Eric Villhauer, MBA

Aerospace leaders are frustrated right now, and it’s not hard to see why. They’re being asked to deliver more with fewer qualified people. Projects are falling behind because teams are stretched thin. Parts are delayed. Hiring moves too slowly. Roles like program managers and avionics engineers stay open for months, while top candidates get scooped up by competitors who move faster. This is not just a talent problem anymore; it’s a capacity problem. Leaders are spending more time recruiting and retaining than actually innovating. If the industry wants to move forward, it needs smarter pipelines, faster hiring cycles, and stronger retention strategies. The frustration aerospace leaders feel today is really a sign of growth outpacing preparation.

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Safe, certifiable, and scalable: These are the cornerstones of our production process. Hear from Meghan Wright, Production Systems IPT Lead at Wisk, on how we're building these critical elements into our work on the Generation 6 Aircraft, in partnership with Boeing. The future of aviation is taking flight. 🚀 #Aviation | #ProductionSystems | #EmployeeSpotlight

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Lockheed's Vectis Stealth Drone Just Crashed the CCA Party. Self-Funded and Targeting Increment 2. Skunk Works unveils their Group 5 drone at Air, Space & Cyber Conference. No Air Force contract. No government funding. Just Lockheed betting on themselves. The specs tell the story. Flying-wing design with lambda planform. Top-mounted S-duct intake. Tailless configuration for minimal radar cross-section. $20-40M unit cost targeting the sweet spot between attritability and survivability. Why self-fund? Their Increment 1 bid was "gold-plated" too capable, too expensive. Now they're repositioning for Increment 2 with a modular, open-architecture design that avoids vendor lock-in. The strategic play is clear. While General Atomics and Anduril won Increment 1 with cheaper attritables, Lockheed's betting the Air Force needs high-end wingmen for F-35s and NGAD in contested Pacific airspace. Timeline remains aggressive. • Ground testing: 2026 • First flight: End of 2027 • IOC potential: Late 2020s if selected Three capabilities driving the design. ISR targeting in denied areas. Hypersonic weapon cueing. Autonomous air-to-air combat. All wrapped in "best-in-class survivability" that cheaper drones can't match. The math favors mixed fleets. Low-cost attritables for mass. High-end CCAs like Vectis for critical missions. At $20-40M, it's 1/4 the cost of an F-35 with complementary capabilities. Export potential to AUKUS allies adds another revenue stream. Modular design enables country-specific configurations without compromising core tech. Your sensors ready for third-party CCA integration? Open architecture interfaces defined? The drone wingman race just got interesting.

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In ep. 235 of The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies Aerospace Advantage podcast "Understanding the CCA Edge: Innovators’ Insights", GA-ASI's Mike Atwood explains how collaborative combat aircraft will be a powerful tool for airmen and the broader joint military enterprise with its ability to combine range, speed, survivability & wide range of mission effects with the power of autonomy and crewed-uncrewed teaming. Listen: https://ow.ly/q5Ag50VWCuV #UAS #YFQ42A #UCAV

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Here's my summary of FY25 Defense Appropriations and impact on Emerging Tech, SBIR, Industrial Base and Manufacturing ' DOWNLOAD SUMMARY HERE: https://lnkd.in/e8hfdjHK INNOVATION AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGY INVESTMENTS - Greater DoD Autonomy in Innovation & R&D Investments – DoD gains more flexibility to allocate funds for high-impact tech like AI, hypersonics, and autonomy. - Modernization Budget Squeezed – While overall funding is slighlty down, DoD can still prioritize AI, electronic warfare, space, and cyber. - Strategic Capital & Loan Programs Expand – More funding for startups via the Office of Strategic Capital (OSC) and non-dilutive financing options. - New Programs & Startups Can Proceed – Unlike other agencies under the CR, DoD can still launch new initiatives in AI, quantum, biotech, and more. SBIR/STTR PROGRAM - SBIR/STTR Funding Remains Secure – The program continues for another three years, with a strong focus on dual-use defense tech. - New “Strategic Breakthrough Allocation” for Phase II – Up to $30M for high-impact startups that align with military needs. - Faster Transition from Phase II to Phase III – Streamlined contracting and direct-to-Phase II options improve commercialization pathways. - New Phase 1A Awards – Encourages first-time SBIR applicants with $40K grants. - Stronger National Security Oversight – Stricter due diligence to prevent foreign adversary influence in SBIR-backed firms. SUPPLY CHAIN RESILIENCE AND INDUSTRIAL BASE - $1B for the Defense Production Act (DPA) – Boosts domestic manufacturing for semiconductors, batteries, and energetics. - Increased Investment in DoD Procurement & Manufacturing – More funding for shipbuilding, aircraft production, and missile programs. - Workforce Development & STEM Initiatives – Expanding skilled labor pipelines for defense manufacturing. - Stronger Buy American Provisions – Prioritizing domestic sourcing for key defense components. - Restrictions on Foreign Supply Chains – Tightened regulations to reduce reliance on adversarial nations. #DefenseTech #Innovation #EmergingTech #SBIR #AI #SupplyChain #DoD Anne Laurent Dr. Dolores Kuchina-Musina Matt MacGregor Tyrome Smith Rob Handfield Thomas Kull Simon Lipscomb Brooke Pyne G. Nagesh R.

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“Readiness is no longer marked by calendar milestones but by the ability to adapt confidently in moments that matter,” said Erik Mellquist, systems director for Aerospace's Mission Integration. “Agile launch manifesting ensures those moments are met with precision, speed and trust. This is a new standard for national security space, and Aerospace is on the forefront of defining how the enterprise gets there.” At Aerospace, we’re connecting government requirements with launch readiness—from pre-screening payload compatibility to establishing launch manifest frameworks for tactically responsive space—to make agile launch manifesting a scalable, repeatable reality. Learn about agile launch manifesting: https://lnkd.in/e9gaEWDh #agilelaunchmanifesting

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📹 1/3 - As part of NSPA’s Next Generation Rotorcraft Capability (#NGRC), we are pleased to share the Airbus Helicopters-led consortium contribution to Concept Study 5. 🔍 Working from operational and performance attributes defined by participating Nations, Airbus assessed how potential rotorcraft concepts could meet future mission needs. 🚁 This video provides a high-level illustration supporting the analytical report delivered to Allies — contributing to the broader knowledge base used to refine requirements for the upcoming Request for Proposal. This material represents one of three independent Study 5 outputs (Airbus Helicopters – Leonardo Helicopters – Sikorsky). It does not reflect a preferred design or national selection. The programme has now opened a Pre-Qualification Assessment phase. Interested industrial partners can participate in the PQA to qualify for the RFP release in 2026. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/eyaCEb4S

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The small sat supply chain just got a little stronger: Umbra, which operates a constellation of SAR spacecraft, said today it will begin selling a line of fundamental spacecraft components to other operators seeking flight-proven parts. https://lnkd.in/dEq_CNH9

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Digital transformation doesn’t succeed because of one leader with a vision. It takes a whole team pulling in the same direction. Amanda Stapleton, Systems Engineering Director of Mission Systems at Northrop Grumman, explains why successful adoption of digital practices, such as model-based systems engineering, depends on deep organizational buy-in rather than top-down mandates. #DigitalTransformation #SystemsEngineering #AerospaceEngineering #Leadership #KeepMovingForward #NorthropGrumman

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This week on Mission Critical: Defense Recruiting: Peter Krauss, CEO of Terran Orbital Corporation, proves why industry outsiders make the best disruptors. With zero aerospace background, Peter is driving "Terran 2.0" with a radical approach: hire for execution energy, not pedigree; embrace calculated risk; and move with unprecedented speed. His leadership philosophy? "Say yes first, then figure it out" — a mindset that's challenging decades of aerospace tradition. 💡 In this episode, you'll learn: • Why being an outsider is a superpower in legacy industries • What "Terran 2.0" really means—and how it's changing the game • The leadership traits Peter hires for (hint: résumés aren't everything) • The difference between taking risks and managing them • The unexpected KPI every CEO should track • How to hire from traditional primes—without inheriting old habits “What this industry didn’t need was another aerospace executive. It needed someone willing to ask why we do things the way we do” – Peter Krauss 🎧 Whether you're a founder, a leader, or just curious about the future of space, this conversation will challenge your assumptions about what great leadership really looks like. 👉  Check out the links below. ⬇️ #ceoinsights #missioncritical #leadership #spacetech #defenseinnovation

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When A&D projects fail, it's rarely about technology. Poor leadership decisions and communication breakdowns are the real culprits. Read "Why Aerospace and Defense Companies Need to Change How They Hire Executives" ➡️ https://lnkd.in/dWrN_F4n #AerospaceLeadership #DefenseIndustry #ExecutiveSearch #TalentAcquisition #LeadershipDevelopment

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Talent is the new battle space. Not product innovation. The explosive growth of defense tech has triggered an intense war for top-tier talent, fundamentally reshaping hiring strategies and industry dynamics. Companies are no longer just competing on product innovation—they're competing on their ability to attract, develop, and retain the right people. But the solution isn’t as simple as just hiring the “best” talent. The reality is, the best talent has options. They’re not just looking for a job—they're looking for mission alignment, leadership they believe in, and a culture that enables them to thrive. This means companies need to shift their thinking. Instead of simply searching for great talent, they need to ask themselves: - Are we positioned in a way that makes top talent want to choose us? - Does our employer brand reflect the mission, challenge, and impact that high-caliber professionals are looking for? - Are we structuring opportunities in a way that retains top performers once they’re inside the building? In the fight for defense tech dominance, winning on talent isn’t just about who you hire—it’s about who wants to work for you in the first place. Those who figure this out will outpace the competition. Those who don’t will be left wondering why they can’t attract the people they need to scale. Those who win the battle for talent, win. #InTheArena

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Hot take on Aerospace & Defense quality processes... * Before it was all about "Show me your AS9100 certification and ITAR compliance". * Soon, it will be about "Give me read-access to your UNS (Unified Namespace) and a video feed of my critical parts being made". I think there will be a dramatic shift towards "Don't trust; verify" in aerospace and defense manufacturing. Tier N visibility will become crucial for scaling aerospace and defense processes in the US. Credit to many conversations with Mark Freedman for most of these thoughts!

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