Amanda McCarthy

Amanda McCarthy supports the Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division in procuring advanced simulation and avionics systems critical to naval aviation readiness. Though her formal title is not listed, her role centers on managing complex acquisition programs that modernize immersive training environments for pilots and aircrews, including tactical combat simulators, mission-critical avionics infrastructure, and integrated curriculum delivery platforms. She plays a pivotal role in executing the division’s strategic mandate to sustain and enhance high-fidelity training capabilities across the Navy’s maritime aviation enterprise, ensuring systems meet rigorous operational and interoperability standards. McCarthy maintains consistent partnerships with key industry leaders such as STRACON SERVICES GROUP, LLC and FLIGHTSAFETY INTERNATIONAL INC, firms renowned for their expertise in flight simulation, synthetic training environments, and mission rehearsal systems. Her contracting patterns reflect a preference for established defense contractors with proven capabilities in aerospace training technology, indicating a focus on reliability, technical depth, and system integration rather than experimental or emerging vendors. These relationships are characterized by long-term sustainment and modernization contracts, underscoring a reliance on trusted industry partners with deep domain knowledge. Her procurement activity shows no use of socioeconomic set-asides, with 100% of awards issued under full and open competition. This reflects a mission-driven prioritization of technical capability and operational readiness over socioeconomic preferences, consistent with the high-stakes nature of naval aviation training systems. While small business participation is not formally incentivized in her portfolio, the absence of set-asides does not imply exclusion—it signals a focus on selecting the most capable provider regardless of size. The technical domain centers on simulation, training systems, and avionics integration, aligning with NAICS categories typically associated with defense simulation (541715), military training equipment (336411), and research and development in aerospace (541713). McCarthy’s work demands deep familiarity with real-time modeling, embedded training architectures, and human-in-the-loop validation—ensuring training systems deliver mission-essential readiness outcomes.