The evolution of aerospace and defence technology
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Aerojet Rocketdyne: the evolution of aerospace and defence technology
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AEROJET ROCKETDYNE
After two years, Alan Avakian, Senior Director of IT and John Jackson, Chief Information Officer at Aerojet Rocketdyne, discuss the company’s innovative transformation journey since 2018
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ith 20 years’ experience within information technology, Alan Avakian, Senior Director of IT at Aerojet Rocketdyne,
has spent most of his career in the aerospace and defense industry. “I started out as an application developer, working in technologies ranging from the mainframe to client/server and web. Other technical roles I have had include database administration and project management,” says Avakian. “After working with programmers and internal customers, I branched out into other more specialized disciplines including reporting and ERP. At a certain point, I had to make a career choice between technical and management tracks, and chose management in the end for the opportunities. With guidance from others, I went back for my Masters of Business Administration and transitioned to managing my own department before becoming a Director and Chief Technology Officer.”
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AEROJET ROCKETDYNE
“ Additive manufacturing, hypersonics, and solar electric propulsion are key innovation areas for Aerojet Rocketdyne” — Alan Avakian, Senior Director of IT, Aerojet Rocketdyne
Avakian describes Aerojet Rocketdyne as “an innovative worldclass developer and manufacturer of advanced propulsion and energetics systems
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2:55
07 for customers including the US
“Additive manufacturing, hyper-
Department of Defense, NASA and
sonics, and solar electric propulsion
other agencies and companies, both
are key innovation areas for Aerojet
in the United States and abroad.” Its
Rocketdyne. We are also developing
vision is to further develop the brand
propulsion systems to utilise high-
and leverage its experience to provide
performance ‘green’ propellants.
the most cost-effective, on-schedule
Green propulsion systems are an
and reliable products in the industry.
alternative to conventional chemical
Over the last two years, Avakian has seen the aero-
propulsion systems that use hydrazine propellants for a variety of applica-
space and defense industry evolve
tions, including next-generation
significantly, with multiple new trends
launch vehicles and spacecraft,”
emerging fast such as: additive manu-
says Avakian.
facturing, solar electric propulsion, cybersecurity and cloud technology.
John Jackson is the Chief Information Officer at Aerojet Rocketdyne and w w w.ro c ket . com
AEROJET ROCKETDYNE
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E X ECU T I VE P RO FI LE
Alan Avakian Alan Avakian is the Senior Director of IT at Aerojet Rocketdyne. In this role, he leads the organisation’s Business Alignment and Technology Management functions responsible for shared business service strategy and operations including Networking, Infrastructure, Applications, and End User Support services. He coordinates with line-ofbusiness leaders to understand their needs (including anticipated technology and product changes) and works with IT outsourcing partners for execution.
11 has extensive experience in cyber-
security in cloud, Jackson is also
security and cloud technologies. In
seeing companies shifting to this tech-
the Information Technology arena,
nology. “Cloud solutions now meet the
Jackson mentioned that “there’s a
stringent security requirements of our
much bigger focus on security and
industry, so companies are now start-
the new Cybersecurity Maturity
ing to pivot.”
Model Certification (CMMC) that was
Further discussing data security,
released in January. An accredited
Jackson explains the company’s own
third party assessor will independently
efforts since 2018 to develop its data
assess whether internal information
security methods. “Keeping up with
systems of companies that perform
the ever-increasing security threats
DoD work (including suppliers) have
for people who want to steal your data,
the required cybersecurity controls
while also meeting the new industry
in place to meet the assigned cyber
compliance standards such as the
maturity level.” With new levels of
CMMC, are core challenges when it w w w.ro c ket . com
AEROJET ROCKETDYNE
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comes to data security as it changes
a traditional IT architecture which
so fast.” At Aerojet Rocketdyne,
relies heavily on on-premise infra-
the company has a threat hunting
structure to a hybrid architecture.”
program which allows the company
In particular, Avakian highlights the
to proactively measure its security
company’s adoption of cloud tech-
posture rather than only relying on
nology, microservices and robotic
traditional threat management meas-
process automation (RPA). “Over
ures such as firewalls. In addition,
the last couple of years we have
“we are currently embarking on an
transitioned our Product Lifecycle
Enterprise Information Management
Management (PLM) system from
initiative to establish a data govern-
an on-premise solution to a cloud
ance program. This program will
provider. Our data is housed in a
assist with the standardisation and
FedRAMP data centre with around-
integration of data and metrics
the-clock support.” In addition to
across the enterprise.”
the cloud, the company has begun
When it comes to the innovative
conducting an RPA proof-of-concept
evolution of the company, Avakian
with its Finance department. “This
explains that over the last two years
will reduce costs, eliminate input
the company has “pivoted from
errors, speed up business processes,
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E XE CU T I VE PRO FI LE
John Jackson John Jackson is the Chief Information Officer and Vice President at Aerojet Rocketdyne. In this role, he leads the Information Technology organization focused on the development and execution of an IT strategy to help deliver on mission success. The goal of the strategy is to unlock greater value for customers and the business by enabling innovative, secure and compliant technology solutions.
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“ Keeping up with the ever-increasing security threats while also meeting the new industry compliance standards such as the CMMC, are core challenges when it comes to data security as it changes so fast” — John Jackson,, CIO, Aerojet Rocketdyne
and will be integrated with applications. Our hope is to expand the program once we have proven out the technology and business model.” At an operational level, Avakian also explains the company’s development of a business relationship management team, as well as its healthy transition towards a balanced outsourcing and in-house operations approach. “We started with realigning some of our existing talent as well as recruiting new people with w w w.c o mpa w ny w w.ro we bsite. c ket . com
AEROJET ROCKETDYNE
1942
Year founded
$2bn+ Revenue in US dollars
5,000 16
Number of employees
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AEROJET ROCKETDYNE
“ An innovative worldclass developer and manufacturer of advanced propulsion and energetics systems for customers including the US Department of Defense and NASA” 18
— Alan Avakian, Senior Director of IT, Aerojet Rocketdyne a background in IT and business liaison
our requirements in relation to levels
skills,” comments Avakian, who has
of control, security considerations,
seen huge benefits from establishing
cost model and growth.”
the team. “Our customers love the fact
With these developments, Avakian
that they have an IT representative
has seen “the ability of the company’s
that is aligned to them.” When it comes
IT systems to grow with the busi-
to balancing its outsourcing and in-
ness, enabling faster turnaround of
house operations, Avakian highlights
key enhancements which were not
that “it’s a challenging opportunity as
achievable before without significant
there are benefits and use cases for
investment in time and money.” For
both methods. Our approach is to look
example, Microsoft has been help-
at the IT area and then assess which
ing Aerojet Rocketdyne to “leverage
approach or combination best meets
Microsoft Dynamics for our CRM.
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We will also be using Microsoft’s
– and the company’s propulsion which
Office 365 and Azure for storage later
plays a critical role in SLS’s ability to
this year.”
successfully launch the heaviest, larg-
Reflecting on the company, Avakian
est, and most valuable payloads to deep
sees the company’s biggest strength
space” is an example of one of the com-
being its people and drive towards
pany’s biggest successes to date.
innovation in everything that it does, particularly having seen the company expand its presence to drive innovation. Avakian concludes that the company’s “NASA Space Launch System (SLS) – America’s next-generation heavy-lift rocket, powered by Aerojet Rocketdyne w w w.ro c ket . com
Aerojet Rocketdyne P.O. Box 13222 T 916 355 4000 www.rocket.com