Karla S. Norwood

Karla S. Norwood serves as a key procurement professional within the Naval Air Warfare Center Air Division, supporting the development, testing, and sustainment of advanced naval aviation systems. She manages complex acquisitions for mission-critical avionics, electronic warfare suites, and airborne sensor integration, ensuring operational readiness across next-generation aircraft platforms. Her work directly enables the agency’s strategic priorities in modernizing communications, navigation, and flight control systems, with a focus on high-technology aerospace and defense contracts that align with Navy air superiority objectives. Norwood maintains consistent contracting relationships with leading defense and aerospace contractors including SABRE SYSTEMS, LLC, THE BOEING COMPANY, SCIENCE APPLICATIONS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION, SYSTEMS PLANNING AND ANALYSIS, INC., and ONTIC ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING, INC. These partnerships reflect a blend of prime contractor collaboration and specialized subsystem integration, often involving systems engineering, test and evaluation, and sustainment services for airborne platforms. Her procurement approach emphasizes technical rigor and performance-based outcomes, fostering long-term vendor engagement on mission-critical programs. A strong advocate for small business participation, Norwood prioritizes Total Small Business Set-Asides, with over 77% of her acquisitions structured to support small business eligibility under FAR 19.5. This reflects a deliberate commitment to expanding opportunities for small, innovative firms in the aerospace and defense ecosystem. While 8(a) and other socioeconomic set-asides are used sparingly, her contracting patterns consistently channel resources toward small businesses capable of delivering specialized avionics, test equipment, and mission systems support. Her procurement focus centers on NAICS codes related to flight training (611512), radio and wireless communications equipment manufacturing (334220), and the design and production of aeronautical systems and instruments (334511). She regularly acquires advanced avionics, navigation aids, electronic test instrumentation, and integrated cockpit systems, demonstrating deep technical expertise in airborne sensor integration, signal processing, and mission-critical electronics manufacturing.