Air Combat Electronics Shifts to Civilian Leadership

NAVAL AIR SYSTEMS COMMAND, PATUXENT RIVER, Md. — Highlighted by a shift in leadership, to civilian from military, the Navy’s Air Combat Electronics Program Office (PMA-209) held a change-of-command ceremony June 19 at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland.

As she prepares to take the reins of leadership from Air Combat Electronics Program Manager Capt. Tracy Barkhimer, right, Candace Chesser accepts congratulations from Keith Sanders, NAVAIR’s assistant commander for Acquisition, during a change of command ceremony June 19 at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md. (U.S. Navy photo)

Candace “Candy” Chesser, the former deputy for PMA-209 since September 2013, was elevated to program manager, succeeding Capt. Tracy Barkhimer, who retired from the Navy after 26 years of naval service.

“Take a look at the program and you’ll see a list of PMA-209 awards and accomplishments during my tenure as program manager — that list isn’t a testament to me,” Barkhimer said. “It’s to remind you that your spirit of excellence is being recognized by a broader naval and DoD community.”

Aligned under Naval Air Systems Command, PMA-209 provides the Navy and Marine Corps with products and support in the areas of communication and airborne networking, navigation and flight operations, and mission systems and sensors.

The program office will be in good hands under Chesser’s leadership, Barkhimer said.

“Today I’ve been given the opportunity to lead the PMA-209 team for the next three years,” Chesser told the audience gathered in the Rear Adm. William A. Moffett Building on base. “In my nine months aboard, it is evident that the team of the most competent subject-matter experts in the avionics arena. I look forward to working with our [aircraft] platform [program offices] to craft acquisition strategies to support more open methods of building and upgrading our avionics systems.”

Chesser, who previously served as the principal deputy program manager for the Naval Air Traffic Management Systems Program Office (PMA-213) before transferring to PMA-209, is a veteran of the NAVAIR community. She began her government career at the Naval Electronic Systems Engineering Activity (NESEA) at nearby St. Inigoes, Maryland, in 1981, working there until 1994 when NESEA was terminated as a result of the Base Realignment and Closure process.