IRVINE, Calif. — Terran Orbital, a Lockheed Martin company and a prominent global leader in satellite-based solutions catering primarily to the aerospace and defense sectors, has officially announced the appointment of Jamin Brown as its new Chief Operating Officer (COO). The strategic leadership transition comes as the company prepares for an aggressive phase of operational expansion, aimed at meeting accelerating demands from commercial, civil, and government clientele.
In his new capacity based at Terran Orbital’s corporate headquarters in Irvine, California, Brown will assume direct leadership of the company’s operational execution. His primary mandates will include significantly ramping up production capacity, tightening operational performance across all manufacturing lines, and engineering processes to ensure the company can deliver advanced small satellite solutions with greater speed, scale, and cost efficiency. Brown will work in close coordination with Peter Krauss, President and Chief Executive Officer of Terran Orbital, to navigate this critical juncture in the company’s corporate evolution.
The appointment underscores the deepening integration between Terran Orbital and its parent company, Lockheed Martin, leveraging decades of defense and aerospace manufacturing expertise to bolster the smaller satellite manufacturer’s industrial capabilities.
“Terran Orbital is entering an important phase in our evolution, and our ability to scale while maintaining the agility, innovation, and mission focus that define us will be critical to our success,” said Peter Krauss, President and CEO of Terran Orbital. “Jamin brings extensive experience leading complex technical organizations and executing some of the most demanding aerospace and defense programs. His operational leadership will help us strengthen execution, increase production, and ensure we are positioned to deliver for our customers as their needs continue to grow.”
A Veteran Leader in Aerospace and Defense Operations
Brown transitions to Terran Orbital after spending more than two decades at Lockheed Martin, where he cultivated a deep and extensive background in engineering, program management, P&L leadership, and large-scale manufacturing operations. Most recently, Brown served within Lockheed Martin Space as the Vice President of Missile Defense Programs and the Huntsville Site General Manager in Alabama.
In that high-stakes role, Brown oversaw a diverse and critical portfolio responsible for delivering integrated missile defense solutions tailored to the stringent requirements of U.S. government agencies and international military allies. His responsibilities at Huntsville encompassed complex, highly specialized programs, including the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system, Targets and Countermeasures Programs, cutting-edge directed energy initiatives, hypersonic defense systems, and advanced space surveillance architectures.
Brown’s career with Lockheed Martin began over twenty years ago when he entered the aerospace sector as an Electronics Engineer. Over the subsequent decades, he steadily advanced through a series of positions characterized by progressively broader responsibilities across multiple technical domains. His professional footprint spans avionics development, advanced systems engineering, and the execution of major, multi-billion-dollar defense contracts.
Prior to his tenure leading missile defense programs, Brown served as the Deputy Vice President of the Hypersonic Strike Weapon Systems mission segment. In that capacity, he played a central leadership role in driving rapid prototyping and tactical fielding efforts for some of the nation’s most prioritized defense initiatives, notably the Conventional Prompt Strike and Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon programs. His operational leadership was further demonstrated when he served as the Fleet Ballistic Missile Reshaping Site Director in Colorado. In that role, he successfully spearheaded the intricate logistical and administrative transition of personnel and program operations from Sunnyvale, California, to a consolidated footprint in Denver.
Positioning for Accelerated Growth and Market Demand
The arrival of an executive with deep roots in high-reliability defense manufacturing signals Terran Orbital’s clear intention to transition from a specialized innovator of small satellites to a high-volume, highly reliable production powerhouse. As global geopolitical dynamics shift and defense frameworks increasingly prioritize resilient, disaggregated satellite architectures in low Earth orbit, the demand for rapid satellite deployment and mass manufacturing has surged.
Reflecting on his new role and the opportunities ahead, Brown expressed enthusiasm for joining the Irvine-based enterprise during such a pivotal timeframe for both the firm and its expanding customer base.
“I’m excited to join Terran Orbital at such an important time for the company and our customers,” said Brown. “Terran Orbital has built a reputation for innovation, agility, and mission-focused execution. I look forward to working alongside Peter and the entire Terran Orbital team to build on that foundation, strengthen our operations and scale our capabilities to meet the growing needs of our customers.”
Brown’s academic credentials reflect his deep technical and administrative grounding. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Electronics Engineering, a Master of Science in Industrial and Systems Engineering, and a Master of Business Administration, all earned from San Jose State University. Additionally, he is an alumnus of Stanford University’s prestigious Certified Program Manager program, providing him with a comprehensive toolkit to manage large-scale, technically intricate engineering and manufacturing operations.
As Terran Orbital continues to integrate its advanced small satellite manufacturing capabilities with Lockheed Martin’s vast defense infrastructure, the addition of an experienced COO like Brown is expected to streamline production bottlenecks, enhance supply chain resilience, and accelerate delivery schedules for civil, commercial, and national security missions worldwide.
