M1 Support Services Appoints Retired Major General Tom Drew as Executive Program Director for U.S. Army's Flight School Next Initiative

Texas, USA – M1 Support Services (M1), a Cerberus Capital Management company and dedicated U.S. Department of Defense aviation solutions provider, has appointed retired Army Major General Tom Drew as Executive Program Director for its Flight School Next offering, as the company advances through the competitive procurement process for the U.S. Army's major rotary-wing pilot training transformation initiative.

• Flight School Next (FSN) is a U.S. Army initiative to modernise Initial Entry Rotary Wing (IERW) pilot training through a contractor-owned, contractor-operated (COCO) turn-key model, integrating training, aircraft, logistics, and simulation under unified contractor responsibility, with a long-term contract targeting the training of 900 to 1,500 Army student pilots annually.
• M1 was one of three industry teams — alongside Bell Textron and Lockheed Martin — selected to advance to Phase III of the FSN competition in February 2026, where each must submit full written Commercial Solutions Proposals outlining their integrated training offerings.
• Team M1 is a consortium comprising M1 Support Services as prime contractor, alongside Robinson Helicopter Company, General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT), Quantum Helicopters, and the University of North Dakota Aerospace Foundation — blending military aviation maintenance, simulation, and academic expertise.
• M1's FSN offering is built around the Robinson R66 helicopter and incorporates an AI-enabled virtual training environment, advanced simulation, proficiency-based learning, and a comprehensive turn-key training and simulation solution.
• M1 brings direct operational precedent from Fort Rucker, Alabama, where it currently provides organisational, intermediate, and depot-level maintenance for more than 500 Army and Air Force rotary-wing aircraft across five primary airfields, flying up to 400 sorties per day and 240,000 flight hours per year, supported by more than 3,000 personnel.
• Major General Drew brings over 42 years of active duty service, including roles as Deputy Commander of the U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence, Deputy Commanding General of U.S. Army Special Operations Command, and Commander of the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade. He holds qualifications as a Standardization Instructor Pilot (SIP) and Master Army Aviator, with 18 years in Special Operations Aviation.

Statements

• "Leadership and experience matter and we are fortunate to have such a distinguished Army Aviator to lead this initiative. General Drew is passionate about training Army Aviators, and he will set high standards, provide dynamic leadership to our employees, and serve as an example to young Army Aviators," said George Krivo, Chairman and CEO of M1 Support Services.
• "I'm honored to be selected to lead M1's no fail mission to produce the next generation of world-class Army Aviators. Team M1 will ensure that every graduate of Flight School Next is fully prepared to thrive and win on future battlefields," said Maj. Gen. Tom Drew, Executive Program Director, Flight School Next at M1 Support Services.
• "While the right aircraft, technologies, and innovations are all key to Flight School Next, what matters most in execution is effective, quality, and experienced leadership. Tom Drew is that leader. He will lead from the cockpit of an R66, training our future Aviators to fight and win our nation's wars," said Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Doug Gabram, Strategic Advisor at M1 Support Services.

Source: M1 Support Services