Colonel E. Lincoln Bonner is Commander, 804th Test Group, Arnold Engineering Development Complex. The Group employs nearly 2,000 people, supports and executes ground and flight test activities, and develops, sustains,and operates more than 35 test facilities across locations in five states. With facilities at Arnold Air Force Base in middle Tennessee, with operating locations at Ames Research Center, Mountain View and Edwards AFB, California; Peterson SFB, Colorado; Eglin AFB, Florida; the Federal Research Center at White Oak, Maryland, and Hill AFB, Utah, the Group‘s suite of test capabilities simulate speed, temperature, pressure and other parameters to meet the needs of developers for a wide range of aerospace systems, from rotary wing aircraft to high-performance fighter, bomber, and airlift aircraft; unmanned aircraft and cruise missiles; intercontinental ballistic missiles; hypersonic systems and spacecraft.
Colonel Bonner received his commission in the Air Force in 1997 through a 4-year ROTC scholarship at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts. He is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School and received his doctorate in military strategy from the School of Advanced Air and Space Studies – the Air Force's school for strategy.
He has commanded a space operations squadron, leading a 500-member team conducting around-the-clock command, control, and communications operations for space systems valued in excess of 20 billion dollars while assigned to the National Reconnaissance Office. He also has served in a variety of operational, acquisition, and staff assignments, including as a flight test engineer executing high-risk developmental flight tests for Air Force and Joint aircraft development to include the F-117, B-2, and F-22. Prior to his current assignment, he served as a division chief assigned to Headquarters U.S. Air Force at the Pentagon where he was responsible for developing and synchronizing Air Force strategy to inform future operating concepts, force design, long-range planning and programming, as well as for advocating the proper role of air and space power in Joint and DoD strategic planning efforts.
EDUCATION
1997 Bachelor of Science in aeronautics and astronautics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Mass.
2002 Distinguished Graduate, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2004 U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School, Edwards AFB, Calif.
2008 Master of Science in aerospace engineering, University of Tennessee Space Institute, Tullahoma, Tenn.
2010 Master of Military Operational Art and Science, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2011 Master of Philosophy in military strategy, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2013 Air War College, by correspondence
2017 National Security Affairs Fellow, Hoover Institution for War, Revolution, and Peace, Stanford, Calif.
2019 Doctor of Philosophy in military strategy, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Maxwell AFB,
Ala.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. October 1997 – May 1998, Student, Undergraduate Space and Missile Training and Satellite Operations Crew Commander Course, 392nd Training Squadron, Vandenberg AFB, Calif.
2. May 1998 – June 2001, Deputy Flight Commander, Crew Commander, and Deputy Chief, Operations Training, data masked
3. June 2001 – December 2003, Space Systems Test Manager and Chief, Nuclear Weapon Effects Test Facility, Space and Missile Systems Test Division, Arnold AFB, Tenn.
4. December 2003 – January 2005, Student Experimental Flight Test Engineer, U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School, Edwards AFB, Calif.
5. January 2005 – May 2009, Flight Test Director, Flight Commander, Assistant Operations Officer, and Operations Officer, data masked
6. May 2009 – June 2010, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
7. June 2010 – June 2011, Student, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
8. June 2011 – July 2013, Airpower Strategist and Chief, Research Branch, Chief of Staff of the Air Force’s Strategic Studies Group, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
9. July 2013 – May 2014, Operations Officer, Space Operations Squadron, Aerospace Data Facility-Colorado, National Reconnaissance Office, Buckley AFB, Colo.
10. May 2014 – June 2016, Commander, Space Operations Squadron, Aerospace Data Facility-Colorado, National Reconnaissance Office, Buckley AFB, Colo.
11. June 2016 – July 2017, National Security Affairs Fellow, Hoover Institution, Stanford, Calif.
12. July 2017 – June 2020, Chief, Strategy Division, Directorate of Strategy, Posture, and Assessments, Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategy, Integration, and Requirements, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
13. June 2020 – January 2021, Senior Materiel Leader and Chief, Test Operations Division, and Acting Chief, Test Systems Sustainment Division, Arnold Engineering Development Complex, Arnold AFB, Tenn.
14. January 2021 – May 2022, Senior Materiel Leader and Chief, Test Division, Arnold Engineering Development Complex, Arnold AFB, Tenn.
15. May 2022 – Present, Commander, 804th Test Group, Arnold Engineering Development Complex, Arnold AFB, Tenn.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: none
Flight hours: more than 320
Aircraft flown: F-16, HH-60G, UH-60L, NT-43A, C-12C, T-38, T-6, F-16, HU-16, T-43A, T-1A, AS-355, NU-1B, MH-53, T-34C, F-15D, NF-16D, KC-135R, Learjet-24D
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
1997 Distinguished Graduate and Top Graduate, Undergraduate Space and Missile Training
2002 Company Grade Officer of the Year, Arnold Engineering Development Center
2005 Wing Chanute Flight Test Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Advancement of the Art, Science, & Technology of Aeronautics
2014 Director of the National Reconnaissance Office Director's Circle Award
2014 Buckley Air Force Base Team of the Year
2014 Deputy Director of National Intelligence, Intelligence Integration Unit Citation
2015 Director of National Intelligence, National Intelligence Meritorious Unit Citation
2016 Director of National Intelligence, National Intelligence Meritorious Unit Citation
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant, August 3, 1997
First Lieutenant, August 3, 1999
Captain, August 3, 2001
Major, May 1, 2007
Lieutenant Colonel, August 1, 2012
Colonel, April 1, 2018
(Current as of May 2022)