Brigadier General David C. Walsh, a native of Brooklyn, New York, was commissioned into the Marine Corps in August 1992 after graduating from the University of Virginia. He reported to Naval Air Station Pensacola for flight training and was designated a naval aviator in February 1995. Brigadier General Walsh served with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron-167 as an AH-1W pilot deploying with the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit. He attended the Marine Weapons and Tactics Instructor Course at Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron-1, earned every AH-1W qualification possible, and served in various operations and maintenance billets. Brigadier General Walsh later served as the H-1 lead test pilot for Air Test and Evaluation Squadron-31 and Weapons System Support Activity military deputy at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake. He participated in developmental flight testing of the AH-1Z and UH-1Y, as well as multiple other flight test programs. Brigadier General Walsh was selected in the first cadre of Marine Corps acquisition officers and has held numerous acquisition positions within the aviation community to include the H-1 assistant program manager for systems engineering and the Director of Operations at Fleet Readiness Center East. He served as the Program Manager for Specialized and Proven Aircraft, responsible for the H-46 helicopter, Naval Test Pilot School aircraft, adversary aircraft, contracted air services, and multiple Foreign Military Sales cases. He then served as the Program Manager for the Marine Light/Attack Helicopter Program. In March 2021, Brigadier General Walsh was selected as the Military Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development, and Acquisition. He was appointed as the acting Program Executive Officer for Land Systems in February 2022. As a general officer, Brigadier General Walsh served as Commander, Marine Corps Systems Command, responsible for delivering and sustaining ground and information weapons systems, from June 2022 to June 2024. In June 2024, he assumed duties as Program Executive Officer for Air Anti-Submarine Warfare, Assault, and Special Mission Programs (PEO(A)). Brigadier General Walsh is a graduate of the Marine Corps Amphibious Warfare School, Weapons and Tactics Instructor Course, U.S. Naval Test Pilot School, and USAF Air War College. He earned a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Virginia and a master’s degree in technical management from Johns Hopkins University. Brigadier General Walsh has accumulated over 2,500 flight hours in more than 30 types of aircraft. His decorations include the Legion of Merit (three awards), Meritorious Service Medal (four awards), Navy Commendation Medal, and various campaign and unit awards.
· With the Ukraine conflict exposing new rotorcraft vulnerabilities, what is the future role of rotorcraft in the battlefield environment?
· How can rotary fleets be upgraded to enhance defensive operations, and counter both crewed and uncrewed system attacks
· How are militaries adapting to account for unmanned and uncrewed experimentation, and how will proposed capabilities support future operations?
· Perspectives on how to balance investments to upgrade current fleets, while looking ahead to future programs & developments
· How should the role of rotary aviation evolve to meet contemporary threats?
Check out the incredible speaker line-up to see who will be joining David.
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