Employer
L3 TechnologiesVice Admiral David Johnson (USN Ret.) left his position as principal military deputy for the Assistant Secretary of the Navy in November 2018. He was appointed to that position to work with Sean Stackley, assistant Navy secretary for research, development and acquisition, working on major programs, including nuclear aircraft carriers, Littoral Combat Ships, and F-35C fighter jets. Johnson also monitored the Navy’s Ohio Replacement Program (ORP) to replace existing ballistic missile submarines. Three months after leaving the Navy, Johnson was hired as senior vice president for communications and networked systems strategy at L3 Technologies. L3 Technologies, now known as L3Harris following its merger with Harris Corporation, is a major defense contractor specializing in communications, intelligence, and surveillance systems. When Johnson was still principal military deputy and actively monitoring the Ohio Replacement Program, the Navy awarded L3 Technologies a 2016 contract to help integrate the program’s new power distribution system and switchgear equipment.
L3 Technologies was awarded $1.6 billion in contracts from the Department of Defense in fiscal year 2018.
When Johnson was still principal military deputy and actively monitoring the Ohio Replacement Program, the Navy awarded L3 Technologies a 2016 contract to help integrate the program’s new power distribution system and switchgear equipment.
An L3 Technologies press release announced that in his new senior vice president position, Johnson will oversee the communications and networked system’s business development, systems engineering, initiatives, and programs. Johnson will report directly to Sean Stackley, a vice president at L3 Technologies. Stackley was also Johnson’s boss at the Navy, as the assistant secretary of the Navy for research, development and acquisition from 2008-2017.
Ethics laws are riddled with loopholes. Without transparency and more effective protections of the public interest the revolving door between senior Pentagon officials and officers and defense contractors may be costing American taxpayers billions.