Zazi Forum

Stan Siegel provides senior consulting and technical advisory services in the Defense and Transportation sectors based on two parallel career paths in the Government and in private industry. His work is based on over 40 years' experience in high technology, with an emphasis in aerospace engineering, ship design and systems operation.

With an initial Government career that started in a Naval Shipyard in 1962, he progressed through a series of program management functions involved in developing advanced technologies and acquiring over $1 billion in ships for the U.S Navy. From 1979 to 1984, he worked at the Defense Advanced Research Agency (DARPA) as the Program Manager for a major R&D activity that required development and introduction of several new technologies for U.S. Navy surface ships, including design of advanced hull forms, surveillance concepts, and low observable technology. These were highly classified activities with R&D budgets that ranged as high as $800 million and required direct coordination at the highest levels of the Defense Department and in the Congress.

In 1984 Mr. Siegel left the Government and worked as a Senior Consultant for Aeronautical Research Associates of Princeton (ARAP) to develop and assess new technologies leading to unique approaches for submarine design, torpedoes and warheads and new detection systems. He initiated a major new program activity in surface ship survivability, stressing the integration of ship signatures, combat systems and ship design. This led to a $500 million program being approved by Congress to retrofit an entire class of ships. He invented a new torpedo concept for the penetration of double-hulled submarines that led to a DARPA/Navy program for its evaluation and development. After the acquisition of ARAP by Titan, he participated in several corporate-wide groups to coordinate marketing and acquisition decisions.

In 1987 he began an 8-year term as the Director of Advanced Programs for McDonnell Douglas Technologies, Inc (MDTI). The business case was to transition a $10 million annual IRAD investment into an enduring business base using advanced technologies in composite materials, structures, high-temperature materials, adaptive systems, advanced antennas and electronic systems. The applications covered the full gamut of DOD systems, including ships, submarines, land vehicles, aircraft (missiles, rotorcraft and fixed wing) and space based systems. In addition to these technical responsibilities, he participated in corporate assessments including the evaluation of the McDonnell Douglas Research Laboratory and corporate technology review boards.

In 1995, Mr. Siegel returned to DARPA as the Assistant Director for Maritime Programs in the Tactical Technology Office (TTO) with responsibility for the development and successful execution of R&D programs valued at about $100M per year. A major accomplishment was in leading development of the joint arsenal ship program – a model program for acquisition reform in the Defense Department with potential value of about $4 billion.

After retiring in 1997 he started a career in consulting, which has evolved into a continuous high-level operation with some 15 customers in companies and in the Government. He is involved in a wide range of high-level DOD studies looking at future options. In parallel with the DOD work, Stan has formed a company that is poised at the threshold of employing high-speed offshore passenger ferries to enter Southern California’s transportation arena.

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