Rear Adm. John Dougherty, formerly program manager for the U.S. Navy’s Next Generation Air Dominance Program Office (PMA-230), has taken on a new role as commander of the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division.
He took over the position from Rear Adm. John Lemmon, who transitioned to the role of program executive officer for tactical aircraft programs, during a ceremony held Friday at Naval Air Station Patuxent River in Maryland, the Navy said Friday.
Dougherty will oversee the service branch’s warfare center that has over 17,000 personnel and is responsible for research, development, test, evaluation and sustainment of naval aviation platforms and other warfighting technologies used by the Navy and the Marine Corps.
“We are in a great power competition and the outcome of that fight depends on this team,” said Dougherty, who will also serve as chief engineer of Naval Air Systems Command.
Dougherty previously served as program manager for the Precision Strike Weapons Program Office (PMA-201). He flew with Strike Fighter Squadrons 125 and 147 and completed acquisition tours, including F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Program Office deputy director of development and Airborne Rockets and Pyrotechnics Integrated Product Team lead for the Direct and Time Sensitive Strike Weapons Program Office (PMA-242).
