Jerry Petersen 
- William Lynn III has joined the board of directors of defense technology company AeroVironment
- Lynn previously served as Leonardo DRS CEO and earlier served as deputy secretary of defense
- AV CEO and Wash100 Award winner Wahid Nawabi said Lynn’s government and industry experience will benefit the company’s board
AeroVironment has appointed William Lynn III as the newest member of its board of directors. The defense technology company said Thursday that the appointment went into effect on June 24.
Who Is William Lynn?
Before joining AV, Lynn served as CEO of Leonardo DRS from 2012 through early 2026. His career in the private sector also includes time serving in leadership positions at what was then Raytheon and, earlier, at DFI International.
Notably, Lynn served as U.S. deputy secretary of defense from 2009 to 2011. In that capacity, he worked as chief operating officer, leading the development of the agency’s first cyber strategy. He had also worked at the agency earlier in his career, from 1993 through 2001, first taking on the position of director of program analysis and evaluation, then later as under secretary of defense (comptroller) and chief financial officer.
Commenting on Lynn’s appointment, AV Chairman, President and CEO Wahid Nawabi said, “Bill’s distinguished service to the nation and extensive experience in government, national security and defense technology will bring valuable insights to the board.”
“His perspective as both a defense leader and public-company executive will be a tremendous asset as we continue to scale and advance our leadership position in an increasingly dynamic global security environment,” added Nawabi, who this year won his first-ever Wash100 Award.
For his part, Lynn said he is honored to join the AV board and is looking forward to helping advance the company’s mission. He also praised AV’s offerings as “precisely the capabilities our warfighters and allies need.”
What Warfighter Capabilities Does AV Offer?
Among the warfighter capabilities offered by AV is the P550 unmanned aircraft system. In early June, the company secured a $117.3 million contract to provide the U.S. Army with 82 units of the UAS.
The P550 is a Group 2 electric vertical takeoff and landing UAS developed for long-range reconnaissance and multi-mission operations. The system entered Army service in 2025 under the Long-Range Reconnaissance program supporting Transformation in Contact brigades. The P550s being procured under the recent contract are meant for reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition missions at the battalion level.
