360° view of innovation: Building from the ground up

Embracing our Cultural Principles

Astronomical Efforts: Women in the Space Program

How much are you willing to risk?A Virtual Mentoring Session with Ricardo Gonzalez

Fully engaged: How to encourage a new generation of technology disruptors

Page 18Get to Zero

GO FASTOur ticket to

By Jake Drouin, Communications, Nashua, New Hampshire

4 • In the Key Markets


Speed matters more than ever if we are to stay ahead of our adversaries and protect our warfighters with mission-ready technologies. With customers demanding accelerated timelines across areas such as electronic warfare, C4ISR, electro-optical/infrared and precision guidance, we must identify rapid solutions to deliver game-changing technologies with speed.


DoD Directive 5000.01The directive that governs the policies for the Defense Acquisition System.

Joint Capabilities Integration and Development SystemThe formal U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) process defining acquisition requirements and evaluation criteria for future defense programs.

Federal Acquisition RegulationThe FAR system governs the acquisition process by which executive agencies of the U.S. federal government acquire (i.e., purchase or lease) goods and services by contract with appropriated funds.

Other Transaction AuthorityThe term commonly used to refer to the authority of the DoD to carry out certain prototype, research, and production projects.

Indefinite delivery/indefinite quantityA type of contract that provides for an indefinite quantity of supplies or services during a fixed period of time.

Rapid prototypingDefines programs that use innovative technology to rapidly develop fieldable prototypes to demonstrate new capabilities and meet emerging military needs. To be considered a rapid prototype, the program must:

• Field a prototype that can be demonstrated in an operational environment.

• Provide residual operational capability within five years of an approved requirement.

In the Key Markets • 5

Defines programs that use proven technologies to field production quantities of new or upgraded systems with minimal development required. To be considered rapid fielding, the program must:

• Begin production within six months.

• Complete fielding within five years of an approved requirement.

Rapid fielding

Accelerated development and fielding of new technologies is happening, and a velocity revolution is underway. One mechanism to ignite military acquisitions, build collaboration among U.S. industry, and gain alignment around rapid fielding is outlined in Section 804 of the National Defense Authorization Act. Section 804 establishes guidance for ‘‘middle tier’’ acquisition programs that are intended to be completed in a period of two to five years via two acquisition pathways: rapid prototyping and rapid fielding.

Section 804 is allowing the U.S. armed forces to accelerate and quickly prioritize disruptive technologies. The innovations they identify can then be fielded more quickly in order to address defensive gaps and evolving threats. These programs can bypass JCIDS and the DoD Directive 5000.01, utilizing various contract vehicles, such as commercial contracting, IDIQs, and non-FAR OTAs, to proceed with rapid acquisitions.

The Air Force is set on creating and sustaining the fastest acquisition system ever in order to compete against adversaries that are already matching our

technology across the battlespace. Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, Dr. Will Roper, has been defining the framework for a cultural shift across the U.S. Air Force community on successful adoption of “Go Fast.” While addressing the Air Force Association’s Air Warfare Symposium in Orlando last February, Dr. Roper stated, “Going faster is not just a tag line for us; it’s a dead-serious business about keeping the Air Force competitive and dominant.”

As Dr. Roper continues to lead conversions around innovative culture and program acceleration for the Air Force, he consistently revisits the need for collaboration across all DoD commercial audiences. With collaboration comes big ideas, but are businesses ready? In order to align, all must melt the “frozen middle.” The frozen middle focuses on how top leaders want innovative ideas to come to the surface, and recognizes that functional employees have those ideas, but somewhere in the middle of the organizational ladder, innovative ideas are being rejected by overly conservative managers.

In order to create innovation, there needs to be a culture of speed, opportunity, and risk. Without risk, there will only be incremental advances in technology.

Fielding critical capabilities through a fast-track super-highway will drive big ideas, and in turn, legacy mindsets, barriers, processes, and workforce environments will change. A mechanism for risk and triumph, Section 804, reinforced by Dr. Roper and other military constituents, will accelerate opportunities. With programs looking to strengthen customer focus and deliver DoD solutions quicker, this is the opportunity for BAE Systems to embrace a go-fast model that provides game-changing solutions to our warfighters quicker.

As rapid fielding and evolving threats collide, the legacy approach to design, production, and test will no longer suffice. We must go faster. Today’s DoD audiences and those responsible for next-generation programs need to embrace the cultural shift of the U.S. Air Force Acquisition authority and its velocity revolution. They must, or they will remain frozen, dulling the critical edge we strive to deliver to the warfighter.

By Ali Flewelling, Communications, Hudson, New Hampshire

BAE Systems’ products and capabilities can be found everywhere – from the seas, to the skies, to the stars. As global innovators behind game-changing defense and commercial electronics, our employees continue to push the limits of what is possible.

Why? Because customers count on BAE Systems to be capable: capable to innovate, anticipate needs, and deliver on time and on budget. To help with this, the company has numerous engineering capability groups aligned to its key markets and domains.

“Our capability groups are made up of communities of subject matter experts whose expertise are leveraged across the business to give us a competitive advantage,” said Lisa Aucoin, vice president of Engineering. But Aucoin isn’t just satisfied with being capable. She and her team of more than 5,500 engineers want to position BAE Systems as a discriminator.

According to Aucoin, capability groups are created and sustained because of the talent and expertise of the company’s employees – talent

that comes with decades of knowledge in critical skill areas. It’s this depth and breadth of knowledge and experience – paired with the fresh ideas of new employees – that allow BAE Systems to carve out a spot as front runner and enable what Aucoin calls “critical development of engineering knowledge transfer.”

BAE Systems currently has 23 distinct capability groups, which range from Direction Finding and Geolocation to Integration and Test Solutions The Direction Finding and Geolocation Capability Group allows BAE Systems to leverage its more than 60-year history of providing industry-leading innovations in this domain to benefit business area programs based on land, air, sea, and space throughout the program lifecycle. The group’s technology helps our military and commercial customers detect and locate signals of interest, giving them the necessary edge to stay out of harm’s way. The capability group also holds numerous patents for its innovative solutions.

The Integration and Test Solutions Capability Group provides expertise to unite processes, methods, and techniques used to assist in product



When capability rises to discriminator


• Advanced Real Time Emitter Management and Identification Solutions• Amplifier• Antenna • Communications Signals Exploitation • Cyber Resilience • Data Analytics Solutions• Digital Subsystems• Direction Finding and Geolocation • Electronic Attack • Electronic Support Measures • Electro-Optical/Infrared Systems• Integration and Test Solutions

• Lasers• Materials Engineering• Mechanical Analysis• Mission Data Files Generator • Mixed Signal Integrated Circuit • Model Based Systems Engineering• Operational Analysis • Printed Wiring Board• Product Producibility and Launch • Product Protection• Radio Frequency Subsystems


development. This group has allowed BAE Systems to converge on families of test solutions, which make our factories more efficient and better equipped to meet customer requirements. The group currently develops and supports the automated test controller suite, a solution being adopted by several programs. The suite automates integration, verification and validation, and data analysis activities to increase utilization, reduce test times, and minimize errors.

The diversity of the company’s capability groups can be credited to its dedicated employees, whose knowledge and commitment to do what’s best for the customer allow BAE Systems to be agile and competitive in the marketplace. “Our capability groups are foundational to delivering mission-capable solutions to our customers while fostering a culture of engineering excellence,” said Aucoin.

Engineering capability groups

tough

By Jason Simpson, Communications, Nashua, New Hampshire

Built space



Tuyet Bach, an Operations manager in Manassas, Virginia, has spent her 20-plus-year career at the site. While many of her college classmates concentrating in chemical engineering went on to careers within chemical or petroleum industries, Bach always wanted to work in an advanced electronics-manufacturing environment.

“Space work is extremely challenging and exciting,” she said.

“It’s a wonderful feeling to know that the product that my team and I build are the brains and the hearts of many satellite systems. I feel so lucky to work on products that touch so many lives around the globe and to help our warfighters in the field. I work with so many smart and talented team members who all do whatever it takes to deliver what our customers ask.”

tough

A Profile in Space Manufacturing: Tuyet Bach

If you have used GPS or an ATM, you have benefitted from BAE Systems’ space solutions to get where you need to go or withdraw funds from your bank account, even if you didn’t realize it.

BAE Systems and its legacy companies’ products have enabled space exploration since the Apollo 11 mission to the moon. All told, the company’s technology in Earth’s orbit has totaled more than 10,000 years of flight time over more than 25 years. This heritage ranges from the first GVSC 1750 processor developed in 1990 – which is now on more than 150 satellites – to present day, where our first 45-nanometer application-specific integrated circuits offer 10 times the on-board processing speed at a third of the size of other similar products on the market.

Over this time, BAE Systems has established a number of revolutionary space manufacturing processes to stay ahead of the market. For instance, the company evaluates its products by using a unique dual-beam focused ion beam instrument to view cross sections of computer chip circuits by milling away at the structure “atom by atom,” according to John Davis, an Engineering manager in Manassas, Virginia. The device has such a strong magnification that participants in our Women in Technology STEM program use it to write their names on the point of a needle as a practice exercise.

BAE Systems reached the 10,000-years-of-flight milestone in May, and just as impressive is the fact

that, over that time, no mission failures were due to the company’s computers, according to Steve Danziger, space systems Quality manager and site executive of the Manassas, Virginia, location.

“Our customers view this as a remarkable quality record, especially when you consider that space is the harshest environment known, with extreme radiation and temperatures that need to be endured for 20-year missions,” he said. “This legacy is a critical component for our customers – entrusting us to be on the most-critical missions of exploration and defense.”

Such experience within the field is required when looking at the environment in which satellites and other space assets operate. These systems are continually bombarded with solar radiation, which accelerates the aging of electronic parts and materials if not properly protected. They also regularly undergo temperature changes from -55° C to 125° C. Further, space products must undergo more-rigorous vibration testing than aircraft components to ensure they can withstand launch and operations in the merciless environment of Earth’s orbit and beyond.

Adding to the complexity of space product requirements is the fact that it requires roughly 10 pounds of fuel for every pound of payload launched into space.

As it is not feasible to conduct in-service repairs of equipment in orbit, all of these factors must be considered when manufacturing and testing space

products. For example, BAE Systems performs lot acceptance sample testing on components that applies a 15-year “dose” of radiation to ensure our products can withstand the radiation they will endure over the life of the systems.

Due to contract wins and new program pursuits over the last few years – and increased production volumes as a result – BAE Systems forecasts it will triple its space systems manufacturing employee population in the next five years.

BACH CHAMPIONS A “ZERO-DEFECT” MINDSET IN THE FACTORIES SHE MANAGES TO EXTEND ES’ LEGACY OF NEVER HAVING A SPACE SYSTEM FAIL IN ORBIT. THE MANASSAS, VIRGINIA, SITE HAS ALMOST TWO FULL YEARS OF DELIVERING PRODUCT WITHOUT A SINGLE SHIPPED DEFECT.



10 • Section10 • Tech Corner


Using machine learning to provide space situational awareness

Hallm

ark

BAE Systems will develop machine learning capabilities aimed to help the military gain better awareness of space scenarios.

By Barbara Driscoll, Communications, Merrimack, New Hampshire

Satellites and their payloads provide the U.S. Department of Defense and our intelligence communities with support services that are integral to our national security, including communications, navigation, and surveillance.

In years past, these assets were unchallenged by those of other nations, and the U.S. and its allies enjoyed a relatively peaceful sanctuary in space. That situation has changed, as peer adversaries are known to be growing their capabilities to reduce our nation’s effectiveness in that domain, including spaced-based intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, and counter-space weapons such as directed energy and ground-based anti-satellite missiles.

To help our nation counter these threats, BAE Systems’ FAST Labs™ research and development business is developing machine learning capabilities aimed at helping the military gain better awareness of space scenarios.

Under a contract with the Air Force Research Lab (AFRL), for the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), FAST Labs is developing a technology solution designed to automatically predict space events such as launches or satellite movements based on millions

of pieces of data, helping them make rapid decisions to avoid any potential threats.

The program, called Hallmark Tools, Capabilities, and Evaluation Methodology (Hallmark-TCEM), is building cognitive-based machine learning algorithms and data models for the purpose of giving space operators the ability to identify abnormal activities and predict possible threats. They are also being designed to enhance the ability to select effective courses of action for any given situation.

“Our technology builds data models based on normal activity and then ingests large amounts of real-time, streaming data to compare against the normal model and determine if any abnormal activity is occurring or will occur,” said Dr. John Hogan, product line director of the Sensor Processing and Exploitation group in FAST Labs. “By using this technology, we hope to reduce the operator’s workload by providing a solution that will automatically predict space events such as launches or satellite movements based on millions of pieces of data, helping them make rapid decisions to avoid any potential threats.”

10 • Tech Corner


By Shelley Walcott, Nashua, New Hampshire, and Kelly Hussey, Hudson, New Hampshire

12 • On the Beat


of space technology innovationCelebratingFrom moon landing to Mars landing:

of space technology innovationCelebrating

One summer day in July 1969, 600 million people watched in their living rooms as Neil Armstrong took his first steps on the moon, changing the course of history.

From moon landing to Mars landing:

On the Beat • 13


50 years

14 • On the Beat


Apollo’s moon mission was one of the most ambitious government projects ever embarked upon: the result of tireless work and a steadfast belief that humankind could achieve anything.

During the 1960s, BAE Systems — Sanders at the time — won the contract to build the Saturn V prelaunch checkout system as part of the Apollo 11 mission. “This was an exciting opportunity for the company,” said Perry Bowden, BAE Systems director of Strategy and Business Development in Huntsville, Alabama.

Our prelaunch checkout system was the very first automatic, computerized system of the space program. Apollo 11 also incorporated BAE Systems’ display consoles, data processing, and light panels. In addition, we designed and built highly reliable filters used in a data processing subsystem aboard the Apollo 11 Lunar Excursion Module.

While we played an important role, we certainly were not alone. NASA estimates more than 400,000 engineers, scientists, and technicians — many of them outside contractors — supported the project. Hundreds of thousands of innovative minds came together for a common purpose — and of course, the mission was a huge success.

Fast forward to 2019. That same trailblazing spirit still permeates throughout BAE Systems, but with another half a century of ingenuity under its belt.

Today, as a world leader in radiation-hardened computers and processors, resilient ground systems, and advanced mission payloads, we’re no stranger to

the interplanetary environment. In fact, our products touch millions of people each day. Back in 1969, you’d excitedly twirl the numbers of your rotary phone to share the news about the lunar landing. Today, your daily weather report, online banking session, and GPS technology are all conveniently housed on your cell phone. All of this now commonplace technology depends on satellites to function, many of which are enabled by BAE Systems’ products.

To date, we have more than 1,000 single board computers (SBCs; complete computers built on a single circuit board) on orbit supporting the Department of Defense, civil, commercial, and national security space missions.

“It’s a feeling of pride to see something launch, knowing that our product is heading to its mission, or knowing that it’s out there looking over the soldiers on the ground,” said LeeAnn Raczkowski, senior engineer for C4ISR Systems. “They’re using our technology to keep everyone safe.”

Much like Neil, our employees are exhilarated by going into uncharted territories, and we’re always looking to take our technology one step further. Our fourth generation RAD5545® computer — the most advanced rad-hard computer ever created for the space community — can perform 5.6 billion instructions every second while operating in the most treacherous environment.

“At the heart of that computer is the processor itself: the most advanced radiation hardened system-on-chip processor ever created for the space

market,” said Ricardo Gonzalez, director of Space Systems in the C4ISRS business area. “At just over four pounds and 33 watts, it can perform missions in orbit that no one else can touch.”

While the famed Apollo system was nearing the end of its demonstration phases in preparation for the lunar mission, another history-making project was in the works. The unmanned Mariner VI and VII began a six-month journey to Mars to give humankind its first detailed look of the Red Planet — a major step forward in our then-limited understanding of the mysterious celestial body.

As a continuation of this decades-long journey, our ground-breaking RAD750® SBC — the “workhorse” of the industry — recently guided NASA’s InSight spacecraft on its grueling six-month voyage to the Red Planet.

“Our team watched the landing intently to see if the onboard computers that we had built — tested and retested — had made it safely to the Red Planet,” said Gonzalez. “We’re involved in many space projects, and we have had computers on Mars since 1997, but this kind of result really keeps our group motivated.”

Indeed, this represents the eighth Mars mission enabled by BAE Systems’ family of advanced, radiation-hardened electronics — and certainly not the last.

So where do we go from here? Perhaps one day in the not too distant future, humans will land on Mars. Perhaps not long after that, some of us will call it “home.” Sound impossible? We stand with Neil in believing that nothing truly is.

Half a century of space innovation

GPS

139

Missions that impact everyday life

Weather Direct TV Satellite radio Communications

Technology on more than

of flight time logged

0 failures

instructions per second delivered by RAD5545®

Xspace patents 400 satellites

10,000 years 5.6 billion

At BAE Systems, we are enthusiastic about encouraging and enabling the next generation of technology disruptors through innovative, hands-on experiences that challenge students and educate them about how science, technology, engineering, and math can solve the problems of tomorrow.

Pushing the limitsA career at BAE Systems means solving today’s problems by developing tomorrow’s technologies. We support students who are already looking to tackle difficult challenges, and we aim to spark a curiosity in those who have that imagination and wonder about technological possibilities. Our employees and programs teach them how to turn science fiction into reality.

The excitement our employees feel when they work on projects that have the potential to disrupt the way we use and experience technology is contagious to students, which makes being mentored by a BAE Systems employee even more impactful. To foster mentoring opportunities, we partner with dynamic nonprofits to engage students in meaningful experiences that allow them to discover career possibilities while helping to solve problems in their communities. With support from our employees, our approach nurtures the enthusiasm of future leaders and innovators.

Bringing it all togetherOne example of how we inspire the next generation of creative thinkers is through our partnership with FIRST® Robotics. We work with the organization at sites across our U.S. footprint – sponsoring teams and competitions, providing opportunities for our employees to volunteer as mentors, and opening the door for students through the newly established BAE Systems FIRST®

Robotics Scholarship and Internship Program. Launched this year, the program is a way for us to further support students with the potential to become the next technology disruptors, and provide them with valuable opportunities to engage in real-life problem-solving at BAE Systems.

How to encourage a new generation of technology disruptors By Carrie Connors, Communications, Endicott, New York

Learn more about the BAE Systems FIRST® Robotics Scholarship and Internship Program by visiting https://www.baesystems.com/FIRSTscholarships

FIRST® provides a venue for students to develop their interest in math, science, and engineering careers. As the presenting sponsor for the FIRST® Texas District/UIL Robotics State Championships, we have the opportunity to fuel the talent pipeline in our communities.

If you want to encourage the next generation of technology disruptors, then you have to be prepared to think outside the galaxy. Employees in Manassas, Virginia, show kids at the Escape Velocity convention how we enable space exploration.

Fully engaged




16 • Virtual Mentoring Session

By Kelly Hussey, Communications, Hudson, New Hampshire

A virtual mentoring session with Ricardo Gonzalez

What’s it like to be mentored by our leaders? It’s impossible for every one of us to sit down with members of our leadership team, so we’re conducting virtual mentoring sessions with them to pass along wisdom and lessons from the people who have ascended to Electronic Systems’ highest level positions.

In this virtual mentoring session, we travel to Manassas, Virginia, to talk with Ricardo Gonzalez, director of C4ISRS Space Systems. Through storytelling, Ricardo expresses the value of developing deep relationships, the power of self-actualization, and the critical role of risk-taking in achieving personal and professional success.

How much are you willing to risk?

What makes a great leader?To me, leadership is the art of empowering your followers to dream

big and become more. A great leader defines purpose, sets the direction, and then inspires, motivates, and fosters commitment. They build trust by consistently operating with integrity, compassion, and transparency — and by putting their people first. Equally important, they surround themselves with people who think differently than they do, and they listen with the intent to be influenced. True leaders inspire others to follow out of desire and not obligation, on their mutual journey to accomplish extraordinary goals.

What is the most important lesson you’ve learned over your career? The sheer power of taking risks. Specifically, it’s about realizing the incredible power that comes from each of us stepping out of our comfort zone into the unknown, and embracing that uncertainty in order to learn,

grow, and achieve things that today may appear unreachable. Risk-taking fuels innovation, which is our core DNA at BAE Systems. A good example of this is what’s going on right now with laser communications. This is an area where, until recently, the technology hadn’t matured enough to be a capability we could deliver to the nation. Overcoming many challenges, our team has continued to develop truly disruptive technology by creating a coalition of funding from our customers and our own investments to push the envelope and realize that capability. They’re exercising measured risk-taking, which involves being bold – but never to the point of recklessness.

What advice do you have to employees who are just starting their careers with us?

Make a personal commitment to competence. In a nutshell, this is about each of us driving to maximize our own potential and helping those around us to do the same. It’s a commitment to taking a course of action that makes us all better.

www.baesystems.com/pulsewww.baesystems.com/pulse

A simple way to look at this is using the analogy of a three-legged stool, with each leg representing one important skillset: domain expertise, business acumen, and interpersonal skills. Mastering one of these areas is great, but the real power comes when you work at — and get better at — all three of them.

If you’re like me, some of these areas do not come naturally. I’ve found that the best way to strengthen these skills is to constantly seek out challenging assignments that take you outside your comfort zone. Beware of what I like to call “autopilot,” which is the enemy of growth.

What is your best advice when interacting with customers?Focus on building long-lasting relationships. We often hear the saying that customers do business with people they know, like, and trust. Trust is everything. Always operate with honesty and transparency, no matter how difficult the situation. Recently, I ran into a former customer at a conference. He wanted to discuss a significant upcoming opportunity, and expressed a strong desire to partner with our team. Ten years ago, he was the lead customer representative for the most challenging program I’ve ever worked on. We spent some time reminiscing about how difficult that program was and how, in the end, we found a way to deliver an incredible capability for our nation. He then paused for a few seconds, looked at me and said, “I know I can always trust you. That is the main reason we want to partner with your team for this upcoming challenging development.” Those powerful words truly captured the essence of building long-lasting relationships founded on honesty, respect, and the desire to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes.

Can you describe a time you were at a crossroads? How did that experience shape you?

In January 1992, I was living in a small town in Puerto Rico with my family. I’d been dating a beautiful girl for the past eight years, and had just earned my degree in electrical engineering. At the time, I found that there were no opportunities that allowed me to pursue my calling in Puerto Rico. Without delving into details, I’ll summarize the three weeks that followed: I went from being single, in college, and living in sunny Puerto Rico with my family and friends; to getting married, working, and living in the “cold” Washington DC area. I should also point out that they speak Spanish in Puerto Rico and English in the United States. It was truly a pivotal moment in my life that has shaped me tremendously. Years later, I’m happy to say that I’m still married to that beautiful girl, and we share two amazing daughters. Professionally, my career has taken me places that I never imagined. I’ve had incredible opportunities to support different space products and initiatives – oftentimes developing first-of-its-kind capabilities for our nation – while watching my team grow personally and professionally. These are the things that truly get me excited to come to work every day. As I share this story, I ask you to think about the following question: How much are you willing to risk in order to grow and maximize your potential and the potential of those around you? You may be surprised at your own answer.

“True leaders inspire others to follow out of desire and not obligation, on their mutual journey to accomplish extraordinary goals.”

Ricardo Gonzalez director of C4ISRS Space Systems

Virtual Mentoring Session • 17


Get to ZeroBy Carol Gorenflo, Communications, Endicott, New York

For more than 20 years, BAE Systems supported clean air initiatives with our low emission electric hybrid solutions. But with more stringent requirements on commissioning zero emission transit solutions, as well as the growing need for more sustainable solutions, we are bringing a competitive, full battery electric solution to market to help our customers Get to Zero.

BAE Systems sold its first electric hybrid system into New York City’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority in the late 1990s and helped the city earn Calstart’s Blue Sky Merit Award, recognizing its contributions to clean air, energy efficiency, and the advancement of the transportation industry. Our product design was purposefully created using a series hybrid architecture, enabling our innovation to easily transition from a hybrid electric system to a full battery electric system when the market was ready to sustain this technology.

That time is now. More countries and U.S. coastal cities are quickly adopting zero emission legislation and are working to convert their bus fleets from diesel or compressed natural gas powered vehicles to full zero emission solutions, such as battery electric propulsion or hydrogen fuel cell electric propulsion.

The same components used in more than 10,000 BAE Systems electric hybrid systems

around the globe are used in today’s battery electric and fuel cell electric systems. Nearly 300 of our zero emission systems are in service and helping municipalities reach their clean air goals.

Our products are proven and operating in the heavy-duty transit market, but we are not stopping there. BAE Systems’ design and engineering teams are continuing to innovate to bring the next generation of battery electric systems to market, introducing new cutting-edge technology and materials to improve both component and system efficiency and increase the range a bus travels before a charge and the number of passengers on board a vehicle.

“As we prepare to compete in this new, highly competitive global electric vehicle market, our requirements include designing a reliable, low cost, highly efficient system for a wide-range of applications,” said Art Lyons, chief engineer for the Power and Propulsion Solutions business area. “That’s why our team set its sights on developing modular, scalable power electronics that could be custom configured.”

The new power electronics include “slices” of capability, enabling customers to choose or essentially build a system that meets their needs. Having the flexibility to include only

what’s needed will decrease the component’s size, weight, and cost. To lower our production costs and increase the reliability of this custom-configured system, we developed commonality in the slices.

Rob Vovos, senior product engineer, expressed that he and his colleagues feel fortunate to work on this leading product. Vovos noted, “It’s rewarding to get the opportunity to begin integrating these progressive, cutting-edge materials into our products, and move transportation forward.”

Our new advanced electronics include materials such as wide band gap transistors, silicon carbide, and gallium nitride to propel our customers into the future.



Modular Propulsion Control System (MPCS)

Lithium Ion Batteries

Lithium Ion Batteries

Traction Motor

Modular Accessory Power System (MAPS)

Battery Electric Propulsion


Power and Propulsion Solutions Engineer Steve Kosteva presents the design of new power electronics.

Highly Efficient Power Electronics

PPS engineers are developing game-changing power electronics to lead the battery electric transit market with advanced materials including:

• Wide band gap transistors, often used in military applications, provide faster switching, generate less heat, and decrease power losses, making our system efficient.

• Silicon carbide enables improved heat management of power electronics, lower weight, and higher power density.

• Galium nitride provides faster processing, decreases size, and is compatible to high voltage requirements.



20 • Employee Spotlight

In today’s engineering world, women are making a difference. Today’sworkforce is full of females who are pursuing STEM careers, challenging the status quo, and leaving their mark on the field. Particularly impactful are the contributions the women at BAE Systems are making toward our technology that is sent into space.

From Mars rovers to GPS satellites to Apollo 11, there is no shortage of BAE Systems technology that is quite literally out of this world. There are now more than 1,000 of our computers on 300 satellites orbiting Earth and beyond. These computers have collectively logged 10,000 years of flight time and have never had a failure. However, none of this innovation would be possible without the ingenuity and hard work of our employees.

Many of the workers in the space program at BAE Systems say that the teams of people they work with are a major part of why they love their jobs. Jane Gilliam, a senior engineer, describes the value of these relationships: “I really love the smart, talented people I work with. It keeps the work interesting. Everyone wants to help you succeed.”

Tuyet Bach, an operations manager, described her job saying, “I love it so much – it’s like I won the lottery!” Our employees are building each other up, collaborating, and supporting one another as one team, which is a key part of our company’s success.

Astronomical Efforts: Women in the Space Program

By Elizabeth Marcouillier, Communications, Nashua, New Hampshire


Employee Spotlight • 21

Some of the most well-known space projects BAE Systems has been involved in are Apollo 11, three generations of Mars rovers, the InSight Mars lander, and the Juno Spacecraft. We are also on board hundreds of satellites orbiting the Earth and in deep space.

Cori McCray, a quality engineering manager, describes her experiences working on projects like the Mars rovers: “The mission that we are supporting is really interesting. It is such an important thing to be doing. While my day can be hectic, I always leave feeling accomplished.”

In order to continue down a path populated with female STEM professionals, we need more of them in the workforce. To nourish the next generation of female engineers, mathematicians, and scientists, we need leaders and role models to guide and encourage these young women to

pursue their dreams and help enable tomorrow’s greatest discoveries. So thank you, female engineers, who are making an impact

not only on today’s world, but on the workforce of the future. And a special thank you to the women

who took the time to offer a glimpse into their lives as employees in the space

program: Angelica Abril, Tuyet Bach, Sarah Behrman, Jane Gilliam, Mary

Hanley, Jennifer Koehler, Erika Kohl, Cori McCray, LeeAnn Raczkowski, Tiffany Sokol, Nicole Wall, and Terri Ward.


At BAE Systems, we view culture as one of our most critical competitive advantages. Whether at ES headquarters or one of our remote locations, employees come to work every day because of our strong culture and passion for our missions.

Our Cultural Principles represent our shared commitment to each other, our customers, and our communities. They describe the way in which we work together to deliver our HEAT strategy, achieve our vision, and fulfill our missions.

Embracing our Cultural Principles By Marianne Murphy, Communications, Hudson, New Hampshire

Through their unique stories and perspectives, this series highlights employees who go above and beyond to personify these values.

Vicki Torres, an assembler for the Controls and Avionics Solutions business area, takes great pride in her work. “I always had in the back of my mind to work in radio controls for our military. That was very important to me. I had a supervisor who used to say: ‘It could be your son or daughter out there in the field who is trying to use that radio calling for the help.’ My father instilled in me to do a good job and be the best, most responsible employee. While my father is no longer with us, I keep that in mind every day and am humbled by the importance of my work.” Sitting minutes from the Fort Wayne International airport, “I’m reminded about the great location here in Fort Wayne and that lives depend on what we do in this building.”

Roxanne Benzel, a senior principal engineer for Quality, is focused on continuous improvement. Her leadership skills and training started right after college with her passion for the Red Cross, leading her to become certified in CPR, and later receive the American Red Cross Presidential Award for Excellence (pictured left). Today, she’s a first responder at Nashua’s Tara Blvd. facility, and a Lean Six Sigma instructor, helping others get certified in process improvement. Most recently, she’s been focused on helping Operations and Engineering at the Austin campus improve their overall manufacturing processes. “Working collaboratively is at the core of what I do for continuous improvement. We have a mix of diverse people coming together to get different perspectives on how both functions support each other with the end goal of being better in the design and cost for our customers.”

22 • Employee Spotlight



The word “innovation” often makes people think about cutting-edge technology that will change the world, ideas outside the realm of what’s possible, solutions that will improve the safety and well-being of others, and the products that positively impact the lives of the next generation.

Innovation is ideas in motion: bringing the future into the present. That’s precisely what the team at our Austin Business Center is focused on achieving in our new Soldier & Vehicle Electronics product line, better known as SVE. The team is creating new sensor technologies that will provide our customers the ability to “see into the future,” so to speak.

The SVE product line builds on a legacy of sensor products that enhance safety and survivability. To increase safety, our products provide a “see first, act first” advantage. Applications consist of thermal and night vision imaging; target acquisition; and high-definition wide field of view systems that provide soldiers and vehicles with the ability to sense, identify, and target incoming threats in adverse weather conditions. Our vehicle sensors provide a 360-degree situational awareness and the

speed needed to process information when decisions matter most. When it comes to innovation, speed matters.

“Our customers want and need innovative solutions faster. They can’t wait years to field new life-saving technology,” noted Dave Harrold, BAE Systems’ business development director for Survivability, Targeting, & Sensing Solutions. “SVE bridges that gap in the market, offering mature and tailorable solutions to greatly enhance the survivability of our ground troops.”

Building on years of sensor and countermeasure expertise in the aircraft survivability equipment domain, our SVE product line applies similar and modular capabilities to next-generation ground vehicles. Our 360 Multifunction Vehicle Protection Sensor combines four high-definition, extended-view multifunction cameras providing sharp images that enhance situational awareness. The system’s large field of view and advanced algorithms enable the crew to quickly detect and track incoming aerial and ground threats.

The 360 MVP Sensor serves as the “eyes” of the vehicle, enabling systems to respond before a threat can engage. As the first layer

of defense in our vehicle protection system suite, it can be installed on existing and next-generation combat vehicles. It can also be integrated with other VPS offerings such as our infrared countermeasure system for ground vehicles, referred to by the U.S. Army as RAVEN. The SVE products can be tailored to each platform, mission, and budget, optimizing overall mission effectiveness.

“In anticipation of future needs, we are developing integrated solutions that our customers will use today and tomorrow,” said Ryan Edwards, BAE Systems’ business development manager for SVE. “We are bringing affordable, life-saving technology to the market faster, helping our service men and women complete their missions.”

As Austin thrives as a hub of innovation and collaboration, our SVE product line continues to spur growth, creating new and exciting career opportunities at BAE Systems.

So the next time you hear the word innovation and wonder how you can make a positive impact for the next generation to come, consider joining the BAE Systems team. Help us innovate from the ground up.

A 360° view of innovation: Building from the ground up

We’re hiring in Austin! To view available positions, visit jobs.baesystems.com

By Chelsey Canavan, Communications, Merrimack, New Hampshire

19_b34_Escape Velocity Space_ad_8.5w x 11h.indd 1 3/14/2019 3:48:45 PM

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