HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. – Lea T. Kirkwood assumed leadership of the Program Executive Office for the Electronic Systems Directorate during a ceremony here Oct. 24.
Kirkwood will lead 1,800 Airmen, government civilians, and support contractor personnel in the acquisition and execution of a $11.3 billion portfolio of Acquisition Category (ACAT), non-ACAT, technology transition, and Foreign Military Sales programs.
“It is an honor to accept leadership of this new PEO for electronic systems,” said Kirkwood. “As we reoptimize the Air Force for Great Power Competition, bringing these division’s together is a natural coalescence of product areas that provide critical electronic systems to our operations.”
The Electronic Systems Directorate is part of the new Information Dominance Systems Center, one of three system centers established as part of reoptimizing for Great Power Competition and closely aligned with the operational community.
The center will consolidate focus on information dominance capabilities, such as Command, Control, Communications, and Battle Management; Cyber; Electronic Warfare; Information Systems; and Enterprise Digital Infrastructure.
“The combined, integrated solutions that our electronic systems provide -- and must continue to provide going forward -- are critical to enable the operational agility to meet the challenges of today and the unknown challenges of tomorrow,” said Kirkwood. “Meeting these challenges will ensure that our joint and coalition defense forces remain strong and ready to confront any scenario posed by those who threaten our national security and that of our global partners.”
Kirkwood served 29 years as an active-duty Air Force officer. As an acquisition program manager, she managed space, command and control, mission planning, automatic test systems, and early warning and control programs for the United States and NATO, as well as foreign military sales.
She has also led international relations efforts at the Pentagon, Hungary, and the United Kingdom.
Additionally, Kirkwood commanded the 422nd Air Base Squadron at Royal Air Force Croughton, United Kingdom; served as deputy commander of the 78th Mission Support Group at Robins Air Force Base in Georgia, and the 451st Expeditionary Mission Support Group at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan; and was vice commander of the 72nd Air Base Wing at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma.
She also deployed in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Freedom’s Sentinel, and the NATO-led Resolute Support mission.
“I look forward to continuing the great work our divisions are doing,” said Kirkwood. "The Electronic Systems Directorate will lead the way in delivering the materiel solutions that we need while continuing to innovate for our warfighter.”
Hon. Andrew P. Hunter, assistant secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics, attended virtually, along with Lt. Gen. Donna Shipton, commander of Air Force Life Cycle Management Center. Both congratulated Kirkwood on her new role.
“I am so pleased that we have reached a moment where we can recognize Lea’s assumption of leadership as PEO for electronic systems, it has been a journey to get here, but a great journey,” said Hunter. “She has been a key participant in our operational imperative initiatives, our central acquisition efforts in support of strategic re-optimization in the United States Air Force to align with the strategy.”
The Electronic Systems Directorate is headquartered at Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts, with additional units at Robins AFB, Tinker AFB, and Hill AFB, as well as geographically separated units located in Germany, Egypt, Norway, and Saudia Arabia.