AeroVironment, Inc. (NASDAQ: AVAV) has appointed William J. Lynn III to its Board of Directors, effective June 24, 2026. The move brings decades of national security, defense electronics and public-company leadership experience to the defense technology firm's board at a pivotal moment for its global growth strategy.
A Veteran of Both Government and Industry
Lynn served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Leonardo DRS, Inc. (NASDAQ: DRS), a leading defense electronics company, from 2012 until 2026. Before that, he served as the 30th U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense from 2009 to 2011 under Secretaries Robert Gates and Leon Panetta, where as the Department's chief operating officer he led development of its first cyber strategy.
Earlier in his career, Lynn held senior roles at Raytheon Company (now NYSE: RTX) and within the Department of Defense, including as Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) and Chief Financial Officer. He is a graduate of Dartmouth College, holds a J.D. from Cornell Law School and an M.P.A. in international affairs from Princeton University.
"Bill's distinguished service to the nation and extensive experience in government, national security and defense technology will bring valuable insights to the Board. His perspective as both a defense leader and public-company executive will be a tremendous asset as we continue to scale and advance our leadership position in an increasingly dynamic global security environment."— Wahid Nawabi, Chairman, President and CEO, AeroVironment
Lynn's Perspective on Joining AV
For his part, Lynn framed the appointment as arriving at a critical juncture for both the company and the broader defense landscape, pointing to AV's solutions as directly aligned with the needs of warfighters and allied forces. He said he looks forward to helping the company advance its mission and drive continued growth.