COLONEL TIMOTHY M. HELFRICH
Colonel Timothy M. Helfrich is the Portfolio Acquisition Executive for Fighters and Advanced Aircraft, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. He is responsible for the development, production, fielding, sustainment, and modernization of the Air Force fighter portfolio, which includes the A-10, F- 15, F-16, F-22, and special programs; as well as the development of the F-47 program, Collaborative Combat Aircraft and other advanced aircraft capability development activities.
Col Helfrich was born in Indianapolis, Indiana. He received his commission from the United States Air Force Reserve Officer Training Course, Detachment 220 at Purdue University in May 2002. He has served in a variety of acquisition positions at an Air Logistics Center, the Air Force Research Laboratory, a flight test squadron, Air Staff, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, and a classified program office. He served in key acquisition leadership roles as the Materiel Leader for the Battlefield Airborne Communications Node, the Senior Materiel Leader for Cyber Systems and most recently was the Senior Material Leader for the Advanced Aircraft Division. Col Helfrich has combat experience from Operation IRAQI FREEDOM where he was the Detachment Commander for a joint flying unit, and from Operation INHERENT RESOLVE where he served as the SOCCENT Forward Headquarters Commandant.
EDUCATION:
2002 Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
2002 Air and Space Basic Course, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL
2006 Master of Science in Aeronautical Engineering, Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH, Distinguished Graduate
2006 Squadron Officer School (Correspondence)
2007 Test Project Engineering Course (Class 132), U.S. Naval Test Pilot School, NAS Patuxent River, MD, Distinguished Graduate
2008 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL, Distinguished Graduate
2012 Air Command and Staff College (Correspondence)
2014 Legislative Studies Certificate Program, Government Affairs Institute at Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.
2016 Program Manager’s Course, Defense Acquisition University, Ft Belvoir, VA
2019 Master of Science in National Security Strategy, National War College, Ft McNair, DC, Distinguished Graduate
ASSIGNMENTS:
1. June 2002 – August 2004, A-10 Systems Engineer and Mature & Proven Aircraft Sustainment Engineer, Mature and Proven Aircraft Directorate, Hill AFB, UT
2. August 2004 – March 2006, Graduate Student, Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
3. March 2006 – November 2006, Deputy Director for Pulsed Detonation Research, Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
4. December 2006 – December 2007, Student, United States Naval Test Pilot School, NAS Patuxent River, MD
5. January 2008 – October 2010, Flight Commander and Instructor Airborne Test Director, 413th Flight Test Squadron, Hurlburt Field, FL
6. October 2010 – June 2011, Executive Officer to the Commander, Air Armament Center, Eglin AFB, FL
7. June 2011 – August 2012, Director of Test for Advanced Technology, Agile Combat Support Directorate, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
8. August 2012 – July 2013, Program Manager for Test and Evaluation, Fighter/Bomber Directorate, Wright- Patterson AFB, OH
9. July 2013 – December 2014, Legislative Fellow at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and in the office of Congresswoman Niki Tsongas, Washington D.C.
10. December 2014 – July 2016, Chief, Strategic Communications and Congressional Branch and Program Analyst, Acquisition Strategy/Plans Division, Acquisition Integration Directorate, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Washington D.C.
11. July 2016 – July 2018, Materiel Leader, Communication Systems Quick Reaction Capability Branch, Space Aerial and Nuclear Networks Division, Command, Control, Communications, Intelligence and Networks Directorate, Hanscom AFB, MA
12. August 2018 – June 2019, Student, National War College, National Defense University, Ft McNair, D.C.
13. June 2019 – July 2020, Deputy Director, Aerospace Projects Office, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Arlington, VA
14. July 2020 – July 2022, Senior Materiel Leader, Cyber Systems Group, Cryptologic and Cyber Systems Division, Command, Control, Communications, Intelligence and Networks Directorate, Joint Base San Antonio - Lackland, TX
15. August 2022 – December 2025, Senior Materiel Leader - Upper, Advanced Aircraft Division, Fighters and Advanced Aircraft Directorate, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
16. December 2025 – Present, Portfolio Acquisition Executive for Fighters and Advanced Aircraft Directorate, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS:
1. June 2019 – July 2020, Deputy Director, Aerospace Projects Office, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Arlington, VA, as a lieutenant colonel and colonel
FLIGHT INFORMATION:
Non-rated Aircrew
Flight Hours: More than 800 hours (over 500 combat hours)
Aircraft Flown: CV-22, C-130E, UH-60L, and 25 other aircraft types
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS:
Legion of Merit
Defense Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Aerial Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Army Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION:
Second Lieutenant May 2002
First Lieutenant May 2004
Captain May 2006
Major June 2012
Lieutenant Colonel January 2016
Colonel March 2020
ACQUISTION PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATIONS:
Systems Planning, Research, Development and Engineering – Level 3
Test and Evaluation – Level 3
Program Management – Level 3
Acquisition Logistics – Level 1
Science and Technology Manager – Level 1
(Current as of Jan 2026)
Col Helfrich was born in Indianapolis, Indiana. He received his commission from the United States Air Force Reserve Officer Training Course, Detachment 220 at Purdue University in May 2002. He has served in a variety of acquisition positions at an Air Logistics Center, the Air Force Research Laboratory, a flight test squadron, Air Staff, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, and a classified program office. He served in key acquisition leadership roles as the Materiel Leader for the Battlefield Airborne Communications Node, the Senior Materiel Leader for Cyber Systems and most recently was the Senior Material Leader for the Advanced Aircraft Division. Col Helfrich has combat experience from Operation IRAQI FREEDOM where he was the Detachment Commander for a joint flying unit, and from Operation INHERENT RESOLVE where he served as the SOCCENT Forward Headquarters Commandant.
EDUCATION:
2002 Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
2002 Air and Space Basic Course, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL
2006 Master of Science in Aeronautical Engineering, Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH, Distinguished Graduate
2006 Squadron Officer School (Correspondence)
2007 Test Project Engineering Course (Class 132), U.S. Naval Test Pilot School, NAS Patuxent River, MD, Distinguished Graduate
2008 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL, Distinguished Graduate
2012 Air Command and Staff College (Correspondence)
2014 Legislative Studies Certificate Program, Government Affairs Institute at Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.
2016 Program Manager’s Course, Defense Acquisition University, Ft Belvoir, VA
2019 Master of Science in National Security Strategy, National War College, Ft McNair, DC, Distinguished Graduate
ASSIGNMENTS:
1. June 2002 – August 2004, A-10 Systems Engineer and Mature & Proven Aircraft Sustainment Engineer, Mature and Proven Aircraft Directorate, Hill AFB, UT
2. August 2004 – March 2006, Graduate Student, Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
3. March 2006 – November 2006, Deputy Director for Pulsed Detonation Research, Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
4. December 2006 – December 2007, Student, United States Naval Test Pilot School, NAS Patuxent River, MD
5. January 2008 – October 2010, Flight Commander and Instructor Airborne Test Director, 413th Flight Test Squadron, Hurlburt Field, FL
6. October 2010 – June 2011, Executive Officer to the Commander, Air Armament Center, Eglin AFB, FL
7. June 2011 – August 2012, Director of Test for Advanced Technology, Agile Combat Support Directorate, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
8. August 2012 – July 2013, Program Manager for Test and Evaluation, Fighter/Bomber Directorate, Wright- Patterson AFB, OH
9. July 2013 – December 2014, Legislative Fellow at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and in the office of Congresswoman Niki Tsongas, Washington D.C.
10. December 2014 – July 2016, Chief, Strategic Communications and Congressional Branch and Program Analyst, Acquisition Strategy/Plans Division, Acquisition Integration Directorate, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Washington D.C.
11. July 2016 – July 2018, Materiel Leader, Communication Systems Quick Reaction Capability Branch, Space Aerial and Nuclear Networks Division, Command, Control, Communications, Intelligence and Networks Directorate, Hanscom AFB, MA
12. August 2018 – June 2019, Student, National War College, National Defense University, Ft McNair, D.C.
13. June 2019 – July 2020, Deputy Director, Aerospace Projects Office, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Arlington, VA
14. July 2020 – July 2022, Senior Materiel Leader, Cyber Systems Group, Cryptologic and Cyber Systems Division, Command, Control, Communications, Intelligence and Networks Directorate, Joint Base San Antonio - Lackland, TX
15. August 2022 – December 2025, Senior Materiel Leader - Upper, Advanced Aircraft Division, Fighters and Advanced Aircraft Directorate, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
16. December 2025 – Present, Portfolio Acquisition Executive for Fighters and Advanced Aircraft Directorate, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS:
1. June 2019 – July 2020, Deputy Director, Aerospace Projects Office, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Arlington, VA, as a lieutenant colonel and colonel
FLIGHT INFORMATION:
Non-rated Aircrew
Flight Hours: More than 800 hours (over 500 combat hours)
Aircraft Flown: CV-22, C-130E, UH-60L, and 25 other aircraft types
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS:
Legion of Merit
Defense Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Aerial Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Army Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION:
Second Lieutenant May 2002
First Lieutenant May 2004
Captain May 2006
Major June 2012
Lieutenant Colonel January 2016
Colonel March 2020
ACQUISTION PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATIONS:
Systems Planning, Research, Development and Engineering – Level 3
Test and Evaluation – Level 3
Program Management – Level 3
Acquisition Logistics – Level 1
Science and Technology Manager – Level 1
(Current as of Jan 2026)
