Arnold Air Force Base, Tenn. -- Maj. James Lancaster assumed command of the Arnold Engineering Development Complex 704th Test Group Detachment 2 during a Change of Command ceremony July 12, 2024, at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico.
As commander, he leads the Air Force team sponsoring more than 699 test missions and other evaluation activities on Range annually. He also serves as the Deputy for Air Force, interfacing with Army and Navy leaders to utilize the resources on tri-service White Sands Missile Range.
The mission of the 704 TG, a unit of AEDC, is to operate world-class test facilities for high-speed sled track testing, navigation and guidance system testing, radar signature measurements, weapons systems flight testing for AEDC facilities at Holloman Air Force Base and White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico. The 704 TG Det. 2, which is part of the 704 TG based at Holloman, serves as the Air Force liaison for all Air Force programs tested at WSMR. As the liaison, Det. 2 maintains the relationships to coordinate range support, which includes funding, targets and data, for test programs.
Prior to assuming command of 704TG Det. 2, Lancaster was the chief engineer and assistant director of operations at a Data Masked organization. He led 32 engineers and maintainers responsible for developing and maintaining prototype aircraft and stores. He directed highly sensitive flight test missions delivering analysis to field-proven coalition weapon systems.
Lancaster entered active-duty Air Force in 2010 through the ROTC program at Texas A&M University. After commissioning, he was stationed at the Munitions Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, where he served as the Warhead Design Engineer at the Advance Warhead Evaluation Facility. He tested the design of warheads for major weapons programs such as Massive Ordinance Penetrator and High Velocity Penetrating Weapon.
Following AFRL, Lancaster attended the Air Force Institute of Technology’s Aeronautical Engineering program as a master’s student. After graduation, Lancaster served as deputy flight commander of the Tactics and System Effectiveness Flight, Air and Cyberspace Group, National Air and Space Intelligence Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.
He was selected to become the flight commander of the Foreign Materiel Exploitation Operations Flight, Global Exploitation Group, NASIC, delivering critical intelligence on foreign air, space and cyberspace system capabilities and vulnerabilities to support operational efforts, acquisition programs and policy decisions.
In 2016, Lancaster was selected for U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School where he earned a Master of Engineering in flight test engineering. He previously served as the operations officer for Detachment 1, 413th Flight Test Squadron, Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, and the chief engineer to Combat Search and Rescue Combined Test Force.
Among his awards and decorations, Lancaster has received the Meritorious Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster and Air and Space Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters.