John Heaton -

John Heaton, also known as "Heater," is a Senior Staff Engineer specializing in Electronic Warfare at General Atomics since May 2012, focusing on the integration of EW equipment on unmanned aircraft systems and authoring comprehensive CONOPS documents. Previous experience includes roles as a Senior Systems Engineer at SAIC and Director of Requirements and Assessments at USAF UAV Battlelab, where John managed multi-disciplinary teams and identified innovative UAV technologies. Further expertise was developed as Chief of Electronic Warfare and SEAD Plans and Operations at NATO CAOC-7, Director of Requirements at the USAF C4ISR office, and in various leadership roles within the USAF, including the Warrior Preparation School and Joint Employment Tactics School. Academically, John holds a Master's degree in Aeronautical Engineering Sciences from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and a Bachelor's degree in Logic from Utah State University, alongside a foundational degree in Electronic Technology from the Community College of the Air Force.