Russ Stromberg has enjoyed a challenging and rewarding military and industry career, the core focus of which has been the design, development and operational employment of Marine Corps VSTOL aviation. This experience includes AV-8A, AV-8C and YAV-8B program flight test programs, the AV-8B development and test program, AV-8B Operational Test and Evaluation Program, Project “Cheap Night” (concept demonstration program precursor to AV-8B night attack), DARPA Advanced Short Takeoff/Vertical Land (ASTOVL) program, Lockheed Martin (LM) Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) Concept Demonstration Programs, LM JSF X-35B Demonstration Program and the LM F-35 development program.

He is the founder and retired CEO of two highly successful technical services companies. Black Ram Engineering provided consulting services to the DARPA ASTOVL program, and ops analysis, systems engineering and specialty engineering to the LM X-35 Demonstration Program, the F-35 Development Program and several tactical and strategic UAV programs. Black Ram was acquired by a private equity firm in 2010 for its engineering capabilities and strategic business relationships.

Corsair Technology Services continues to capitalize on its 30+ year track record of success. It currently provides engineering, training system and logistics support services to the LM F-35 program and a variety of UAV development programs. Corsair has been a small business partner supporting the LM JSF/F-35 Training Systems program since 1997 and has been responsible for all pilot and maintenance instructional system design (ISD) requirements for all three US services, 12 partner countries and a growing list of F-35 FMS customers since 2003.

Russ retired in 1990 after 21 years of service, 18 of which were “cockpit assignments” in operational squadrons and AV-8 development and flight test programs. He has over 3400 hours in military aircraft of which over 2200 are in the AV-8A, AV-8C, YAV-8B, AV-8B aircraft. He is a Vietnam veteran with over 150 combat sorties. He is a VMA-231 “plank owner” and member of the initial cadre of 12 pilots which stood up VMA-231, the first MCAS Cherry Point AV-8 squadron, in May 1973. He served with VMA 324, VMA 311, VMA-231, VMA-513 Det, VMA 231 Det, VX-23, VX-5 and as Commanding Officer of VMA-513 and VMA-214 the first night attack squadron in the Navy and Marine Corps. His significant military awards include 8 Strike Flight Air Medals and the Legion of Merit. He also received the Paul E Haueter national industry award for “Outstanding contributions to the development of vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft” for his contributions to the AV-8B Development Program.