Paper: Best ‘Next’ Practices
Abstract: While aerospace and defense are best known for the innovations that support space exploration, autonomous systems and connectivity at anytime from anywhere, these “firsts” rely on innovation in processes. This session will cover all-new approaches and processes that allow technology to flourish and programs to succeed.
Biography: Pablo Gonzalez II is the program director of the Navy Unmanned Combat Air System (N-UCAS) program within the Strategic Systems division of Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems , a premier provider of manned and unmanned aircraft, space systems and advanced technologies critical to our nation’s security.
Pablo is responsible for the development and integration of operational carrier based unmanned aviation for the Advanced Air Warfare center. In this role, Pablo leads the application of unique and innovative solutions to enable power projection by unmanned aviation from the decks of our aircraft carriers.
Pablo has made significant noteworthy contributions in previous roles, including: the historic U.S. Navy X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System Demonstrator (UCAS-D) program where he served as program manager; the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Global Hawk Aerial Refueling Demonstration (KQ-X) where he counseled the program and leadership teams through independent reviews and assessments of the program at major program events; the DARPA Oblique Flying Wing program where he led the recovery and successful innovation of a “first of its kind” flight control system enabling the oblique flying wing to satisfy all program objectives; the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratories (AFRL), Long Range Supersonic Strike program where he rectified the control and aero-servo-elastic issues of the never before attempted tail-less super-sonic bomber concept; the DARPA Unmanned Combat Armed Rotorcraft where he developed “a first of its kind” robust control system to enable an autonomous rotorcraft to exceed the maneuverability and agility expectations of a manned helicopter; and the U.S. Air Force, Joint Strike Fighter (X-35 A/B/C) program where he implemented state-of-the-art analysis techniques to enhance the robustness and safety of the flight control system in advance of the first flight demonstration.
Pablo is also a veteran of the U.S. Navy where he served in various assignments in the Coastal Warfare community including commanding small craft combatants with multiple deployments to the Persian Gulf and other hazardous duty locations.
Pablo has a bachelor’s degree in aeronautical engineering from the University of Oklahoma. He has also completed the Avionics Certificate Program at the University of California and graduate studies in control theory at Columbia University.
Pablo has been recognized by the San Diego Chamber of Commerce as the 2015 Business Leader of the Year, the Hispanic Engineering National Achievement Counsel with the Luminary Honoree Award, and the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics with the Wright Brother’s Lectureship in Aeronautics Award.
Northrop Grumman is a leading global security company providing innovative systems, products and solutions in unmanned systems, cybersecurity, C4ISR, and logistics and modernization to government and commercial customers worldwide. Please visit www.northropgrumman.com for more information.
