Air Force and Defense Industry Veteran to Lead Leonardo DRS T-100 Program

Lindsley is a U.S. Air Force veteran and graduate of the Air Force Academy who also has extensive defense industry experience.  He was with Northrop Grumman for 15 years in a number of leadership, program capture, and business development roles, including more than six years overseeing all aspects of the company’s T-X program including aircraft development and the competitive capture strategy. 

Among his leadership roles in the U.S. Air Force, Lindsley was Deputy Director for Surveillance and Reconnaissance and Deputy Chief of Staff for Air and Space Operations at the Pentagon.  He commanded the 93rd Air Control Wing, the Air Force Command and Control Training & Innovation Center and the 523rd Fighter Squadron. He also served as Director of Plans for the NATO Combined Air Operations Center in Vicenza, Italy.  Lindsley has logged more than 2,300 flying hours, including 160 flying hours in combat in the F-111 and E-8C Joint Stars aircraft. He was an instructor at the Air Force Fighter Weapons School and was a Flying Training Unit Operations Officer before retiring as a colonel.

“Marc is a proven leader with extensive industry and military experience who has consistently demonstrated an ability to lead major programs and commands,” said Bill Lynn, CEO of Leonardo DRS. “We are excited to have Marc join our team where his leadership strengths and knowledge of aerospace systems will be tremendous assets in both the capture and execution of the T-X program,” Lynn said.

The Leonardo DRS T-100 team, which includes Leonardo Aircraft, Honeywell and CAE USA, has submitted its proposal for the T-X Advanced Pilot Training System Program with its T-100 Integrated Training System. The T-100 design is based on Leonardo’s proven M-346 training system which is currently being manufactured for four allied air force partners.  The T-100 is a proven, low-cost, low risk, fifth-generation pilot training solution that currently is being used to train F-35 pilots in a number of allied countries.

The advanced technology from the cockpit to the mature and proven, multi-user live virtual, constructive training system is the best solution for the Air Force because it will not take needed resources from front-line aircraft.

The T-100 would be built in the United States in a new manufacturing facility in Tuskegee, Alabama, and will be an economic engine for the region, providing new construction and high-tech manufacturing jobs.  CAE U.S.A will build the ground-based training system in Tampa, Florida; and Honeywell will build the F-124 engines for the T-100 in Phoenix, Arizona.