Caroline Ethridge

Caroline Ethridge serves as a key procurement professional within the W6QK Acc-rsa office of the Department of the Army, responsible for managing complex acquisitions in support of the Army’s aerial and missile defense modernization priorities. She oversees the solicitation, evaluation, and award of contracts for mission-critical aerospace systems, including avionics, propulsion components, and sensor integration for platforms such as the UH-60 Black Hawk and AH-64 Apache. Her work directly enables the sustainment and technological advancement of Army aviation capabilities, ensuring operational readiness through rigorous acquisition planning and compliance with defense procurement regulations. Ethridge maintains strategic relationships with prime contractors specializing in aerospace manufacturing and systems integration, partnering primarily with established defense industry leaders with proven expertise in military-grade aircraft systems. Her contracting approach emphasizes technical rigor, performance-based outcomes, and full lifecycle support, fostering long-term vendor collaboration grounded in quality assurance, compliance with MIL-STD specifications, and rapid response to evolving operational requirements. Her procurement portfolio reflects a strong preference for full and open competition, with 100% of awards issued under non-set-aside authorities. While she does not currently prioritize socioeconomic set-asides such as 8(a), HUBZone, or SDVOSB programs, her focus remains on securing the highest technical capability and mission-critical reliability from the most qualified industrial base. Ethridge’s primary focus lies within NAICS 336411 (Aircraft Manufacturing), where she procures integrated subsystems including flight control systems, radar warning receivers, electronic warfare suites, and engine components critical to manned and unmanned aerial platforms. Her technical expertise spans aerospace systems engineering, defense logistics, and MIL-PRF-38534 compliance, positioning her as a specialist in high-integrity, mission-essential aerospace procurement for the U.S. Army’s frontline aviation forces.