John S. Canning
John S. Canning
Chief Engineer
 
Biographical Sketch
Mr. Canning is currently the Chief Engineer for the Platform Integration Division (G80), Engagement Systems Department (G), Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division (NSWCDD), located in Dahlgren, Virginia.

He has had a leading role in pursuing the weaponization and safety of unmanned systems at the national and international levels, working closely with both the military JAG community, and the international ethics community. He was a substantial participant in the OSD-lead effort to produce the ’’Unmanned Systems Safety Guide for DoD Acquisition’’. He was consulted by the CNO’s Strategic Studies Group XXVIII on his legal and ethics concepts for weaponizing unmanned systems for their July 2009 report ’’The Unmanned Imperative’’. He has written and spoken on his legal and ethics concepts for weaponizing unmanned systems on numerous occasions.

Mr. Canning’s external assignments have included Science Advisor to ADM Robert Natter, Commander, Fleet/Forces Command, Norfolk, VA; Science Consultant to VADM Diego Hernandez, Commander, THIRDFLEET, Pearl Harbor, HI; and Threat Cell Chair for RADM Tim Hood, PEO (Theater Air Defense) for the Navy’s Tactical Ballistic Missile Defense program. For this last item, Mr. Canning initiated a group effort that led to being awarded the Central Intelligence Agency’s Seal Medallion.

He has worked on many diverse programs ranging from aircrew escape systems (F-14, AV-8A, EA-6B, A-4, and S-3) to solar energy systems. He was a combat systems engineer for ship classes that include the IOWA (BB-61), ADAMS (DDG-2), ARLEIGH BURKE (DDG-51), TICONDEROGA (CG-47), ENTERPRISE (CVN-65), and GERALD R FORD (CVNX, now CVN-78). He worked on combat systems integration for both the HARPOON and TOMAHAWK missile systems. He has worked to develop intelligence processing systems as part of the Marine Air/Ground Intelligence System (MAGIS), and worked with the Office of Naval Intelligence to develop INTEL capabilities for counter drug purposes.

He worked in Da Nang, South Vietnam in 1969 for RMK-BRJ Vietnam Builders, and was sent for a time to the Persian Gulf during the Iran-Iraq war in 1987 to support the Science Advisor to the Commander, FIFTHFLEET in Manama, Bahrain.

Mr. Canning holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering, and an MS in Information Systems.