Former Program Director for F-22 Program to Join Executive Team at AME Unmanned Air Systems
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif., Jan. 11, 2012 — AME Unmanned Air Systems, Inc., a Chandler/May company, announced today that retired U.S. Air Force Colonel Sean Frisbee has been named Vice President, AME Unmanned Air Systems, and will oversee the development, production, and manufacturing of the company’s portfolio of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), including the Fury® 1500 UAS, also known as “FOXBAT.”
Colonel Frisbee retired from the Air Force in January after 22 years of active duty, most recently serving as the Program Director for the $66 billion F-22 Program, one of the largest aircraft development and production efforts in history.
“We are extremely honored to add a leader of Sean’s caliber to our team,” said John Purvis, President and CEO of AME. “He is a first-round draft pick and renowned for delivering extraordinary results. His entrepreneurial and visionary leadership style along with his unique Air Force and intelligence background will be invaluable as AME expands its portfolio of unmanned air system solutions.”
Colonel Frisbee is a nationally recognized leader in developing, procuring and sustaining military weapon systems. During his 22 years in the Air Force he commanded or led a variety of organizations including propulsion programs at an Air Force logistics center; foreign threat analysis at the air intelligence center; aircraft maintenance in an operational wing; and numerous aircraft, missile, and bomb acquisition programs at Air Force product centers. Prior to his service as F-22 Program Director he spent a year in Iraq developing the strategy for rebuilding the Iraqi Air Force.
“I’m very excited about the opportunity to join the AME team,” added Colonel Frisbee. “I’ve worked with the defense industry my entire career and believe that companies like AME, who focus on providing top value for every defense dollar spent, are what we need in today’s fiscally constrained environment.
“AME’s latest UAS solution, the FOXBAT version of the Fury 1500, is a perfect example of an adaptable, flexible, and cost-effective system. Its physical shape, open architecture and industry-leading payload capacity enables rapid mission adaptation at an affordable cost. Fury’s runway independence makes it possible to launch and operate from the ground, sea, or air, and has proven to have the longest endurance of any aircraft in its class, logging over 300 hours of flight time, including multiple flights in excess of 14 hours duration.”
Colonel Frisbee has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Aerospace Engineering from West Virginia University and Master of Science Degrees from Embry Riddle University and Air University. He is also a graduate of the Air Force’s prestigious School of Advanced Air & Space Studies and a 2006 National Defense Fellow at the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, IL.
