Arnold Air Force Base, Tenn. -- Lt. Col. Ryne Roady became commander of the 717th Test Squadron of the Arnold Engineering Development Complex during an official ceremony held July 8 in the Sea Level Test Cell 3 at Arnold Air Force Base.
As 717 TS commander, Roady oversees 400-plus military, civilian and contractor workforce responsible for more than $4 billion in world-class test facilities and a $110 million test portfolio. He directs operations in 10 turbine engine test cells and drives development for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, F-22 Raptor, F-15 Eagle and F-16 Fighting Falcon, cruise missiles, remotely piloted aircraft and next-generation platforms.
Prior to his current assignment, Roady served as a division chief for the National Reconnaissance Office’s Geospatial Intelligence Research and Technology Office in Chantilly, Virginia. There, he was responsible for managing a $125 million portfolio aimed at technology development for next-generation geospatial intelligence systems.
As the new 717 TS commander, Roady stated he hopes to support his team members so they can continue to be successful in delivering the mission they’re known for.
“I view my role as empowering the men and women of the 717th by maintaining our strong, technically-focused culture and ensuring they have the resources they need to accomplish our mission,” he said.
That mission, he said, is to “produce actionable data through the test and evaluation of the world’s most advanced aeropropulsion systems.”
Roady added that the transition into his new role at Arnold should be a smooth one.
“As a U.S. Air Force officer, we are constantly being trained and prepared for leadership assignments,” he said. “Additionally, my previous flight test and research and development focused assignments have given me a strong sense of how our mission here in the 717th fits into the larger test and acquisition mission within Air Force Materiel Command and the U.S. Air Force.”
Though he hasn’t been in the position long enough to set any firm goals, he said he hopes to have a positive impact on the squadron.
“I want to continue the high standard of effective and efficient testing that the 717th has maintained and look for ways to continue to innovate,” Roady said. “I’m excited to take ownership of the squadron and build on the previous successes to lead the squadron into the many new programs coming down the line that will be critical to the future warfighting capability of our U.S. Air Force.”
He also mentioned that the squadron plays an instrumental part in the AEDC mission.
“The 717th forms one of the pillars of the AEDC mission, along with the other test squadrons and branches within the 804th Test Group,” he said. “We are one of the primary executing arms of meeting the AEDC mission. However, we couldn’t even begin to accomplish the mission without the support across the entire AEDC community.”
Roady then finished by saying how glad he is to be at Arnold.
“I’m excited to be a part of such a tight-knit community that Arnold, AEDC and the 717th represent,” he said. “My wife and I are very excited to be a part of Tennessee now and create many new memories for our family.”