Lt Col John McShane is currently the commander of the 716th Test Squadron, 804th Test Group at Arnold Engineering Development Complex, Arnold Air Force Base Tennessee. The Aerodynamics Test Branch is the Nation’s center of excellence for aerodynamic and aerothermal ground test and evaluation. It is comprised of over 550 military, civilians, and contractors responsible for over $5B in world-class test facilities and $101M test program portfolio. Lt Col McShane directs operations in eight wind tunnels and drives development for F-35, F-22, B-1, F-15, F-16, F-18, cruise missiles, remotely piloted aircraft, hypersonic weapons, and next generation platforms.
Lt Col McShane received his commission in 2004 from the United States Air Force Academy, earning a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering. He was then assigned to the 46th Test Squadron at Eglin AFB, where he served as a flight element chief for the developmental testing of electronic warfare systems. Following this assignment, he attended the Air Force Institute of Technology and earned a master’s degree in Electrical Engineering with a focus on electromagnetics. Lt Col McShane then served as a project engineer at the Air Force Research Laboratory, Systems Technology Office, where he led air staff directed research and development programs to ensure US air dominance. He was then selected to attend the USAF Test Pilot School for the class of 2011B. During his subsequent test tour, Lt Col McShane served as a Flight Commander and then Director of Operations in flight test squadrons. Lt Col McShane then served as a Program Element Monitor for Advanced Aircraft Technology at the Directorate of Special Programs, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Acquisition, Technology & Logistics), Pentagon, Washington, D.C. In this position, he directed the planning, programming, budgeting and execution of special access programs worth over $2B and led a 60-person, joint, multi-agency team that established the national strategic survivability technology roadmap.
Lt Col McShane has led over 24 developmental and operational test programs through over 575 hours of flight test to include over 120 missions where he directly controlled mission aircraft and resources to meet test objectives. Lt Col McShane has logged more than 274 hours in military and civilian aircraft while also holding previous qualifications as Instructor/Evaluator, Flight Test Director and Flight Test Conductor.
Lt Col McShane holds Department of Defense Acquisition Corps Level III certifications in Test and Evaluation and in Program Management, and Level 1 in Systems Engineering.
EDUCATION
2004 Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, USAF Academy, CO
2009 Master of Science in Electrical Engineering – Observables Reduction, Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
2011 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, AL
2012 Experimental Flight Test Engineer Course, USAF Test Pilot School, Edwards AFB, CA
2014 Air Command and Staff College (Correspondence)
ASSIGNMENTS
1. Jun 04 - Jun 06: Developmental Engineer, Electrical, 46th Test Squadron, Eglin AFB, FL
2. Jun 06 - Aug 07: Flight Element Chief, RF Countermeasures Test, 46th Test Squadron, Eglin AFB, FL
3. Aug 07 - Mar 09: Master’s Student, Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
4. Mar 09 - Jul 10: Technology Development Engineer, Classified Programs, AFRL, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
5. Jul 10 - May 11: Project Engineer, Classified Programs / Executive Officer, AFRL, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
6. May 11 - Jun 12: Student, USAF Test Pilot School, Edwards AFB, CA
7. Jun 12 - Jun 14: Flight Commander, Air Superiority, Data Masked
8. Jun 14 - Jun 16: Director of Operations, Data Masked
9. Jun 16 - Jun 19: Program Element Monitor / Chief, Advanced Aircraft Technology, SAF/AQL, Pentagon, Washington D.C.
10. Sep 18 - Dec 18: Service Chief Fellow, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Washington D.C.
11. Jun 19 - May 22: Materiel Leader; Chief, Aerodynamics Test Branch, Arnold AFB, TN
12. May 22 - Present: Commander, 716th Test Squadron, 804th Test Group, Arnold AFB, TN
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: None (Flight Test Engineer)
Flight Hours: More than 274 hours
Aircraft Flown: F-15E, F-16D, NF-16D, T-38A, T-38C, C-12C, KC-135R, HH-60U, UH-60A, NT-43A, NTN-7, HU-16, E-300B, HAWK, ALPHAJET, NU-1B, AN-2, SAAB-340, TG-9A, LSA-1, T-6, R-44, LJ-25, MIG-15, Grob-103, DG-1000, CM-170, TG-4A, C-172
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTIONS
Second Lieutenant 02 Jun 2004
First Lieutenant 02 Jun 2006
Captain 02 Jun 2008
Major 01 Jul 2014
Lieutenant Colonel 01 Mar 2019
(Current as of May 2022)