Roger Burnett

B.S. Naval Science, United States Naval Academy, 1966
Designated Naval Aviator, 1967
M.S. Aero Engineering, Naval Postgraduate School, 1980
Graduate, Defense Systems Management College, 1987

Following Navy pilot training, Roger Burnett was assigned to F-4 squadrons for duty.  After two major deployments he was selected as a project pilot for the Navy/NASA fighter study which verified requirements for the next Navy fighter aircraft as well as refining tactics against current threat aircraft.  Roger was then assigned as an instructor in the F-4 aircraft.  In 1976 he transitioned to the F-14 aircraft and completed several additional deployments.  Between deployments he served on Fighter Wing staff and had a short stint at graduate school.  He also served as an F-14 demonstration pilot.  Roger completed his operational career by commanding Fighter Squadron 33, the Tarsiers.  He served in 4 fighter squadrons, accumulating over 4000 flight hours and 1000 carrier arrested landings on nine different aircraft carriers.

Assigned to Naval Air Systems Command as lead engineer for the F-14 aircraft, Roger assumed engineer and project manager duties.   He led the F-14B and D through design reviews and first flights while also supporting over 500 deployed aircraft.  As Director of Weapons Engineering, he oversaw the introduction of precision weapons and as Program Manager of the Navy Advanced Tactical Fighter he led the Navy team developing an F-14 replacement based on the technology of the Air Force Advanced Tactical Fighter.  The NATF program was cancelled in 1991 as part of the peace dividend, but the preliminary design was very promising.  Roger finished his Navy career as Assistant Chief of Naval Research.  He retired as a CAPTAIN, USN in 1996.

Roger was hired by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab as aviation systems program manager.  He led precision strike projects as well as supporting various aircraft developments.  He instructed systems engineering in the Whiting school graduate program.  Roger was selected as a member of the JHUAPL Principal Professional staff.

Roger next worked at the Institute for Defense Analyses as part of the team evaluating the operational effectiveness of new aircraft and weapons.  He was a major evaluator of the F-22.

From 2005 to 2014 Roger worked for the VP of Research at Virginia Tech.  Initially he led the team assigned to help grow big research projects, then as Department of Defense liaison.  During this time, he began an association with the incredible team at VT AOE and volunteers to this day as a design team reviewer.

Roger and his wife, Bonnie, live near Blacksburg.  They have three children (two VT engineers) and five grandchildren.