Executive Officer

TIMOTHY A. LEONARDI

LIEUTENANT, U.S. NAVY

EXECUTIVE OFFICER (ACTING)

LT Leonardi was born and raised in Prosperity, Pennsylvania, near the city of Pittsburgh. He accepted an appointment to the United States Naval Academy in 2000 and in May 2004 graduated with distinction, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in history with honors. Selecting Naval Flight Officer, he reported to NAS Pensacola, FL in February 2005 to commence his aviation training. Upon graduation from TRARON FOUR at NAS Pensacola, FL in 2006, LT Leonardi selected the E-2C Hawkeye pipeline and reported to VAW-120 in Norfolk, VA for advanced training. Here, in February 2007 LT Leonardi earned the coveted Naval Flight Officer “Wings of Gold” and graduated the final tactical training phase of VAW-120 in June of 2007.

In August 2007, LT Leonardi reported for operational duty with Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron ONE TWO ONE (VAW-121), “The Bluetails,” where he served as the command’s Legal Officer, Personnel Officer, Line Division Officer, Aircraft Division Officer, Quality Assurance Officer, NATOPS Officer, and Tactical Projects Officer, all while progressing in aircrew proficiency to Instructor Mission Commander (ACTC Level IV). During his tour, LT Leonardi was selected to attend the prestigious U.S. Navy Fighter Weapons School (TOPGUN) in April 2008 as an Air Intercept Controller (AIC). After graduating at the top of his class, LT Leonardi returned to the squadron to assume the role as lead AIC instructor as the Bluetails began deployment preparations.

In January of 2009, VAW-121 deployed for the first of two back-to-back combat cruises as part of Carrier Air Wing SEVEN (CVW-7) on the USS DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. During each of these deployments he was selected by Commander, CVW-7 to serve as the air wing current operations liaison officer to the Combined Forces Air Component Commander at the Combined Air and Space Operations Center at Al Udied Air Force Base, Qatar. During this time LT Leonardi successfully coordinated over 100 kinetic strikes by CVW-7 aircraft and ensured the effective distribution of 50,000,000 pounds of fuel to aviation assets throughout southern Afghanistan.

While with the Bluetails, LT Leonardi became VAW-121’s first Tactical Projects Officer. In this capacity, he spearheaded efforts to conduct E-2C survivability tests involving real-world MANPAD threats. The results were subsequently published in the classified Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center (NSAWC) Journal in the winter 2009 edition. Concurrently, LT Leonardi led a squadron team tasked to procure and test a viable airborne secure chat system for the E-2C Hawkeye. In this endeavor, LT Leonardi authored a U.S. Navy Urgent Operational Needs Statement (UONS) that was ultimately endorsed by both COMUSNAVCENT and COMUSFF to secure funding for an operational test of the system he identified.

While on the 2010 OEF combat deployment, LT Leonardi was chosen by the Commander, Carrier Strike Group EIGHT to participate in a team tasked to revamp USCENTCOM’s maritime C2 structure. While serving as a member of this team, LT Leonardi fused his tactical and joint experience to develop the Maritime Air Support Operations Center (MASOC) concept. The MASOC quickly became the centerpiece of the planning effort, which ultimately created a new tactical- level maritime C2 doctrine for US Naval and Coalition Forces operating in littoral environments.

After finishing his operational tour with VAW-121, LT Leonardi reported to NROTC Unit Carnegie Mellon University in September of 2010 as an Assistant Professor of Naval Science and the unit’s Naval Aviation Officer. He teaches the Introduction to Naval Science and Naval Weapons Systems courses. His other duties include class advisor to the First and Second Class Midshipmen, Security Officer, Test Control Officer and Summer Cruise Coordinator. LT Leonardi has one son, Cooper Patrick, and currently resides in the Shadyside neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.