Laura McGill

Laura McGill is Engineering deputy of Raytheon Missile Systems (RMS). Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN), with 2011 sales of $25 billion, is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, homeland security and other government markets throughout the world. With headquarters in Waltham, Mass., Raytheon employs 71,000 people worldwide. A principal engineering fellow, McGill was formerly deputy director for Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles and Special Programs. From 2009–2011, she was chief engineer for the Air Warfare Systems (AWS) product line, a $2 billion portfolio of programs including air-to-air missiles, precision-strike air-to-ground weapons and Tomahawk cruise missiles. She had previously been named chief engineer for the Strike Weapons product line in 2006, which expanded to include air-to-air programs in 2009 with the formation of AWS. From 2004–2006, McGill was chief engineer for Tomahawk cruise missiles, leading all technical activities for development, production and operational-support programs. She originally joined the Tomahawk Program Office in 1992 as the Avionics program manager, which led to assignments as Block III Performance Team lead for the All-Up Round Systems Engineering Integration Agent, Flight Test program manager, Block III chief engineer, SSGN DEMVAL program manager, Block IV Torpedo-Tube-Launch program manager, and manager of Development Programs. McGill began her career at General Dynamics as a test integration engineer at the corporate wind tunnel in San Diego, where she developed and conducted aerodynamic testing for commercial and military aircraft. She also supported establishment of a wind tunnel facility for the Taiwan Air Force as part of the Indigenous Fighter Development Program, developed test-integration plans for the Atlas II Launch Vehicle, and led the Lean Operations Task Force to institute manufacturing process improvements on critical programs. She holds a bachelor’s degree in aeronautical and astronautical engineering from the University of Washington, where she was assistant chief of operations for the Kirsten Wind Tunnel. She also earned a master’s degree in aerospace systems through a General Dynamics engineering development program. McGill is an adjunct lecturer for Raytheon’s onsite Master of Science in Systems Engineering program with Johns Hopkins University Whiting School of Engineering and also serves as an instructor for the company’s Systems Engineering Technical Development Program.She is a lifetime fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) and a member of its board of directors. She is AIAA’s current vice president–Standards and former vice president—Technical Activities.