People Category: AIAA DEFENSE Forum 2020

James Faist

Recognized expert in advanced technologies in the field of defense

James “Jim” A. Faist is a recognized expert in advanced sensors, weapons, and electronic warfare for space, air, and ground capabilities, with an extensive and distinguished career in industry and government in national defense. He has been recognized through progressive responsibilities and experience in military operations, advanced technologies, system development, engineering leadership, and program management. Jim is a member of the Board of Directors of Trident Systems Inc., Rapid Flight Inc.  and Stratolaunch Systems, Inc. He received the Exceptional Public Service award from the Office of Secretary of Defense in 2021.

Jim is currently the President of Faist Advisory LLC providing consulting services to the US government and the US defense industry.

Jim was the first Director of Defense Research and Engineering for Advanced Capabilities in 2018, reporting directly to the Under Secretary of Defense Research and Engineering within the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) until 2021. Jim directed an organization whose mission is to recognize, explore, and force the development and integration of new technology to maintain U.S. technological superiority. He was responsible for establishing a Department of Defense joint mission engineering capability, oversight of developmental testing and test facilities as well as demonstration and validation of technology prototype and rapid fielding activities.  Jim served as the mission area advisor for warfighter portfolios in hypersonics, space, autonomy, and networked command, control, and communication architectures.  He also provided independent technical risk assessments of all major acquisition programs.

After departing OSD was the Vice President, Chief Technology Officer for Lucent Government Solutions (LGS) Labs part of CACI International leading the development of advanced 5G, artificial intelligence (AI), electronic warfare, cyber, and communications technologies in support of future intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities for the Intelligence Community (IC) and the Department of Defense (DOD) until starting his own firm in 2022.

Previous to his appointment at the Department of Defense, Jim was chief engineer for the Northrop Grumman and Harris Corporations advanced technology developments.  He held senior executive positions at Schafer Corporation, Trident Systems Incorporated, and System Planning Corporation.  Prior to his work in the industry, he served in the United States Air Force as a Weapons Systems Officer and an Electronic Warfare Officer in the F-4D/E Phantom II fighter aircraft.

Jim earned a Bachelor of Science with honors in Electrical Engineering from the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Virginia, and a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, with emphasis on microwave and power systems. During his career he received numerous performance awards and honors from the U.S. Air Force, academia, and industry and is a recognized speaker in his field.

Select awards of particular note include the Exceptional Public Service by the Office of Secretary of Defense and the US Air Force Top Gun, the highest competitive unit award, which he won twice in his specialty.

RADM David Hahn, USN

Raised in Tampa, Florida, Rear Admiral David Hahn graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy with distinction in 1985, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering. Additionally, he holds a Master of Business Administration degree from George Mason University and has completed the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Seminar XXI program in International Security Affairs.

Prior to command, he served at sea aboard USS Casimir Pulaski (SSBN 633), USS William H. Bates (SSN 680) and USS Springfield (SSN 761), deploying to the North Atlantic and Western Pacific, as well as conducting several strategic deterrent patrols.

Ashore, he served as flag lieutenant to Superintendent, U.S. Naval Academy; squadron engineer, Submarine Development Squadron 12; action officer, Joint Staff in the Command, Control, Communications and Computers (C4) Directorate; and, legislative fellow on the staff of U.S. Senator John Warner.

Hahn commanded the USS Pittsburgh (SSN 720) from September 2003 to January 2007. In command, he deployed to the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean, and conducted an Engineered Overhaul in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

Since becoming an acquisition professional in 2007, he has served as Joint Test and Evaluation test director and program manager, Advanced Submarine Research and Development, and major program manager, Submarine Combat and Weapon Control Systems program. In November 2016, he assumed command of the Office of Naval Research as chief of naval research with concurrent flag responsibilities as director, Innovation Technology Requirements, and Test and Evaluation (OPNAV-N94).

Hahn has been awarded the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal (three awards), the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (four awards), the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal and various campaign and unit awards.

David Steffy

David Steffy is Vice President and Chief Technical Officer (CTO) of Northrop Grumman’s Space Systems sector. Mr. Steffy is responsible for technology development and implementation across the company’s space and launch programs. Prior to this role, Steffy served as the CTO for Innovation Systems with similar leadership responsibilities. Before the acquisition of Orbital ATK by Northrop Grumman in 2018, Steffy served as Corporate Chief Engineer for Orbital ATK.

Steffy previously acted as Chief Engineer for Orbital Sciences Corporation’s Advanced Programs Group, providing technical oversight to the company’s Defense and Human Spacecraft Programs and led the Antares Program to develop a new medium-class launch vehicle. Earlier, he managed the group’s defense space systems business area. He was also Senior Vice President and Deputy General Manager of the GEO communications business area where he was responsible for Star-1 Programs, launch vehicles and support of new business efforts.

Prior to assuming these responsibilities, Steffy was Program Director for the BSAT- 2 Program where he led the development of two direct-broadcast satellites for Japan. He led the ORBCOMM Flight Model 1 and 2 programs and the follow-on ORBCOMM Constellation Program to develop, build and fly 34 sophisticated LEO Communications satellites. Steffy holds three patents from the development of these satellites, which originated an Orbital Sciences product line.

Steffy joined Orbital as the systems engineering manager for the development of the Pegasus Launch Vehicle and was the vehicle engineer for the first flight. He has also held key roles in Orbital’s initial expansion into satellites. Previously, he worked in various systems engineering positions at Hughes Space and Communications (now Boeing Satellite Systems) on communications, defense and planetary spacecraft.

Steffy holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in aeronautics and astronautics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He received the National Medal of Technology and the National Air and Space Museum Trophy for technical achievement as part of the Pegasus Development Team.

Philip Perconti

Dr. Philip Perconti is the Leonardo DRS Chief Technology Officer leading the corporate research and development strategy, accelerating technology innovation, and expanding partnerships resulting in integrated technology solutions to produce enhanced warfighting capabilities.

Previously, Dr. Perconti was the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Research and Technology and Army Chief Scientist. He was responsible for policy and oversight of the Army’s Research and Technology program which spanned 17 Laboratories and Research, Development and Engineering Centers, and employed nearly 12,000 scientists and engineers.

In that position, Dr. Perconti was charged with identifying, developing, and demonstrating technology options that inform and enable effective and affordable capabilities for the Soldier.

Prior to this assignment, Dr. Perconti served as Director of the U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL), the Senior Executive responsible for setting the strategy, mission and programs for the Army’s Corporate Research Lab, he focused resources, defined technical competencies, prioritized, and leveraged partners through collaborations to execute and transition high-impact research to meet Soldier technology needs. He was responsible for six major technical business units, with over 3000 government & contractor employees and over $1.2 billion annual budget. He had direct oversite and responsibility for the U.S. Army Research Office (ARO), sponsoring over $300 million/year for University Affiliated Research Centers, grants and other university initiatives.

He ran the ARL Sensors & Electron Devices Directorate and was responsible for leading and transitioning the Army’s primary basic and applied research programs in sensors, electronics, sensor information processing, and power and energy technologies. He also started the Army’s major research initiatives in Quantum Information Sciences and Artificial Intelligence.

Dr. Perconti ran the Science and Technology Division at the Night Vision & Electronic Sensors Directorate and led the Army’s applied research and manufacturing technology programs for uncooled and high performance cooled infrared sensors; the uncooled technology is used in multiple Soldier night vision and targeting sensors; the cooled (3rd) Gen technology is entering production for the next generation of infrared targeting and reconnaissance systems.

He holds a Doctor of Science degree from The George Washington University. He is a Federal Laboratory Consortium Laboratory Director of the Year and is Northeastern Maryland Technology Council Visionary Leader. He is a Technical Fellow of the Military Sensing Symposium. Dr. Perconti has published extensively on many aspects of military sensing, machine learning and countermine/counter IED technology. He has authored and co-authored over 50 publications, including three book chapters. He holds two patents.