Following Textron’s [TXT] win in December of a marquis next-generation Army aircraft program, the company on Thursday named Lisa Atherton as the chief operating officer of the company’s Bell segment, a new role created to help Bell focus its execution on the Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) program.
Atherton most recently was president and CEO of Textron’s Textron Systems segment, which develops and supplies unmanned aircraft systems, ground vehicles and surface vessels, armored infantry fighting vehicles, small Naval surface craft, sensors and anti-armor capabilities. She was named the top official of Textron Systems in June 2017.
Before leading Textron Systems, Atherton spent five years at Bell Helicopter, with her last role being executive vice president for military business. Before that role, she was VP of global military development, leading domestic and international military business development activities.
“Lisa’s leadership and experience with military programs at Bell and Textron Systems will be invaluable as we ramp up and execute on the U.S. Army’s Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft program,” Scott Donnelly, Textron’s chairman and CEO, said in a statement.
Atherton is being succeed at Textron Systems by Tom Hammoor, who previously led Textron Aviation Defense LLC, which is the Beechcraft aircraft business acquired by Textron in 2014. Textron Aviation Defense is part of Textron’s Aviation segment and is responsible for the T-6C Texan II military training aircraft and the AT-6 Wolverine multi-mission aircraft.
Hammoor joined Textron Aviation Defense in 2016 after nearly 30 years with General Electric [GE].
Textron in December won the FLRAA contract that initially is worth up to $1.4 billion. The award has been protested by Lockheed Martin [LMT], whose Sikorsky unit was the other competitor.