Rick Ambrose

Rick Ambrose, age 68, was appointed to Firefly Aerospace's board as a Class III director on October 5, 2026, and also serves on the Audit and Compensation Committees. He currently serves on the board of directors of Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) and brings extensive aerospace and defense industry expertise to his board roles.

Ambrose retired in March 2022 as Executive Vice President—Space of Lockheed Martin Corporation, where he led Lockheed Martin's $12 billion Space business. He assumed this role in 2013, and prior to that served as President of Lockheed Martin Information Systems & Global Solutions-National from 2011 through 2012 and as Vice President & General Manager of Lockheed Martin Surveillance & Navigation Systems from 2006 through 2010. He joined Lockheed in 2000 as Vice President & General Manager of Lockheed Martin Ground Systems.

Before joining Lockheed Martin, Ambrose served as President and General Manager of the Space Systems Division at Hughes Information Systems, which merged with Raytheon C3I Systems in 1997. Since December 2022, he has served as a Senior Director at SDR Ventures, and since September 2022, he has served as President of Ambrose Advisors, LLC. From October 2022 to December 2023, he served as a Senior Advisor at McKinsey & Company.

Ambrose holds a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering technology from the DeVry Institute of Technology and an MBA from the University of Denver. He is a six-time Wash100 Award winner and serves as chairman of the board of directors of United Launch Alliance. The board has determined that Ambrose is independent under Nasdaq listing standards and SEC regulations, including heightened independence requirements for Audit Committee service.

Career History

• President, Ambrose Advisors, LLC (September 2022–present)
• Senior Director, SDR Ventures (December 2022–present)
• Senior Advisor, McKinsey & Company (October 2022–December 2023)
• Executive Vice President—Space, Lockheed Martin Corporation (April 2013–March 2022)
• President, Lockheed Martin Information Systems & Global Solutions-National (2011–2012)

What Ambrose could bring to his role at Firefly Aerospace: Ambrose's appointment represents a significant boost to Firefly's board governance given his deep experience leading Lockheed Martin's $12 billion space portfolio and his extensive relationships within the defense and national security sectors. His four decades in aerospace and defense, combined with his financial expertise and audit committee qualifications, position him to provide strategic oversight of Firefly's mission-critical operations and financial controls. His background leading large-scale space programs and his current board service at Textron suggest he can guide Firefly's growth trajectory while ensuring strong corporate governance and risk management aligned with shareholder interests.