Mike Edwards. Photo: DigitalGlobe

DigitalGlobe has appointed U.S. Air Force Col. (Ret.) Mike Edwards vice president and senior advisor for defense programs, the Maxar Technologies-owned imagery satellite operator announced July 5. Edwards will report to DigitalGlobe President Dan Jablonsky, providing strategic leadership on various defense contracts, including the operator’s work with the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) and collaborations with aero-defense companies.

Edwards previously served as corporate director of Northrop Grumman’s Space, Intelligence & Cyber division since 2007. He entered the commercial aerospace industry after a distinguished career in the Air Force, serving at the DOD’s Interagency Protection Task Force and the Defense Intelligence Agency’s Emerging Threat Working Group, where he was responsible for creating and executing solutions for emerging threats, and directing operations for the Air Force Combat Support Office.