Rita Flaherty is the Vice President of Strategy and Business Development for GE Aerospace Defense & Systems business. In this capacity, she leads the Defense & Systems Sales and Marketing teams as well as leads the growth strategy of military engines, avionics, and power systems for domestic and international customers as well as domestic and international airframe primes. She has held this role since April 2023. Rita comes to GE Aerospace after 20+ years at Lockheed Martin where she led growth strategy in support of key pursuits globally for munitions products such as HIMARS, PRSM, GMLRS, ATACMS, Hellfire, JAGM, and Javelin, as well as sensor-related programs such as Sniper Targeting Pods and MTADS/PNVS targeting sensors for rotary wing. In previous assignments, Rita worked as the Vice President of S&BD for the Tactical Missiles line of business at Lockheed Martin Missiles & Fire Control in Orlando, FL and the Sensors & Global Sustainment line of business. Rita is a 1994 graduate of the US Military Academy at West Point, US Army Air Assault School, and US Army Airborne School, and has served in the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment and the 82nd Airborne Division as a Military Intelligence officer. She has a Master of Science Degree in Manufacturing Engineering from Syracuse University.