LCDR Fernando J. Harris

Fernando J. Harris supports the Naval Air Warfare Center Air Division in procuring advanced aviation systems critical to maintaining air superiority and fleet readiness. While his formal title is not specified, his procurement activities center on the development, testing, and sustainment of next-generation avionics, electronic warfare suites, and mission-critical aircraft subsystems. He manages complex acquisitions across research, engineering, and technical services, ensuring alignment with the Navy’s modernization priorities in airborne sensor integration, communications architecture, and legacy system modernization. His work directly enables the operational deployment of cutting-edge naval aviation capabilities through strategic contract execution and lifecycle management. Harris maintains consistent partnerships with leading defense contractors including SABRE SYSTEMS, LLC, THE BOEING COMPANY, SCIENCE APPLICATIONS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION, SYSTEMS PLANNING AND ANALYSIS, INC., and ONTIC ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING, INC. These relationships reflect a pattern of engagement with Tier-1 aerospace and systems integration firms capable of delivering high-assurance, mission-essential technologies. His contracting approach emphasizes technical rigor, compliance with defense acquisition regulations, and collaboration with industry partners experienced in classified and sensitive aviation programs. His procurement portfolio demonstrates a strong inclination toward small business participation, with over 41% of awards structured as total small business set-asides under FAR 19.5. This reflects a deliberate strategy to leverage innovative capabilities from small firms while maintaining access to large-scale systems integration expertise. He routinely structures opportunities to encourage participation from small businesses without relying on specialized socioeconomic set-asides like 8(a) or HUBZone, favoring broad-based small business competition. His primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 511210 (software publishing) and 541712 (research and development in engineering), indicating deep engagement with software-defined avionics, signal processing, and systems engineering services. He also procures industrial building construction and professional training services to support facility modernization and workforce development. His technical domain expertise spans airborne sensor integration, electronic warfare, and mission systems sustainment, positioning him at the nexus of defense innovation and operational readiness.