Kansas City, Mo.: (July 24, 2023) – Michelle Rodrigues has joined MRIGlobal as Vice President, Government Business Development. In this role, she will lead business development activity in the government sector for both civil health and defense clients. Rodrigues provides an executive presence for key federal government customer relationships, including the Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Agriculture, NASA, the National Science Foundation, and the Department of Defense. Based in the national capital region, she will also join MRIGlobal’s Executive Leadership Team. 

“Michelle has a strong history of more than two decades building portfolios with government clients. Her experience growing effective, diverse teams of researchers and business professionals to collaboratively deliver transformative programs will help advance MRIGlobal’s work with our U.S. government partners,” said Dr. Ian M. Colrain, President & CEO, MRIGlobal. “When coupled with MRIGlobal’s decades of expertise in countering diverse threats, we are well-positioned to further address the world’s most important challenges in ensuring warfighter protection and civilian safety.” 

Since January 2001, Rodrigues has been with SRI International, serving the past four years as Vice President, Federal Business Development, where she managed a strong team of business development professionals and developed a significant business pipeline. In that time, she was also Senior Executive of SRI’s Arlington office operations, overseeing all aspects of the facility. 

“The rapidly changing global threat landscape demands transformative technological advances that strengthen our health security and ensure a rapid and effective response. I am excited for the opportunity to work with the talented MRIGlobal team that is focused on delivering such high-value solutions for customers,” said Rodrigues. “Today’s challenges are varied and complex, so they require that customers, interdisciplinary teams of researchers, and business teams work closely together toward common goals. By cultivating these strong relationships, we will broaden the impact of MRIGlobal’s mission.” 

Rodrigues also serves on several boards and committees, including as a Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, Lunar Surface Innovation Consortium Executive Member.

We began this journey 5 years ago on May 17, 2008 and have published most every day since then. There were a couple of missed days that first year. I hope we’ve lived up to the promise of that first post.

We currently stand at over 35,000 published articles. That’s an average of over six per day. Not too shabby.

New vertical take-off and landing kit expands operational capabilities and streamlines constrained area operations

AeroVironment’s Puma VTOL Kit enables rooftop launch and landing (Image: AeroVironment, Inc.)

ARLINGTON, Va., May 9, 2023 – AeroVironment, Inc. today introduced the Puma™ VTOL (vertical take-off and landing) kit, designed for plug-and-play integration into Puma 2 AE and Puma 3 AE small unmanned aircraft systems (SUAS). The optional Puma VTOL kit expands the operational capabilities of the combat-proven Puma system in complex terrain, as neither runway nor large open space are required for launch and recovery of the VTOL-equipped Puma, allowing operators to launch anywhere, anytime.

Leveraging AeroVironment’s Crysalis™ ground control solution, the added VTOL capability now allows a single Puma operator to execute missions and streamline operations through features like one-button launch and recovery.

“The modern battlefield offers varying types of complex terrain features, both natural and manmade, that can pose challenges to small unit operations and their use of unmanned aircraft. Our new Puma VTOL kit provides the operator with a wider range of launch and land capabilities, enhancing the unit’s mission while further safeguarding its personnel during these periods of transitional flight,” said Shane Hastings, AeroVironment’s vice president and product line general manager for small UAS. “The VTOL kit converts the Puma AE into a highly precise and agile ISR asset where a single operator can effortlessly launch the aircraft from a small space and attain mission-critical information of enemy forces in a timely manner and land on a desired rooftop or other small, targeted areas.”

Integration of the Puma VTOL kit requires minimal one-time modifications to the aircraft’s airframe by qualified personnel. Once modified, the plug-and-play Puma VTOL kit can be easily added or removed in the field within a couple of minutes, allowing operators to quickly transition between a fixed-wing and VTOL platform to suit varying mission needs with a single aircraft.

Available as an add-on option for new Puma 3 AE system orders and as a retrofit kit for already fielded Puma 2 AE and Puma 3 AE aircraft, both fielded and new aircraft can take advantage of this VTOL capability. To learn more about the new operational capabilities of Puma AE and Puma VTOL kit, visit www.avinc.com/pumaae.

Bulk pricing available. IDEAL Zipper Crye Tan 499. Sold per pair. Compatible with Crye Precision JPC 2.0, SPC, AVS, and more.

Made in the USA, A-A-56634 milspec, Berry compliant. Tan 499.

QTY 1 = 2 zippers, 1 left and 1 right. Both pin and slider side included as shown.

20+ $7/pair

10-19 $9/pair

5-9 $10/pair

1-4 $12/pair

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Promising “14 acres of Freedom” this year’s NRA Annual Meeting should be interesting. Held in Indianapolis, it runs through this Sunday.

That is all…