AeroVironment has tapped Robert “Rob” Smith as executive vice president and chief operating officer. Smith’s appointment, which will become official April 13, underscores AV’s focus on scaling production and strengthening supply chain capabilities to meet growing demand, the global defense technology company said Thursday.
What Will Smith Oversee In the Role?
Smith will report directly to AV Chairman, President and CEO Wahid Nawabi, a 2026 Wash100 Award winner, as he manages the company’s autonomous systems and space, cyber and directed energy business units. He will also oversee global operations and manufacturing.
“I am excited to welcome Rob to the team as we accelerate our work to build a stronger AV, scale our manufacturing capabilities, strengthen our supply chain and ensure our operations can support the growing demand we are experiencing,” said Nawabi.
Echoing this enthusiasm, Smith shared his own goals for the role in a LinkedIn post announcing his appointment. “As the company enters this next chapter of growth, I look forward to leading our business units and strengthening our strategic operations to meet the increasing global demand for our technologies and products,” Smith wrote.
Who Is Robert Smith?
The new COO is a senior defense industry executive with over 25 years of experience leading advanced technology, defense systems and government operations programs across both the public and private sectors. Most recently, he served as vice president of radio frequency solutions at Raytheon, following a brief role as its VP of mission suites. He previously held senior leadership roles, including senior VP and general manager of integrated defense solutions at CAES and president of government operations at BWX Technologies.
He spent more than a decade at Lockheed Martin, where he led major portfolios across radar and sensor systems; command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; cyber; space and battle management. His earlier career includes executive leadership at Nantero, a director role at Windermere and government service as deputy office chief at the Department of War.
