Pompei Orlando

Pompei Orlando serves as a Program Engineer within the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Propulsion Directorate (AFRL/PZL), where they play a pivotal role in shaping technical requirements and guiding the acquisition of advanced propulsion, hypersonic systems, and high-performance materials research. Responsible for bridging engineering innovation with procurement execution, Orlando ensures that solicitation strategies align with mission-critical R&D objectives, overseeing the acquisition of complex engineering services and prototype development contracts. Their work directly supports the Department of the Air Force’s mandate to maintain technological superiority in aerospace propulsion and adaptive flight systems through early-stage technology maturation and transition. Orlando maintains consistent partnerships with leading aerospace and defense contractors including UES INC, General Electric Company, DCS Corporation, Spirit Aerosystems Inc., and Advanced Thermoplastic Composites LLC. These relationships are characterized by long-term, technically intensive collaborations centered on propulsion system design, materials characterization, and hypersonic vehicle integration. The contractor ecosystem reflects a preference for established industry leaders with proven capabilities in high-fidelity modeling, advanced manufacturing, and mission-critical systems engineering, indicating a focus on mission readiness over cost-driven sourcing. There is no set-aside preference in Orlando’s procurement portfolio; all acquisitions are competed open to the full market, reflecting a mission-first approach that prioritizes technical capability and system performance over socioeconomic categorization. This approach underscores a commitment to securing the most capable solutions for high-consequence national security programs, regardless of vendor size or certification status. The primary NAICS classification for Orlando’s acquisitions is 541712—Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences—reflecting an exclusive focus on fundamental and applied engineering R&D. Procurements encompass computational fluid dynamics, ceramic matrix composites, fuel injection systems, and thermal protection materials, supporting next-generation propulsion architectures for air and space dominance.