Profile
Jake Adams is currently the manager of Business Development in the Sustainment and Modernisation Operating Unit which leverages his 26 years of experience supporting sustainment of Royal Australian Air Force capabilities.
Commencing his career with 7 years as an Avionics Technician in the Royal Australian Air Force, Jake saw active service and was awarded Australian Active Service Medal with clasps for the International Coalition Against Terrorism (ICAT) and Iraq 2003, the Iraq Campaign medal and the Australian Defence Medal.
Transitioning to Defence Industry in 2004, Jake has held roles managing C130 Engineering Training, KC-30A Aircrew and Ground Crew Training, Project Managing the retrofit program for the KC-30A, bringing the Aerial Refuel Boom System (ARBS) system to full operational capability; and standing up the KC-30A Capability Development function.
Through 2017, Jake represented Northrop Grumman on the Australian F/A-18F and EA-18G program and coordinated the sustainment enterprise logistics support to the Super Hornet deployment to Operation OKRA in the Middle East Area of Operations. Jake returned to the KC-30A Program in December 2017 as Deputy Program Manager, progressing to KC-30A Program Manager in July 2019 and on to Manager of KC-30A and Special Purpose Aircraft programs in February 2021.
Through the period of 2018 to 2021, Jake led significant and sustained performance improvement in serviceability and mission success for the KC-30A fleet. As a result, with his leadership team Jake received the Northrop Grumman Defence Systems Sector Presidents award for Customer Excellence and the Northrop Grumman Leadership Award for Customer Excellence. As an individual, Jake was also awarded the 2021 Indigenous Defence Leader of the year at the Defence Connect Australian Defence Industry Awards; a proud descendent of the Mandandanji.
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