Nichols Martin
Kirk Shawhan, who joined Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in 2004, has been appointed executive for APL's precision strike mission area.
He most recently worked at the nonprofit research center's air and missile defense segment and will oversee programs focused on tactical aircraft and kinetic and non-kinetic weapon systems in his new position, APL said Monday.
The precision strike mission area also studies, develops and demonstrates emerging platforms, as well as provides technical support to key acquisition efforts and interacts with military technology users.
Shawhan worked as a project lead for APL's engineering work on Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense system from 2004 to 2009. After that, he became the program manager of Missile Defense Agency-sponsored tasks at the lab. Between 2012 and 2015, he served as assistant program area manager for a significant portion of the nonprofit's MDA portfolio.
Prior to APL, he held a 20-year career at the U.S. Marine Corps, where he managed programs, led operations, supervised recruitment and piloted vehicles.
