Speakers

Gerry Tighe is the Director of the International Prototype & Experiments (IP&E) office for the Office under the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (USD/R&E). USD/R&E continues to identify opportunities for international partnerships for technology experimentation in support of the DoD modernization efforts that are aligned to critical needs of the US and Partner Nations. Additionally, under IP&E the Department offers the Foreign Comparative Testing (FCT) program to identify, assess, and field mature foreign technologies to deliver affordable, near-term solutions to satisfy capability gaps, enhance lethality, and increase readiness for National Security.

Prior to IP&E, Mr. Tighe was the Director of the Joint Capability Technology Demonstration (JCTD) office. In this capacity Gerry managed the Department of Defense portfolio of programs focused on prototyping technologies in support of the Combatant Commands urgent technology gaps. Before selection as Director, he was an Oversight Executive for the JCTD Office managing programs for maritime and underwater autonomous systems, contested logistics, and weapons systems.

Before joining the JCTD Office, Mr. Tighe worked with the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, developing and testing counter-WMD technologies with remote and autonomous technologies.

While on Active Duty with the Navy, he flew the P-3C Orion on anti-submarine and maritime patrol missions over the Pacific Ocean. He retired as a Captain after serving fifteen years with the Office of Naval Research Science & Technology Reserve program. Gerry has a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering from Georgia Tech and Master of Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.