Kelly Dicken

Kelly Dicken serves as a key procurement professional within the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), supporting the lifecycle acquisition and sustainment of critical naval aviation systems. Responsible for managing complex contracting actions across engineering and advanced manufacturing domains, Dicken plays a central role in ensuring the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps maintain air superiority through timely delivery of cutting-edge aircraft, avionics, and mission-critical systems. Their work spans the full spectrum of defense acquisition phases—from requirements validation to contract award and performance oversight—focusing on high-technology platforms that support carrier-based and expeditionary aviation operations. Dicken maintains consistent working relationships with leading defense prime contractors, including Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation, Lockheed Martin Corporation, and General Atomics, partnering with organizations that deliver advanced rotorcraft, strike aircraft, unmanned aerial systems, and integrated sensor suites. These collaborations are characterized by long-term, performance-based contract structures designed to ensure technical fidelity, operational readiness, and sustainment support across multi-year platforms. The contracting approach emphasizes risk mitigation, technical oversight, and seamless integration of next-generation capabilities into existing naval air architectures. There is no preference for socioeconomic set-asides, with 100% of acquisitions conducted under full and open competition. This reflects a strategic emphasis on accessing the broadest possible industrial base capable of meeting the technical rigor and scale required for naval aviation modernization, prioritizing capability over socioeconomic classification. Dicken’s procurement focus is concentrated in NAICS 541330 (Engineering Services) and 334511 (Aeronautical System and Instrument Manufacturing), underscoring deep expertise in systems engineering, avionics integration, radar and navigation systems, and flight control technologies. Their portfolio consistently supports the development and sustainment of mission-critical hardware and software solutions that enhance situational awareness, weapons delivery, and airborne surveillance capabilities across the naval aviation enterprise.