Boeing [NYSE: BA] has named Christopher Chadwick, 43, as vice president for the F/A-18 program.
Chadwick is responsible for the technical, cost and schedule performance of the entire Boeing F/A-18 family of strike fighters, including the F/A-18A/B/C/D/E/F and the EA-18G Airborne Electronic Attack Aircraft.
Chadwick succeeds Tony Parasida, who led the F/A-18 program from July 2000 until his recent appointment as Boeing Integrated Defense Systems vice president of Program Management and Independent Review. Chadwick most recently served as F/A-18 deputy program manager.
"Chris Chadwick is an exceptional leader," said John Lockard, Boeing senior vice president, Naval Systems. "In 22 years at Boeing, Chris has led teams for virtually every tactical aircraft program within IDS. That leadership experience, combined with his focus on strategy and program execution, prepares him well to lead the F/A-18 program."
Prior to his most recent assignment, Chadwick served as program manager for the Bell-Boeing MV-22 Osprey, a tiltrotor aircraft, in Philadelphia. In that position, his responsibilities included all programmatic activities associated with the Boeing MV-22 effort. Chadwick also served as the V-22 LRIP program manager, responsible for all aspects of V-22 production, including coordination with Bell's Amarillo, Texas-based final assembly operations.
From November 1998 to March 2000, Chadwick was the Integrated Product Team lead for all communication, navigation, identification and electronic warfare activities within the Boeing Aircraft & Missiles Tactical Aircraft (TACAIR) organization, consisting of the F/A-18, F-15, AV-8B and T-45 programs.
Prior to joining the TACAIR organization, Chadwick held various positions leading business development efforts on the F-15, AV-8B and T-45 programs, as well as various engineering positions.
Chadwick joined Boeing in 1982. He graduated from Iowa State University in 1982 with a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering and received a Master's of Business Administration from Maryville University in 1998.
A unit of The Boeing Company, Integrated Defense Systems is one of the world's largest space and defense businesses. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is a $27 billion business. It provides systems solutions to its global military, government and commercial customers. It is a leading provider of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; the world's largest military aircraft manufacturer; the world's largest satellite manufacturer and a leading provider of space-based communications; the primary systems integrator for U.S. missile defense; NASA's largest contractor; and a global leader in launch services.