The Connolly Committee brought technically minded naval officers and engineers together to advise the Chief of Naval Operations. Admiral Arleigh Burke approved of its work; its recommendations are credited with helping lay the foundation for the Navy's navigation-satellite system and related space-age operations. This episode shows that Connolly's influence extended beyond aircraft testing into the Navy's wider technical modernization. It also helps explain why he later received such unusual authority over the future carrier air group.
Notable Point · 12:26-13:12
The Connolly Committee links naval aviation to the space age
Before shaping the Tomcat, Connolly led a technical advisory group whose recommendations helped the Navy develop navigation satellites and other space-age capabilities.