Karen Salmon
- CEO
- Force Technologies, UK
Karen Salmon is the CEO of Force Technologies Ltd, a UK-based specialist manufacturer supporting the semiconductor and electronics sectors with a focus on long-term component availability and lifecycle risk management.
Karen is a recognised expert in electronic component obsolescence, with extensive experience supporting high-reliability and mission-critical programmes. She has been a member of the International Institute of Obsolescence Management (IIOM) since 1997 and was made a Fellow of the IIOM in 2023 in recognition of her significant and sustained contribution to the field of obsolescence management.
Under Karen’s leadership, Force Technologies works closely with engineers, programme managers, and procurement teams to deliver technically robust and commercially viable solutions to obsolescence challenges. Her work includes last-time buy strategies, form-fit-function replacements, managed manufacturing solutions, and long-term sustainment planning, particularly where traditional distribution models are no longer viable.
Sessions
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Obsolescence management – Legacy Systems & Fleet Modernization
The Continuity Principle
Managing obsolescence in aerospace involves extending the life of 1st/2nd generation systems, often without full documentation or original engineers. Legacy avionics remain common, but retrofitting them to meet modern standards is complex and costly. Integration of new hardware/software with outdated architectures requires deep understanding of original design rationale. Key technical challenges include sourcing end-of-life components, mitigating the risk of counterfeit parts, and maintaining or refactoring legacy codebases. How do we retain engineers with domain expertise in legacy systems and manage compliance and safe system modernization.