Leading Indian-American Aerospace Scientist Vivek Lall Appointed General Atomics Chief Executive

General Atomics announced that Vivek Lall will assume the position of Chief Executive at General Atomics Global Corporation. General Atomics (GA) is the world's leading nuclear and defense company, founded in 1955 as a Division of General Dynamics and acquired by the Blue family in 1986. GA is a leader in development of next-generation nuclear fission and high-temperature materials technologies and has constructed more than 60 TRIGA nuclear research reactors in 24 countries.

GA and affiliated companies operate on five continents and include GA Aeronautical Systems

"With Dr Lall's expertise, GA Global will expand its global footprint for managing sales, service, and international industrial collaboration in strategically important countries like Japan, Australia, the UAE, and others," the company said.

"Dr Lall's extensive experience in the US and international markets will strengthen the company's international growth," said General Atomics, which along with its affiliated companies operates on five continents.

Vivek Lall had resigned in April as vice president of Aeronautics Strategy and Business Development at Lockheed Martin, the world’s largest defense company, based in the US.

Over a decade, Vivek Lall has been instrumental in driving major US-India defence deals worth around USD 18 billion. He was also appointed by the US Government to the NextGen Advisory Committee in 2018. He has played a key role in lifting India- US strategic and defence partnership to a next level. In the realm of Indo- US Defence partnership, he is credited with the bulk of advance technological platforms and weapons acquired by the Indian Armed Forces. While in his role with Boeing India, he was instrumental in bringing Harpoon Missile Systems, 10 C- 17 Globemaster, a strategic military transport aircraft, P-8Is (Poseidon Eight India) Long Range Maritime Patrol aircraft, 28 Apache attack choppers and 15 Chinook heavy-lift helicopters to India.

In his new role, he is further expected to boost Forces' defence capabilities as India is looking for 30 Drones from the US-based General Atomics worth $ 3 billion for three services. The United States government has approved the sale of a naval variant of the Predator drone made by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems to India. Services are expected to get 10+10+10 the MQ-9 Reaper or Predator-B High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) drones, which have already been approved by the US President Donald Trump’s administration. The US administration’s approval includes the sale of armed drones to India and will come equipped with missiles and other systems.

The Reaper drone, developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) capable of remotely controlled or autonomous flight operations.

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GA-ASI) produces a series of unmanned aircraft and provides electro-optical, radar, signals intelligence, and automated airborne surveillance systems. GA’s Electromagnetic Systems Division produces electro-magnetic aircraft launch and recovery systems for the US Navy, satellite surveillance, electro-magnetic rail gun, high power laser, hypervelocity projectile, and power conversion systems.

GA is the principal private sector participant in thermonuclear fusion research through its internationally recognized DIII-D and inertial confinement programs for the US Department of Energy.