U.S Naval Research Laboratory aeronautical engineer, Dr. Francis Klemm is the 2012 recipient of the Navy Distinguished Civilian Service Award, the highest honorary award the Secretary of the Navy can confer upon a Department of the Navy civilian employee.
Klemm is recognized for outstanding contributions made to U.S. Navy war-fighting capabilities in electronic warfare. Under his exceptional leadership, NRL's Tactical Electronic Warfare Division (TEWD) pioneered high-value research and development (R&D) programs of profound value to the Department of the Navy (DoN) and Department of Defense (DoD).
An internationally recognized expert and innovative leader for the development and transitioning of electronic warfare technology to the war-fighter, Klemm's outstanding technical vision has created powerful electronic warfare solutions that protect U.S. Navy ships and aircraft in harms way and in support of the Marine Corps efforts to defeat Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).
A graduate of Georgia Institute of Technology, earning a master's and doctorate in aeronautical engineering, Klemm is superintendent of the NRL Tactical Electronic Warfare Division (TEWD), In this role, Klemm is responsible for the technical and administrative operations of the largest division within NRL, providing technical direction and oversight to approximately 225 professionals working in the area of electronic warfare (EW), shipboard and airborne electronic support (ES) and electronic attack (EA) technologies and systems.
Prior to assuming responsibility as the superintendent of the TEWD, Klemm was the acting-superintendent of TEWD for approximately 18 months. From 1985 to 2002 he was head of the Offboard Countermeasures Branch responsible for the development of advanced naval decoy systems and the development of the current operational chaff systems as well as the MK-234, Nulka decoy for which Klemm was the technical design agent.
As branch head he was promoted to an Advanced Research Scientists and Engineers (ARSEA) position within NRL. This position recognizes personnel within DoD and other agencies for their broad area of technical expertise who have an established professional reputation in national and international communities, a position available to a very limited number of personnel within DoD.
In 1988, Klemm received the Navy's Meritorious Civilian Service Award for his work conducted during Operation Earnest Will in which he deployed quick reaction capability (QRC) hardware in theater to support the protection of key allied naval assets. Klemm also supported the development of other operational QRC systems used in Operation Southern Watch and has continued to do so in the ongoing Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) conflicts.
Most recently, Klemm received the Presidential Rank Award as an SES employee for his prominent leadership in the field of Electronic Warfare (EW) programs and is the Navy's senior representative to the multilateral (Australia, New Zealand, Canada, England, U.S.) The Technical Cooperation Program (TTCP) — Electronic Warfare Systems (EWS) Group, an international organization concerned with cooperation on defense science and technology matters, including national security and civil defense.