In-sight from October 2025

HII announced former Chairman, CEO, and President of Hexcel Corp. Nick Stanage was elected to the company’s board of directors. Stanage has decades of industrial manufacturing experience in the aerospace, automotive, and construction equipment industries. He joined Hexcel Corp. in 2009, serving initially as president before transitioning to chief operating officer in 2012. He assumed the role of CEO in 2013. He retired as president and CEO in May 2024 and assumed the role of executive chairman through November 2024. Prior to Hexcel Corp., Stanage spent 20 years with Honeywell Aerospace and Transportation Systems, where he held a variety of leadership roles in areas focused on technology, operations, and supply chain management. Stanage then joined Dana Holding Corp., where he served as president of the Heavy Vehicle Products group. FOR MORE: https://hii.com

Nikon AM Synergy Inc. appointed Jesse Lea CEO, succeeding David McKee who announced his retirement at the end of July 2025. Nikon AM Synergy is the engineering and services division of Nikon Advanced Manufacturing (Nikon AM). Lea has more than three decades of experience across the manufacturing ecosystem, including founder, president, and CEO leadership positions. During his tenure at Uptive, GoProto, and 3D Systems Corp./Rapid Product Development Group, Lea’s responsibilities encompassed new company start-up, sales system establishment and management, manufacturing and sales operations creation, regulations compliance, multi-industry sales programs, business development, marketing, profit and loss management, and metrics-based operations. FOR MORE: https://ngpd.nikon.com

DroneShield, a global leader in counteruncrewed systems (CUxS) technology, appointed (Ret.) Lt. Col. Michael J. Twining sales director for the U.S. Air Force. Twining will be applying his expertise to advance air base defense through innovative CUxS solutions. He brings more than 24 years of distinguished service in the U.S. Air Force, where he has held a wide array of leadership positions. Most recently, he served as the Commander of the 86th Security Forces Squadron at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, leading more than 500 personnel and overseeing the defense of critical DOD and NATO assets. His experience spans across various high-level positions in security forces, operations, and leadership within both the U.S. and international military contexts.

Twining enlisted in the Air Force in 1997 and earned his commission through the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps at Arizona State University in 2005. Throughout his career, he has demonstrated excellence in leadership and operations, including his service as an Air Advisor to the Afghan National Army Air Corps, and as the Chief of Security Forces Inspections for Pacific Air Forces. He also served as the Associate Chair for the Installation Support Panel at the Pentagon, where he helped advocate for $19 billion in resources to sustain and protect Air Force installations globally. FOR MORE: https://www.droneshield.com

Sigma Defense Systems, an innovator in defense technology solutions, appointed Stephanie Tharp vice president of programs for its Innovative Mission Solutions (IMS) Division. She will oversee the execution of complex defense programs and lead strategic growth initiatives aimed at expanding Sigma Defense’s footprint – particularly in the West Coast market. With decades of experience across key Department of Defense organizations, including NAVWAR, NAVAIR, and PEO C4I, Tharp brings proven leadership, deep operational expertise, and a strong commitment to delivering mission-critical capabilities that support the warfighter.

Tharp brings a wealth of experience and leadership to Sigma Defense, having most recently served as senior advisor at NAVWAR, where she advised the executive director and led major initiatives and efforts shaping the organization’s strategic vision. Tharp previously served as the JPO’s ALIS and ODIN portfolio director, and held Critical Acquisition and Key Leadership Positions (CAP/KLP) across NAVWAR. Prior to her public sector leadership, Tharp held key roles in industry, including director of Navy and Marine Corps Growth at GDIT, where she guided strategy and relationships critical to service missions, and at Northrop Grumman, where she managed a $3B pipeline and led the award of major contracts with the USAF and JPO. Tharp holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s in management from Harvard University’s Extension Division, along with numerous industry and military certifications in Agile, Security+, and aviation logistics. Tharp has held NDIA and AFCEA Board and Chair positions and has received numerous awards including ASN(RDA) Acquisition Innovation Award and the Malcom Laswell Award. FOR MORE: https://sigmadefense.com

ParaZero Technologies Ltd., an aerospace company focused on safety systems for commercial unmanned aerial systems and counter UAS systems, appointed Ariel Alon CEO. Since 2023, Alon has served as the chief sales officer of Aerodrome Group and the chief executive officer of its subsidiary, Aerodrome LTD. From 2020 to 2023, Alon held the position of vice president of sales and general manager for Israel at Voyager Labs, an AI cybersecurity company, where he directed the company’s sales strategies, business development initiatives, marketing efforts, complex projects, and significant tenders. From 2019 to 2020, Alon was the Israeli country manager for Atos, a multinational information technology service and consulting company, where he managed all Israeli operations and facilitated the expansion of global operations through innovative solutions developed in Israel. Before these positions, Alon held various senior business development and sales roles at several defense, cybersecurity, and technology companies, including Elbit Systems and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems. FOR MORE: https://parazero.com

Allient Inc., a global designer and manufacturer of specialty motion controls and power products and solutions for targeted industries and applications, appointed Greg Kraus director of strategic operations for its Allient Defense Solutions (ADS) business unit. Kraus will lead project and operational excellence initiatives across Allient sites contributing to defense market solutions, while also serving as general manager of Allient’s Watertown, New York facility. Prior to joining Allient, Kraus held various roles of increasing responsibility at Moog Inc., spanning business, operations, engineering, program, and supply chain management. He served as general manager of a $275M Space and Defense business and led large-scale, multi-site systems integration efforts across the entire program life cycle. At Allient, Greg will act as a key interface between business development and ADS sites, enabling the company to drive disciplined growth through successful project execution. His mandate includes ensuring Allient Defense demonstrates the capabilities, processes, and infrastructure needed to inspire confidence in defense customers and deliver on critical missions. FOR MORE: https://allient.com/markets/ aerospace-defense/

Fortune Business Insights reports the military drone market was valued at $14.14 billion in 2023 and is projected to grow from $16.07 billion in 2024 to $47.16 billion by 2032, at a CAGR of 13.15%. North America dominated the military drone market with a market share of 36.1% in 2023. Moreover, the military drone market size in the U.S. is projected to grow significantly, reaching an estimated value of $10.71 billion by 2030, driven by an increasing R&D investment by industry players such as Sikorsky and Boeing, among other regional players. FOR MORE: www.fortunebusinessinsights.com