Army Maj. Gen. David Stewart Wins 2025 Wash100 Award for UAS Advancement
Executive Mosaic is pleased to announce that U.S. Army Maj. Gen. David Stewart, director of the Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems Office and director of fires at the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, G-3/5/7, has been named to the 2025 class of the Wash100 Award for advancing unmanned aircraft systems. Stewart’s win this year is his first.
Visit Wash100.com to vote for David Stewart in the 2025 Wash100 popular vote competition, which runs through April 30.
Stewart’s First Wash100 Recognition
The annual Wash100 Award celebrates the leading figures in the private and public sectors. This year’s honorees have been chosen for their outstanding achievements and innovative foresight.
“Maj. Gen. Stewart earns his first Wash100 recognition as a key figure shaping the Army’s approach to one of modern warfare’s fastest-moving frontiers: unmanned aerial systems,” said Jim Garrettson, CEO of Executive Mosaic and founder of the Wash100 Award.
“As director of both the Counter-UAS Office and the Army’s director of fires, Stewart plays a pivotal role in defining how the service defends against and integrates these technologies—efforts that will require deep partnership with industry. A distinguished military leader with more than 30 years of service, Stewart has commanded at every level from battery to brigade and previously served as commanding general of the 32nd Army Air and Missile Defense Command. His leadership is critical to aligning Army modernization efforts with today’s most urgent battlefield threats,” Garrettson added.
Defending Against UAS Threats
As head of the Joint C-sUAS Unmanned Aircraft Systems Office, Stewart is leading efforts to bolster defense against enemy drones. He is heavily involved in the Pentagon’s Replicator rapid-fielding initiative, which aims to strengthen defenses and counter threats from small drones that target critical installations and force concentration.
Replicator 1 involves the deployment of around 1,000 Switchblade 600 drones by summer of 2025 as part of efforts to counter China and develop a procurement process that meets critical operational needs.
According to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, the second iteration of the Replicator initiative will focus on developing counter small uncrewed aerial systems, or C-SUAS. Hostile drones have been a problem in recent years. They are prominently used in the ongoing conflicts in Iran and the Middle East. Hostile groups backed by Iran have also utilized drones, uncrewed surface vessels and anti-ship ballistic vehicles against the U.S. and its allies. These attacks have resulted in at least three casualties and trade disruptions.
The Replicator initiative is leveraging existing and emerging technologies such as electronic airfare, kinetic weapons, artificial intelligence and machine learning to develop fixed-site C-sUAS to safeguard crucial installations and facilities. The Army intends to utilize the Replicator 2 to evaluate emerging counter-drone technology and determine the potential of AI/ML-enabled systems in detecting and deciding how to engage enemy drones.
Stewart and other Army officials stressed during the Warriors Corner presentation at the Association of the U.S. Army’s Annual Meeting and Exposition in October 2024 that drones are a huge threat to ground forces. These small, unmanned systems can be utilized by the enemy for surveillance, espionage, smuggling and as weapons. The Army leaders expressed the importance of interoperability between federal agencies to defend the homeland. There is a need for clear guidelines or a new legislation to promote secure data sharing between agencies to enhance anti-drone defense.
The Army is particularly concerned with mid-size, Group 3 drones, such as the kamikaze drones used in the Ukraine war. Stewart indicated that these types of drones are more challenging compared to small and large unmanned systems, or those belonging to Groups 1 and 5.
“Group 3 remains one of the most challenging threats we have in terms of the capabilities and then the payload that you’re talking about, as well as the reach,” said Stewart.
Aside from their significant range and payload capacity, these mid-sized drones are more challenging because they fall between the smaller and larger drone groups that the Army is equipped to handle.
Smaller drones belonging to Groups 1 and 2 can be dealt with less sophisticated defensive systems. Larger drones categorized under group 4 and 5 are handled by Patriot batteries or fighter jets. Group 3 drones fall in a middle ground that is difficult for the other defensive systems to address. In addition, the current defensive interceptors used against Group 3 drones are more expensive than the drones themselves.
The Department of Defense is anticipating the increase of unmanned threats coming from the land and sea, not only from the air. To address this, Stewart wants the Army to focus on the “here and now, support the services and combatant commands” while preparing for future threats from evolving robotic systems. The Army is not only addressing threats from all domains but also threats during conflict and peacetime.
Stewart’s Career
Stewart assumed the position of director of the counter-unmanned aircraft systems office in January 2024. He is also currently the director of fires in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, G-3/5/7 of the U.S. Army. He was the commanding general of the 32nd Army Air and Missile Defense Command from 2020 to 2023 and the deputy commanding general for operations at the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command.
With the continuous emergence of drones as weapons, it is imperative that the United States is prepared and capable of neutralizing such unmanned threats. Maj. Gen. Stewart is making it his advocacy to enhance the DOD’s capabilities against drone threats. For this reason, Stewart deserves his place in this year’s Wash100 Awards.
Executive Mosaic congratulates David Stewart on receiving his first Wash100 Award.
Remember to vote for him at Wash100.com.