Kratos names Steve Fendley SVP and division president, Kratos Unmanned Systems Division

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. of San Diego, CA announced on January 17 that Steve Fendley has been named corporate senior vice president and president of Kratos’ Unmanned Systems Division (KUSD), effective upon the retirement of Jerry Beaman, which was also announced today.

Beaman joined Kratos in 2013 as president of its Unmanned Combat Aerial Systems (UCAS) Division and senior vice president of strategic programs, focused primarily on building Kratos’ UCAS business.  In 2014, Beaman was named president of KUSD, expanding his responsibility to all Kratos unmanned aerial, ground, seaborne drone and combat system related programs and initiatives.

Eric DeMarco, president & CEO of Kratos, said, “Jerry has been invaluable in executing our strategy and developing the business for KUSD.  Our unmanned systems programs would not be where they are today without Jerry’s leadership, experience, and vision and I can’t thank Jerry enough for the over three years he has dedicated to Kratos.  I wish him the best in retirement and look forward to continuing to work with him as a consultant of the Company.”

As president of KUSD, Fendley will be responsible for Kratos’ tactical unmanned combat aerial systems business, unmanned aerial target drone, unmanned ground, unmanned seaborne systems, and KUSD’s related avionics, electronics, and command and control business.

DeMarco said, “I am extremely pleased to announce Steve’s promotion to President of Kratos’ Unmanned Systems Division.  Steve has been and will continue to be a key member of the Kratos leadership team and all of the success we have achieved over the past few years in KUSD.  Steve has been instrumental in the design, development, and success of Kratos’ tactical unmanned combat aerial systems, including the successful flights of Kratos’ UTAP-22 at China Lake last year.  I am extremely confident that the KUSD leadership transition will be seamless, and that Steve will continue the significant positive business momentum we have generated in the unmanned aerial systems area.”

Prior to his appointment, Fendley served as the senior vice president – general manager/chief technology officer for KUSD’s Composite Engineering, Inc. (CEi) business unit, where he has been responsible for leading and managing the overall CEi business, including a strong focus on driving technology-based new high performance unmanned aerial system platform growth, expanding CEi’s target drone systems portfolio and aircraft legacy, and driving KUSD’s unmanned tactical aerial system initiatives.  Fendley also previously held the position of vice president of engineering for CEi, where he worked closely with the CEi team to, among other things, significantly enhance the overall technical team capability and the system performance of CEi’s unmanned aircraft portfolio.

Fendley is the former president of 5-D Systems, Inc., and will remain executive chairman.  5-D is a specialized technology focused small business defense contractor providing systems/software engineering services/solutions as well as SETA / A&AS support to U.S. government customers, specializing in the high performance, jet powered unmanned aerial drone systems area.  Fendley’s career has been focused on the development of high performance unmanned and optionally-piloted aircraft and aerial systems; including both aerial targets and tactical unmanned aerial systems and vehicles.  Over his career, Fendley’s defense industry roles for various defense contractors, including Westinghouse, Tracor, Northrop Grumman, BAE Systems, 5-D Systems, and CEi/Kratos; have spanned from electrical/systems engineering, engineering management, program management and executive management.

Source: Kratos