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Trevor Clark and his
son, Maxwell |
He Navigated His Way to MITRE
Trevor Clark
November 2005
Before joining MITRE's Seattle site in 2003, senior multi-discipline
systems engineer Trevor Clark had seen more of the world than most
of us ever dream of.
A former navigator for the U.S. Air Force, Clark has been everywhere
from South America to Africa and from China to Chile. "I've done
a lot of international travel in my career, to more than 48 countries
and territories in the world," he says. "I embrace cultural differences."
That kind of attitude and experience makes him perfect for his
role on the Turkish military's Peace Eagle program. Turkey is one
of two foreign countries (Australia is the other) acquiring specially
designed Airborne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C) 737 aircraft
from the manufacturer, Boeing. AEW&C aircraft provide similar
command and control capabilities as the AWACS (Airborne Warning
and Control System), which is well-known to the public for its familiar
rotating radar antenna.
MITRE has been closely involved with AWACS for more than 30 years
at the Electronic Systems Center at Hanscom Air Force Base in Bedford,
Ma. In our role as chief engineer for the AWACS and AEW&C programs,
one of our primary objectives is keeping the new AEW&C aircraft
fully interoperable with the U.S. AWACS fleet.
Clark describes himself as the bridge between the different groups—the
Program Office, Boeing, and the nine-person, on-site Turkish team.
The Turkish government is purchasing the Peace Eagle system directly
from Boeing with limited U.S. government support. Nevertheless,
the resulting aircraft and its systems must be able to operate with
the other U.S. Forces' platforms, which is where MITRE—and
Clark—come in.
Clark also supports the NATO Mid-Term Modernization program, a
long-term upgrade project. "Because I'm working so closely with
the Turkish military on their acquisition, I've also been able to
facilitate interaction among different programs. Many of the requirements
the Turks have on their platforms are linked to NATO Mid-Term.
"That's one of the advantages of being here on site," he says.
"I get a chance to be involved with all the different programs.
Soon I'll also be supporting the U.S. AWACS modernization program,
and I'll be able to bring my experience to that, too."
Using All His Skills
A graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, Clark spent 11 years
as an officer. He served as a navigator aboard C-130 transport planes
and also flew the Air Force's Chief of Staff and other executives
throughout the world. Although he loved serving his country, in
a way he was too successful at his job: his in-demand skills
as a navigator limited his ability to try out different career paths
within the Air Force.
He first became familiar with MITRE while serving as an active
duty officer at Edwards Air Force Base, CA, and with the AWACS Joint
Test Force in Seattle. When he decided to leave the service, one
of the things that most appealed to him about MITRE was the chance
to put his wide knowledge to use.
"I get to use my entire technical background—systems engineering,
communications, data links, IFF [Identification, Friend or Foe]
systems, and navigation systems," he explains. "I'm able to put
everything I've learned in school and on the job to use."
Now married to a Seattle native and the father of a young son,
Clark's life is more settled than during his Air Force stint, but
he still gets to travel. He visited his Turkish counterparts this
past year in Ankara and found the basic language skills he's picked
up to be extremely helpful. (He also has a good command of Russian.)
And although he's adjusted to the Seattle weather, he is that rare
city resident who doesn't drink coffee—a fact that fortunately
doesn't interfere with his job satisfaction.
"I knew MITRE was a good choice for me when I came here," he says.
"I work with professional people, have the chance to continue to
serve our nation, and have a variety of career path options."
—by Alison Stern-Dunyak
| MITRE's Seattle, Washington, Site
Since its founding in 1971, MITRE's Seattle site has supported
the Electronic Systems Center's Airborne Early Warning and
Control (AEW&C) programs, including the U.S. and NATO
AWACS programs and foreign military sales. The five-person
group works closely with the prime contractor, Boeing, to
ensure interoperability among the different versions of AEW&C
platforms. They provide in-depth technical guidance and transfer
lessons learned between and among the various national and
international programs. |
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