Colonel Timothy J. Spaulding
Colonel Timothy J. Spaulding is the Program Executive Officer for Bombers, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. He is responsible for the sustainment and modernization of the Air Force $19B bomber portfolio, which includes the B-1, B-2, and B-52. He is also responsible for organizing, training and equipping AFLCMC’s B-21 System Program Office.
Colonel Spaulding is a 2001 distinguished graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy. Upon graduating from Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training in 2004, he served as an operational F-15E pilot and flight commander at RAF Lakenheath, supporting European theater cooperation and air defense missions as well as deploying twice in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. After completing USAF Test Pilot School as a distinguished graduate in 2010, he served as an experimental test pilot and assistant director of operations with the 40th Flight Test Squadron, Eglin AFB, FL. Following his time as an F-15 test pilot, Colonel Spaulding served in the F-15 program office, modernizing F-15 radar and mission computing systems before being selected to lead the Advanced Pilot Training (T-X) program, culminating in program launch and contract award of the $12B program. He has additionally served as the executive officer to the commander of the Life Cycle Management Center, a DoD executive fellow with Autodesk Inc. in San Francisco, CA, and as the Commander of the 412th Operations Group at Edwards AFB. Previous to this assignment, he served as the System Program Director for the B-21 Raider at the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office.
EDUCATION:
2001 Distinguished graduate, Bachelor of Science in physics, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, CO
2003 Master of Public Policy, international security, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
2003 Master of Science in aeronautics and astronautics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
2008 Distinguished graduate, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, AL
2010 Distinguished graduate, U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School, Edwards AFB, CA
2010 Master of Science degree in Flight Test Engineering, Air University
ASSIGNMENTS OR CAREER CHRONOLOGY:
1. June 2001 – June 2003, Student, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University
2. July 2003 – March 2005, Student, Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training, Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals
3. April 2005 - December 2005, Student F-15E Basic Course
4. January 2006 – January 2008, F-15E pilot, PRP monitor, executive officer, Chief of Plans
5. January 2008 – November 2009, F-15E flight lead, flight commander
6. December 2009 – December 2010, Student, U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School, Edwards AFB, CA
7. January 2011 – January 2012 – F-15 Experimental Test Pilot, Chief F-15 Pilot, and Flight Commander, 40th Flight Test Squadron, Eglin AFB, FL
8. January 2012-March 2013 – F-15 Experimental Test Pilot, Chief F-15 Pilot, and Assistant Director of Operations, 40th Flight Test Squadron, Eglin AFB, FL
9. March 2013 – March 2015 – Avionics Branch Chief, F-15 Program Office, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
10. March 2015 – March 2017 -- Material Leader, T-X Advanced Pilot Training, Training Aircraft Division, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
11. March 2017 – June 2018 -- Executive Officer to the Commander, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
12. June 2018 – Aug 2019 -- Secretary of Defense Executive Fellow, Autodesk Inc., San Francisco, CA
13. Aug 2019 – Aug 2021 – Commander, 412th Operations Group, Edwards AFB, CA
14. Aug 2021 – Apr 2022 – Deputy System Program Director, B-21, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
15. April 2022 – July 2025 -- System Program Director, B-21, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
16. July 2025 – Present – Program Executive Officer for Bombers, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
FLIGHT INFORMATION:
Rating: Command Pilot, Experimental Test Pilot
Flight Hours: 2,100
Aircraft Flown: F-35A, F-15E, F-15C, more than 30 other types
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS:
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters
Air Medal with seven Oak Leaf Clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters
Combat Action Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal
National Defense Service Medal with Bronze Star
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS:
Anthony C. Shine Award, 2008
SECAF Leadership Award, 2006
Aaron “C Dot” George Award, Onizuka Award, Liethen-Tittle Award, TPS Class 10A
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND ASSOCIATIONS:
Member, Society of Experimental Test Pilots
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION:
Second Lieutenant, 30 May, 2001
First Lieutenant, 30 May, 2003
Captain, 30 May, 2005
Major, 1 Jan, 2011
Lieutenant Colonel, 1 February, 2015
Colonel, 1 March 2019
(Current as of June 2025)
Colonel Spaulding is a 2001 distinguished graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy. Upon graduating from Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training in 2004, he served as an operational F-15E pilot and flight commander at RAF Lakenheath, supporting European theater cooperation and air defense missions as well as deploying twice in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. After completing USAF Test Pilot School as a distinguished graduate in 2010, he served as an experimental test pilot and assistant director of operations with the 40th Flight Test Squadron, Eglin AFB, FL. Following his time as an F-15 test pilot, Colonel Spaulding served in the F-15 program office, modernizing F-15 radar and mission computing systems before being selected to lead the Advanced Pilot Training (T-X) program, culminating in program launch and contract award of the $12B program. He has additionally served as the executive officer to the commander of the Life Cycle Management Center, a DoD executive fellow with Autodesk Inc. in San Francisco, CA, and as the Commander of the 412th Operations Group at Edwards AFB. Previous to this assignment, he served as the System Program Director for the B-21 Raider at the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office.
EDUCATION:
2001 Distinguished graduate, Bachelor of Science in physics, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, CO
2003 Master of Public Policy, international security, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
2003 Master of Science in aeronautics and astronautics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
2008 Distinguished graduate, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, AL
2010 Distinguished graduate, U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School, Edwards AFB, CA
2010 Master of Science degree in Flight Test Engineering, Air University
ASSIGNMENTS OR CAREER CHRONOLOGY:
1. June 2001 – June 2003, Student, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University
2. July 2003 – March 2005, Student, Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training, Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals
3. April 2005 - December 2005, Student F-15E Basic Course
4. January 2006 – January 2008, F-15E pilot, PRP monitor, executive officer, Chief of Plans
5. January 2008 – November 2009, F-15E flight lead, flight commander
6. December 2009 – December 2010, Student, U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School, Edwards AFB, CA
7. January 2011 – January 2012 – F-15 Experimental Test Pilot, Chief F-15 Pilot, and Flight Commander, 40th Flight Test Squadron, Eglin AFB, FL
8. January 2012-March 2013 – F-15 Experimental Test Pilot, Chief F-15 Pilot, and Assistant Director of Operations, 40th Flight Test Squadron, Eglin AFB, FL
9. March 2013 – March 2015 – Avionics Branch Chief, F-15 Program Office, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
10. March 2015 – March 2017 -- Material Leader, T-X Advanced Pilot Training, Training Aircraft Division, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
11. March 2017 – June 2018 -- Executive Officer to the Commander, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
12. June 2018 – Aug 2019 -- Secretary of Defense Executive Fellow, Autodesk Inc., San Francisco, CA
13. Aug 2019 – Aug 2021 – Commander, 412th Operations Group, Edwards AFB, CA
14. Aug 2021 – Apr 2022 – Deputy System Program Director, B-21, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
15. April 2022 – July 2025 -- System Program Director, B-21, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
16. July 2025 – Present – Program Executive Officer for Bombers, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
FLIGHT INFORMATION:
Rating: Command Pilot, Experimental Test Pilot
Flight Hours: 2,100
Aircraft Flown: F-35A, F-15E, F-15C, more than 30 other types
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS:
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters
Air Medal with seven Oak Leaf Clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters
Combat Action Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal
National Defense Service Medal with Bronze Star
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS:
Anthony C. Shine Award, 2008
SECAF Leadership Award, 2006
Aaron “C Dot” George Award, Onizuka Award, Liethen-Tittle Award, TPS Class 10A
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND ASSOCIATIONS:
Member, Society of Experimental Test Pilots
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION:
Second Lieutenant, 30 May, 2001
First Lieutenant, 30 May, 2003
Captain, 30 May, 2005
Major, 1 Jan, 2011
Lieutenant Colonel, 1 February, 2015
Colonel, 1 March 2019
(Current as of June 2025)
