Salute to Alumni

Michael Francis, continued

Francis led DARPA initiatives for the Micro Air Vehicle, a tiny aircraft designed to support the individual soldier and interrogate the inside of buildings, and the Unmanned Tactical Aircraft, the first lethal, reusable combat aircraft supported by modern digital technology. He also directed the U.S.-Germany X-31 Experimental Fighter Aircraft program, which proved that post-stall flight maneuverability was possible and could be an effective technique in air combat.

"There's a lot in trying to shape a program when it's moving into the unknown," says Francis, who earned his bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees in aerospace at CU-Boulder. "It's not just about doing the calculations, it's about doing something that no one has done before."

After retiring from the Air Force in 1997, Francis spent two years as president of a small digital controls technology company, and recently joined Lockheed Martin Corp. to help shape the nation's highly integrated defense capability, necessary to cope with the emerging 21st century world environment.

"Leadership is being able to forge a partnership with virtually everyone you are leading," he says. Having a good handle on the economics is also key. "To get people interested in funding your idea, they have to understand the economic benefit. If you can't connect the dots between now and the future in a way that's compelling, it's going to be a tough sell."