David Ludwig

Background

About David Ludwig

I began my career as a Navy flight test engineer at NAVAIR (then NATC). As project engineer, I managed a variety of aerial refueling certification programs as well as developmental testing of the A/A42R-1 Buddy Store system. I proposed and was selected panel lead for the Aerial Refueling Systems Advisory Group (ARSAG) Test and Evaluation panel. After graduating from Navy Test Pilot School (class 102), I joined the V-22 EMD Integrated Test Team (ITT) as lead government mechanical systems engineer and moved to a similar position with the H-1 Upgrades team for the developmental testing of the AH-1Z and UH-1Y. I was branch head for the Maritime and Rotary Wing Mechanical and Propulsion Systems Branch and also selected for the Senior Executive Management Development Program (SEMDP). Subsequently I embarked on a 6 year rotation to the Office of Naval Research. At ONR, my work was focused on small UAV development and helicopter brown-out solutions. As program manager for the Silver Fox UAS, we achieved successful deployments to Iraq (Haditha Dam) and locations in Columbia and the Philippines. I spearheaded 3 SBIR topics for the development of a small UAS with autonomous launch, retrieval and servicing capability. The Aerovel Flexrotor UAS is currently in phase II on all 3 topics. As helicopter brown-out program officer at ONR, I led the Future Naval Capabilities (FNC) Enabling Capabilities (EC) program called HELO product 2. This was an advanced LIDAR system for near-real time sensing and display of the landing zone for pilots operating in degraded visual environments (brown-out). While at ONR I attended graduate school and received a Masters of Science in Aerospace Engineering. Following the ONR detail, I retired from Federal Service after 31 years and am currently employed with Island Creek Associates LLC providing support to Naval Air Systems Command AIR-4.5.6 (EO/IR and special mission sensors division) and PMA-261 (CH-53 technology development).