- Award recognizes distinguished industrial service and contributions to national defense
ARLINGTON, Va.– Oct. 12, 2026 Leonardo DRS, Inc. (Nasdaq: DRS) announced today that John Baylouny, the company’s president and chief executive officer, received the Association of the United States Army’s John W. Dixon Award during the 2026 AUSA Annual Meeting and Exposition.
Established in 1989, the John W. Dixon Award recognizes distinguished service in the industrial community resulting in outstanding contributions to national defense. The annual award honors leaders whose work has made a lasting impact on the U.S. Army, the defense industrial base and the nation’s security.
Baylouny brings more than 35 years of aerospace and defense industry experience, including more than 15 years in executive leadership roles. He became president and chief executive officer of Leonardo DRS in January 2026 after serving as the company’s chief operating officer since 2018.
During Baylouny’s executive leadership tenure—first as chief operating officer and now as president and chief executive officer—DRS has continued to strengthen Army readiness, survivability, and operational advantage for Soldiers through innovative solutions supporting counter-UAS, air and missile defense, precision munitions, and the Army’s migration to Next Generation Command and Control.
DRS supplies cutting-edge technologies, including advanced cooled and uncooled electro-optical/infrared products for soldier, ground-vehicle, and airborne applications; ground- and air-platform survivability equipment; edge mission-computing and rugged display systems; integrated counter-UAS mission packages; missile-launcher, targeting, seeker, and tracker systems; mortar fire control; and test and diagnostics, power-management, and power-distribution solutions for combat platforms.
These products are deployed across a diverse portfolio of Army platforms and weapon systems, including the Abrams, Bradley, AMPV, Joint Assault Bridge; and Paladin combat vehicles; Apache, Black Hawk, and Chinook helicopters; the SGT Stout/M-LIDS air-defense and counter-UAS systems; JLTV and Infantry Squad Vehicle fleets; and THAAD, Javelin, TOW II, HIMARS, and PATRIOT missile programs—helping the Army field, sustain, and modernize formations for future operations.
“I am deeply humbled and honored to receive the John W. Dixon Award from the Association of the United States Army,” said John Baylouny, president and chief executive officer of Leonardo DRS. “This recognition reflects the commitment and expertise of the entire DRS team, as well as the trust our Army customers place in us to rapidly deliver mission-ready technologies that provide a decisive capability edge for America’s Soldiers. We remain focused on advancing the capabilities of our armed forces so they can strengthen national security, meet the challenges of an increasingly complex operational environment – prevail and return home safely.”
Baylouny has also supported AUSA’s Greater Los Angeles Chapter for many years, contributing his time and expertise to strengthen chapter programs, expand industry engagement and foster connections between the Army and the defense industrial base. He serves as an adviser to the chapter’s annual Space Symposium and supports its Army Ball and “Give a Soldier a Night Out” program.









