Fred Kennedy (engineer)
{{short description|American defense official}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2022}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2022}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Fred Kennedy
| image = Fred G. Kennedy III.jpg
| caption = Official portrait, 2017
| birth_place =
| office = Director of the Space Development Agency
| term_start = March 12, 2019
| term_end = June 2019
| predecessor = Position established
| successor = Derek Tournear
| education = Massachusetts Institute of Technology (BS, MS)
George Washington University (MA)
University of Surrey (PhD)
}}
Colonel Fred Kennedy is the former director of the Space Development Agency.{{Cite web|url=https://www.defensenews.com/space/2019/03/13/pentagon-officially-stands-up-space-development-agency-names-first-director/|title=Pentagon officially stands up Space Development Agency, names first director|first=Aaron Mehta, Valerie|last=Insinna|date=March 13, 2019|website=Defense News}}{{Cite web|url=https://spacenews.com/darpas-fred-kennedy-tapped-to-lead-space-development-agency/|title=DARPA's Fred Kennedy tapped to lead Space Development Agency|date=February 24, 2019|website=SpaceNews.com}}{{cite web|url=https://spacenews.com/exclusive-interview-with-the-space-development-agencys-fred-kennedy-how-we-do-things-in-space-has-to-change/|title=Exclusive interview with the Space Development Agency's Fred Kennedy: "How we do things in space has to change"|date=8 April 2019|website=SpaceNews.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://spacenews.com/kennedy-out-as-head-of-the-space-development-agency/|title=Kennedy out as head of the Space Development Agency|date=2019-06-21|website=SpaceNews.com|language=en-US|access-date=2019-11-28}}
Education and career
Kennedy received a Master of Science and Bachelor of Science, both in aeronautics and astronautics, from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He later earned a Master of Arts in organizational management from George Washington University, a Master of Arts in strategic studies from the U.S. Army War College, and a Doctor of Philosophy in electronics and physical sciences from the University of Surrey.{{Cite web|url=https://www.darpa.mil/staff/dr-fred-kennedy|title=Dr. Fred Kennedy|website=www.darpa.mil}}
Kennedy served as the Office Director of the Tactical Technology Office at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. Kennedy is a retired United States Air Force colonel.