AeroVironment appoints new COO

Arlington County-based defense contractor AeroVironment has appointed Raytheon executive Robert Smith as executive vice president and chief operating officer, it announced Thursday.

He will assume the position on Monday, succeeding Brad Truesdell, who is retiring. In this role, Smith will oversee AeroVironment’s Autonomous Systems and Space, Cyber and Directed Energy business units, as well as global operations and manufacturing. His appointment comes as the company works to scale manufacturing to meet rising customer demand. He will report to Chairman, President and CEO Wahid Nawabi.

He joins the company from RTX subsidiary Raytheon, where he most recently served as vice president of radio frequency solutions, overseeing the profit and loss of a multibillion-dollar radar and electronic warfare business. Previously, he was vice president of mission suites, leading the development and delivery of integrated sensor and electronic warfare systems for U.S. and international customers.

“Rob is a proven global operations leader with a track record of driving performance at large, complex and industry-leading defense companies,” Nawabi said in a statement. “I am excited to welcome Rob to the team as we accelerate our work to build a stronger AV, scale our manufacturing capabilities, strengthen our supply chain and ensure our operations can support the growing demand we are experiencing.”

Before Raytheon, Smith spent more than a year and a half as the senior vice president and general manager of integrated defense solutions for CAES and over a year as president of government operations at BWX Technologies (BWXT). He also held numerous executive roles at Lockheed Martin over a period of more than 12 years.

Smith holds a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, a doctorate in chemical engineering from Auburn University and an MBA from Johns Hopkins University.

“AV is pioneering the development and delivery of leading-edge autonomous defense technologies,” Smith said in a statement, “and I am honored to join the team at this important time. I have admired AV’s portfolio and success and look forward to working with Wahid and the leadership team to advance the company’s strategic priorities, deliver for our customers and drive value creation for shareholders.”

AeroVironment specializes in intelligent multi-domain robotic systems, uncrewed aircraft and ground systems, sensors, software analytics and connectivity. The company reported $820.6 million in fiscal 2025 revenue, up 14% from the previous year. It has about 4,000 employees.