As President of ICE, David Weston aligns the ICE technical strategy with business goals and leads the discovery and implementation of new technologies.
David joined the ICE team in 2011 as a design engineer and led the electronics development of multiple TESS components including the Advanced Smart Onboard Data Interface Module (ASMODIM), the Light Utility Helicopter Weapons Processor (LUH WP), the Kiowa Warrior Cockpit and Sensor Upgrade Program (KW CASUP), TESS Training Missile (TTM), and TESS ground components.
David has 16 years of product development experience in the semiconductor, energy and aerospace industries. He has previously overseen the development of semiconductor test systems, satellite-based communications systems, and energy management systems. At Sensata Technologies, he was responsible for a multinational engineering and operations team.
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Kyle Preston heads the Accounting and Contracts departments at ICE, enabling him to provide in-depth financial reporting and forecasting to Arotech, negotiate Contracts with Army Contracting Command (ACC) and other customers, and collaborate with industry partners. He also plays a key role in continuous improvement initiatives, including implementing an Earned Value Management System (EVMS) for Bell Textron reporting.
Kyle joined ICE in 2014, and has since gained experience as a Sr. Controller, Program Manager, Contracts Manager, Financial Analyst, and Program Cost Analyst. His various roles have provided him with unique experience and a deep understanding of the FAR (Federal Acquisition Regulation) and DFARS (Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement) in relation to program execution, proposal generation, cost reporting, and contract negotiation. Kyle has proposed and managed some of ICE’s most complex programs, including the Threat Integrated Air Defense System (TIADS) Training Aircraft Survivability Equipment (ASE) Stimulation Suite (TASS) for the PM TRADE customer under CPE ST3.
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As Vice President of Programs, Ben Covington is responsible for overall program development, execution, and customer satisfaction.
Ben has been with ICE in various roles since 2008. Ben started as a Production Planner, and was later promoted to Program Manager. As a Program Manager Ben lead efforts for MAST, AV TESS, LUH Offensive, and all Depot Repair functions. Ben served as the Director of Operations overseeing Supply Chain, Production, Test, and Depot Repair before taking on the current role as Vice President of Programs. Ben has experience with ICE’s training products on all active Army Aviation platforms and has worked alongside CPE ST3’s Live Training Systems counterparts from development through fielding.
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As Vice President of Business Development, Jim Barker leads ICE’s long‑term growth strategy and works with our partners and customers to align ICE solutions with mission-critical needs.
Jim has been at ICE for 9 years and was instrumental in developing partnerships for TESS Australia and in conducting multiple successful TASS Demonstrations with the U.S. Army National Guard since garnering Air Worthiness Releases for UH-60M, CH-47F, and AH-64E.
Jim Barker retired from the U.S. Army as an Aviation Senior Leader in 2014 after 26 years of service around the world. Military career highlights include Tank and Scout Platoon Leader in Germany deploying in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. In 1993, Jim transferred from Armor to Aviation, and his assignments included the 101st Air Assault Aviation Brigade, 1st Infantry Division in Germany, and Directorate of Combat Developments at Fort Rucker. Following Squadron command, Barker was assigned as the Senior Aviation Trainer at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center, Hohenfels Germany and commanded the 2nd Combat Aviation Brigade in the Republic of Korea. Jim culminated his career as the USPACOM J7, Director for Training and Exercises.
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As Strategy Director, George Ferido develops and implements ICE’s long-term strategic plans and ensures alignment with goals and objectives. His leadership has been instrumental in planning updates ICE facility layout and design, as well as in identifying continued opportunities for ICE’s long-term growth and development as a company.
George Ferido enlisted in the military in 1987 and served 6 years in the Army Reserves and 28 years as an Army officer on Active Duty. He served as the 110 AV BDE Commander in his last tour in the Army. George Ferido is a Master Aviator and rated in the OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopter and an instructor pilot in the UH-72, Lakota. Following retirement, George worked for Lulius Innovation, a startup IT company, creating aviation software. He then worked at Booz Allen Hamilton as a strategic planner.
As Director of Engineering, Ryan establishes engineering strategy, leads multidisciplinary teams, strengthens engineering processes, and ensures technical execution remains aligned with program cost, schedule, quality, and customer requirements. He is focused on delivering reliable, supportable solutions for demanding operational environments while building the technical capability needed to support future products and customers.
Ryan brings experience in systems engineering, embedded electronics, ruggedized product development, system integration, environmental and electromagnetic qualification, production transition, and field support.
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Matthew Hitchon is the Principle Engineer of Systems Integration at ICE, working directly with CPE ST3 and industry partners in Orlando, Florida.
Matthew has been in the Aerospace and Defense industry for over 30 years including companies such as McDonnel Douglas, Boeing and SAIC. He began his career at ICE in June 2001 as a lead Software Test Engineer. Matthew’s efforts in developing test procedures exceeded industry standards and assisted ICE to pass its first Software Quality Assurance (SQA) audit and Formal Qualification Test (FQT). These Software Development Processes are currently in use at ICE today.
Matthew was the lead proposal and system engineer on numerous Live and Virtual Aviation training programs including RC-12x Cockpit Procedural Trainer (CPT), Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter (ARH), Light Utility Helicopter (LUH), and AH-64 A/D Helicopters. As the Senior Systems and Test Engineer for several United Kingdom programs, Matthew’s experience includes the WAH-64 Training System and the AWES Training Range at Salisbury Plain. Matthew was the Chief Engineer on multiple CPE ST3 programs, including the Exportable Training Capabilities Instrumentation System (ETC-IS), Army Aviation Data Management System (AADMS), and the 3rd Armed Forces Combat Training Center (AFCTC-3) for the Egyptian Army. Matthew was an integral part of the development of the Training ASE Stimulation System (TASS), Homestation Instrumentation Training System – Aviation Instrumentation System (HITS-AIS) and our Small Uncrewed Ariel Systems (sUAS) instrumentation solutions.
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Dwayne Robinson heads the Software Engineering team, providing guidance with regards to instrumentation requirements, electromechanical design, cybersecurity, and software testing. Dwayne’s experience with DOD solutions covers aircraft and ground systems instrumentation focused on weapon simulation systems, live fire training systems, and network infrastructures.
Dwayne has been at ICE for 20 years, participating in all aspects of product realization from inception to delivery for Live and Virtual Training Systems. Dwayne has been directly involved with implementations for the Longbow Apache Integration (LBA-I) to the MCTCs, Kiowa Warrior Cockpit and Sensor Upgrade Program (KW CASUP), Aviation Homestation Interim Package (AHIP), Digital Air Ground Integration Range Capability (DAGIR), and Digital Range Training Systems (DRTS), and the Exportable Training Capabilities-Instrumentation System (ETC-IS) currently fielded at the Joint Pacific Multipurpose Range Complex (JPMRC).
Education and Certifications:
Benedikt Urban leads quality, configuration management, and technical publications for ICE. His expertise spans ISO 9001, AS9100, FAA, and EASA standards, with a focus on driving compliance, reducing risk, and optimizing systems in highly regulated environments. Benedikt is also a strong advocate for continuous improvement, leading Lean initiatives and data-driven process enhancements that increase operational efficiency and product quality.
Benedikt brings over 15 years of leadership experience in aerospace. A former officer in the German Air Force and at NATO, he managed EASA Part 145 repair stations and CAMO functions for large military aircraft, including Airbus and Eurocopter platforms. After retiring from the German Air Force in 2022, Benedikt assumed the role of Quality Manager at ICE, where he oversees the AS9100-compliant quality system across the design and production organization.
Education and Certifications:
ICE is certified to Design, Develop, Perform Qualification Testing, Manufacture, and Provide Life-Cycle Support of Live Training, Test Instrumentation, Telemetry, and Tactical Systems and Services for Aviation and Ground Defense Systems. See our manufacturing capabilities.
