Ultra Managing Director Awarded OBE in Queen's Birthday Honours List
04 October 2007 09:33
Kim Wrighton, recently promoted to be the Managing Director of Ultra's Controls business, was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the Queen's Birthday Honours List of June 2007. Kim, aged 50, is an internationally recognised expert in Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) technology and the honour was given for services to the defence industry.
SURFACE SHIP TORPEDO DEFENCE DEVELOPMENT
The nomination for Kim's award noted that he was the inspirational leader of the Ultra team that developed the Surface Ship Torpedo Defence (SSTD) system, which entered service with the Royal Navy six months ahead of schedule, thereby meeting the MoD's 50% confidence date. His involvement in torpedo defence system design started in 1986 with the Talsiman programme, which then evolved into a joint UK / US development and validation programme.
PERSONAL DESIGN OF TOWED TORPEDO COUNTERMEASURE
In 1990, he was personally responsible for the design of a towed torpedo countermeasure – the first to be exported from the UK to the US, and a design of which over 600 units were made. In 1998, when the UK / US programme tailed off, his unremitting commitment and energy drove a joint UK / US definition of a possible future torpedo defence system that, in the UK, eventually became the successful SSTD system.
US TORPEDO DEFENCE TECHNOLOGY DEMONSTRATION PROGRAMME
In parallel, his international reputation has been underscored by his exceptional personal leadership of the Ultra team that beat major US primes to win a torpedo defence technology demonstration programme in the US. Ultra's innovative solution, much of which has been created personally by Kim, was successfully demonstrated in March and August 2006 as being the first active torpedo defence system to have worked on a US Navy ship against multiple simultaneous targets. This programme has significant potential for Ultra.
PHYSICS STUDENTS MENTORING
Kim also organises and runs 'discovery days' for local sixth-formers mid-way through their A-level physics studies. These encourage the students to pursue a career in engineering and emphasise the broad applications of physics together with the importance of physics in the community and in business.
He also mentors university undergraduates from a variety of disciplines, and gives guidance on subject choice; assistance in transitioning from college to the work environment; career guidance; and encouragement to join appropriate professional institutions so that others may emulate his own energy and commitment to engineering.
Douglas Caster, chief executive of Ultra, commented: "Kim did a truly exceptional job in delivering the UK surface ship torpedo defence capability to the Royal Navy ahead of schedule. His proven track record of delivering complex development programmes on time and to budget has been rewarded by his recent promotion to run Ultra's controls business. I was very pleased to support the recommendation for civilian honour for Kim."
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