ARLINGTON, Va., February 5, 2025 – AeroVironment (AV) today announced that Blake Souter has joined the company as Vice President, Government Relations. In this role, Mr. Souter will help lead AV’s engagement with the Executive Branch and Congress, strengthening partnerships that drive innovation and accelerate deployment of affordable autonomous systems most important to the Department of Defense (DOD).
A national security and defense policy expert, Mr. Souter has played key roles in shaping Pentagon budgets, securing congressional support for defense priorities, and expediting delivery of innovative capabilities to the warfighter. As Deputy Comptroller for Budget and Appropriations Affairs at DOD, he managed the Department’s engagement with Congress on budget matters and helped oversee DOD’s $850 billion budget. He spearheaded efforts to secure funding to accelerate fielding of autonomous systems in the Indo-Pacific—an effort that strengthened deterrence and bolstered national security.
“Blake’s ability to navigate complex defense budgets and drive rapid capability deployment will be invaluable to our end users,” said Church Hutton, AV’s senior vice president of Government Relations, Marketing and Communications. “As the Pentagon pushes for faster fielding of autonomy-enabled technologies, Blake’s leadership will ensure that cutting-edge uncrewed systems continue to provide warfighters with the decisive edge they need.”
“I’m excited to join AV at a time when delivering the right capabilities at speed has never been more important,” said Mr. Souter. “DOD leaders have been clear: the ability to field advanced systems quickly and affordably is essential to maintaining our strategic advantage. AV delivers, and I’m eager to work with the team to deepen our support for the warfighter.”
Prior to his tenure at DOD, Mr. Souter shaped policy and funding on Capitol Hill for members of the Senate Armed Services and Appropriations Committees. He also served in the U.S. Army, including tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.