Based in Washington, Jen managed Aviation Week’s worldwide defense, space and security coverage from 2013 to January 2024.
Prior to taking on the Executive Editor role, Jen was Aviation Week's Congressional Editor. Jen came to Aviation Week in March 2011 from Politico, where she covered the intersection of defense and politics. She also worked as a reporter and editor for Defense Daily, Inside the Army, The Other Paper and The Columbus Dispatch.
Jen received a Master’s degree in journalism as a Kiplinger Fellow at the Ohio State University. She graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in history and journalism from the University of Michigan.
With more than half of its sales going outside of U.S. borders, Raytheon’s Integrated Defense Systems considers itself better positioned than some of its “competimates” to navigate tighter U.S. defense budgets, says Tom Kennedy, the division’s president. For IDS, international sales accounted for 54% of the business this year and 23% of the entire company’s sales. Other defense firms are trying to increase their international portfolios, but their starting point is 5% or 8%. “If you have a 10% cut, then you’ve got a problem,” Kennedy says.
The Aerospace Industries Association (AIA), the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW) and a host of small businesses are lobbying debate moderator Bob Schiffer to pose a question about sequestration during the Oct. 22 presidential debate on foreign policy. The issue of a potential $1 trillion across-the-board federal budget penalty came up briefly during the vice presidential debate. But it was not a major topic during either of the two previous debates.
In Virginia, the politics of defense budget cuts is in full swing, as the Republican governor and three Democratic lawmakers engage in a war of letters about how to handle looming budget reductions.
