Leonardo DRS names new CTO

Arlington-based Leonardo DRS Inc., a subsidiary of Italian defense contractor Leonardo SpA, has hired a new chief technology officer.

Dr. Philip Perconti will lead corporate research and development strategy, accelerate innovation and expand partnerships that result in integrated technology solutions yielding enhanced warfighting capabilities.

Perconti most recently served as the Army chief scientist and deputy assistant secretary of the U.S. Army for research and technology, with oversight for the Army’s science and technology program, spanning 17 laboratories and engineering centers with nearly 12,000 scientists and engineers. He has more than 30 years of experience conducting research, managing and leading science and technology programs for the Army.

“We are excited to have Dr. Perconti as our new chief technology officer, said Bill Lynn, CEO of Leonardo DRS, in a statement. “He brings a deep understanding of future technological trends that will help Leonardo DRS fill gaps in its portfolio and develop next-generation systems and capabilities for its customers.”

Perconti has also served as director of the U.S. Army research laboratory, the Army’s corporate laboratory.

In a previous position, Dr. Perconti served as director of the U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL), the Army’s corporate laboratory. He has also led many of the Army’s basic research programs in artificial intelligence, the quantum information science program and many of the Army’s applied research programs.

Leonardo DRS, formerly DRS Technologies Inc., produces electronic defense systems in three divisions: advanced sensor technologies, network computing and communications, and integrated missions systems. The contractor earns about $2 billion in annual revenue and considered going public earlier this year, but its parent company pushed pause on the IPO in March.