Key People To Watch In The Defense Sector In 2026

The brothers behind Turkish uncrewed aircraft systems developer Baykar are pushing forward with the development of the Kizilelma uncrewed fighter aircraft to build on export success with the TB2 and Akinci designs.

Guetlein faces a tight timeline in 2026 to turn his Golden Dome missile defense architecture, conceived in a matter of months, into reality, and he will have to juggle multiple development projects in parallel to deliver a first capability before noon on Jan 20, 2029.

Lyons, program executive officer of the Armament Directorate, inherited the Weapons Capacity Task Force, which rapidly developed a family of low-cost cruise missiles. Those weapons must be scaled up to unprecedented levels in the next 12 months.

It is starting to be show-me time for Anduril to demonstrate there is more to the startup than glitzy designs and an in-vogue narrative.

The company’s technology to automate aircraft is gaining traction, with demonstration milestones ahead.

Canada’s first female air chief is leading the Royal Canadian Air Force through the beginning of the largest modernization effort in its history and at a time of tension with its neighbor to the south.

After losing the competition to provide the U.S. Air Force its next fighter and financial losses on several classified and unclassified programs, Taiclet needs to demonstrate that the defense company has not lost its way.

After stirring controversy in the European Future Combat Air System program, Trappier needs to chart Dassault’s path forward while also ramping up production of the Rafale, developing a French uncrewed combat aircraft and solidifying the company’s spaceplane ambitions.

White, currently military deputy in the office of the Air Force assistant secretary for acquisition, technology and logistics, has been nominated to become the direct reporting portfolio manager for critical major weapons systems for the Air Force. In that role, he would oversee the service’s flagship programs, such as the Boeing F-47 fighter development and Northrop Grumman’s B-21 bomber and Sentinel ICBM effort.

The first leader of the Edgewing joint venture of BAE Systems, Leo­nardo and Japan Aircraft Industrial Enhancement Co., Zoff is tasked with conducting the aircraft’s first flight demonstration in 2027 and putting the program on pace to achieve its 2035 in-service target date.