Alex Lovett serves as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Prototyping and Experimentation for the Assistant Secretary of Defense Mission Capabilities (ASD(MC)) in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)). In this role, he is responsible for Joint prototyping, experimentation, and technology demonstration activities (to include portfolio management and experimentation under the Secretary of Defense’s Rapid Defense Experimentation Reserve (RDER)) that develop and enhance capabilities for the Services and Joint warfighter.

Prior to assuming his current duties, Mr. Lovett served as the former Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Advanced Systems and Concepts and as Director of the Joint Capability Technology Demonstration (JCTD) Program. As the JCTD Director, he provided executive oversight for the formulation of JCTDs to address the near-term capability needs of Combatant Commanders. He served as the Special Assistant to the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, Rapid Fielding Directorate as the project lead for Persistent Surveillance Systems in support of Combatant Commander urgent needs.

While at the Naval Air Systems Command’s Air Warfare Center in the Aircraft and Weapons Divisions, he supervised the establishment and operation of Joint Experimental Range Complexes to support the Deparatrment of Defense’s developmental testing, prototyping, and capability assessment. He is a recognized expert in unmanned systems and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance platforms and sensors.

Mr. Lovett has experience in both industry and academia. He served as the Director of both the Center for Research and Innovation at the University of Vincennes, and the Indiana National Guard’s Innovation, Technology and Experimentation Center; supporting the development, integration, demonstration, test, and assessment of transformative technologies in unmanned systems, counter unmanned aerial systems, cyber, and stratospheric and urban operations. He was also an Associate Research Faculty Scientist in the Aeronautical Engineering Department of the University of Maryland. He held industry and defense positions supporting the development and testing of sensor technologies to support the National Defense Strategy.

Mr. Lovett is a retired United States Navy Captain (O-6) with 28 years of combined Active and Reserve service. He is a qualified Surface Warfare and Information Dominance Warfare Officer and has completed various command tours and deployments in support of Operations IRAQI FREEDOM and ENDURING FREEDOM. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is a Navy Career Acquisition Professional (DAWIA Level III SPRDE) with a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt certification.