Senior Responsible Owner – Blacker and FMDG USV (H), Royal Navy
Senior Responsible Owner – Blacker and FMDG USV (H), Royal Navy
Dave joined the Royal Navy in 2002 as an Air Engineer Officer. A fixed‑wing specialist by background, he has deployed globally on operations including Afghanistan (Op HERRICK), maritime aviation deployments with Sea Harrier and Merlin forces, and Operation GRITROCK in Sierra Leone. His early career combined frontline aviation engineering with safety, policy, and assurance roles, including appointments within the Military Aviation Authority and Navy Command Headquarters.
Dave has significant experience in complex acquisition and carrier aviation programmes. At DE&S he served as Ship Integration Lead within the Lightning Delivery Team, ensuring F‑35 compatibility with the Queen Elizabeth‑class aircraft carriers, before spending three years at NAS Patuxent River on the F‑35 Programme. This role involved generating the UK initial weapons capability, managing fleet type airworthiness, and programme managing the F-35 first of class flight trials in HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH. He was awarded the US Navy Meritorious Service Medal for his leadership during the most successful flight trials programme in USN history. He later completed the Canadian Joint Command and Staff Programme and returned to professional command as Commander Air Engineer in HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH. This period included a number of notable firsts for the Ship class including first live ammunitioning, first deployment of operational FW aircraft from UK and USA and the inaugural Carrier Strike Group 21 global deployment.
Promoted to Captain in October 2023, Dave serves in the Directorate of Navy Acquisition as Senior Responsible Owner for the BLACKER and Future Military Data Gathering programmes. He is accountable for delivering programme benefits to performance, cost, and time across all Defence Lines of Development.
Dave lives in Hampshire with his wife Sophie and their two children, Iona (8) and Ruaridh (6). When time allows, which with young children is rare, he enjoys dabbling with the electric guitar, winter sports and the occasional running race.