Kirsten Pruim

Kirsten Pruim serves as a key procurement lead within the Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division (N61340), responsible for managing acquisitions that support the development, modernization, and sustainment of advanced naval aviation training systems. Her work directly enables mission readiness by securing integrated simulation platforms, immersive training environments, and mission-critical avionics infrastructure. She oversees a diverse portfolio of contracts spanning hardware manufacturing, software integration, and systems engineering services, with a focus on delivering high-fidelity, real-time training solutions for pilots and aircrews across the Department of the Navy. Pruim maintains strategic partnerships with industry leaders such as STRACON SERVICES GROUP, LLC and FLIGHTSAFETY INTERNATIONAL INC, who provide specialized training system integration, flight simulation hardware, and curriculum-driven synthetic training solutions. Her contracting approach emphasizes long-term vendor collaboration, technical alignment with Navy training requirements, and performance-based acquisition methodologies. She frequently engages contractors with proven expertise in military-grade avionics, real-time data modeling, and immersive training environments to ensure operational relevance and system interoperability. Her procurement strategy reflects a balanced commitment to socioeconomic goals, with approximately half of her contracts set aside for small businesses under FAR 19.5 and the other half awarded as full and open competitions. This dual approach ensures competitive innovation while actively fostering participation from small, disadvantaged, and service-disabled veteran-owned firms. Her consistent use of small business set-asides underscores a deliberate effort to broaden the industrial base supporting naval training modernization. Pruim’s technical focus centers on NAICS 333310 for commercial and service industry machinery, 334111 for electronic computer manufacturing, and 334310 for audio and video equipment manufacturing. She procures high-performance training simulators, flight deck interface systems, immersive visual displays, and embedded training software—products critical to next-generation naval aviation readiness. Her expertise lies at the intersection of defense systems engineering and commercial-grade hardware integration, ensuring training platforms meet both military operational standards and evolving technological capabilities.