Ted F. Bowlds
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant General
Ted Francis Bowlds (born c. 1953) is a former Commander, Electronic Systems Center
, Hanscom Air Force Base
, Mass. The center's mission is to acquire command and control systems for the Air Force. The organization comprises more than 12,000 people located at six sites throughout the United States. The men and women of the ESC manage more than $3 billion in programs annually in support of the Air Force, and joint and coalition forces.
General Bowlds entered the Air Force in 1975 through the AFROTC program. In earlier assignments, he served as an engineer in an Air Force laboratory and as a flight test engineer
on the F-117
. He has worked as avionics program manager on the B-2
, bomber branch chief at the Pentagon, Chief of Advance Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile development in the AMRAAM System Program Office, and as Commander of the Rome Laboratory
in Rome, N.Y.
General Bowlds also served as the Deputy Director of Global Power Programs with the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
Prior to assuming his current position, he was assigned as Commander, Air Force Research Laboratory
, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. He was responsible for managing the Air Force's $2 billion science and technology program as well as additional customer funded research and development of $1.7 billion.
and earned the Spaatz award. He is now the Vice President of the Spaatz Association.
Lieutenant General (United States)
In the United States Army, the United States Air Force and the United States Marine Corps, lieutenant general is a three-star general officer rank, with the pay grade of O-9. Lieutenant general ranks above major general and below general...
Ted Francis Bowlds (born c. 1953) is a former Commander, Electronic Systems Center
Electronic Systems Center
Electronic Systems Center is a product center of Air Force Materiel Command headquartered at Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts. Its mission is to develop and acquire command and control, communications, computer, and intelligence systems. ESC consists of professional teams specializing in...
, Hanscom Air Force Base
Hanscom Air Force Base
Hanscom Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately south-southwest of Bedford, Massachusetts. The facility is a joint use civil airport/military base with Hanscom Field which provides general aviation and charter service.The host unit at Hanscom is the non-flying...
, Mass. The center's mission is to acquire command and control systems for the Air Force. The organization comprises more than 12,000 people located at six sites throughout the United States. The men and women of the ESC manage more than $3 billion in programs annually in support of the Air Force, and joint and coalition forces.
General Bowlds entered the Air Force in 1975 through the AFROTC program. In earlier assignments, he served as an engineer in an Air Force laboratory and as a flight test engineer
Flight test engineer
A Flight Test Engineer is an engineer involved in the flight testing of prototype aircraft or aircraft systems.-Overview:The Flight Test Engineer generally has overall responsibility for the planning of a specific flight test phase, which includes preparing the test plans in conjunction with other...
on the F-117
F-117 Nighthawk
The Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk was a single-seat, twin-engine stealth ground-attack aircraft formerly operated by the United States Air Force . The F-117A's first flight was in 1981, and it achieved initial operating capability status in October 1983...
. He has worked as avionics program manager on the B-2
B-2 Spirit
The Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit is an American heavy bomber with low observable stealth technology designed to penetrate dense anti-aircraft defenses and deploy both conventional and nuclear weapons. The bomber has a crew of two and can drop up to eighty -class JDAM GPS-guided bombs, or sixteen ...
, bomber branch chief at the Pentagon, Chief of Advance Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile development in the AMRAAM System Program Office, and as Commander of the Rome Laboratory
Rome Laboratory
The Rome Laboratory, formerly known as the Rome Air Development Center, is one of eight research and development labs run by the US Air Force located at Griffiss AFB in Rome, NY. One of four superlabs run by the Air Force, the Rome Lab is tasked with generic research, as opposed to having a...
in Rome, N.Y.
General Bowlds also served as the Deputy Director of Global Power Programs with the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
Prior to assuming his current position, he was assigned as Commander, Air Force Research Laboratory
Air Force Research Laboratory
The Air Force Research Laboratory is a scientific research organization operated by the United States Air Force Materiel Command dedicated to leading the discovery, development, and integration of affordable aerospace warfighting technologies; planning and executing the Air Force science and...
, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. He was responsible for managing the Air Force's $2 billion science and technology program as well as additional customer funded research and development of $1.7 billion.
Life
General Bowlds was a member of the Civil Air PatrolCivil Air Patrol
Civil Air Patrol is a Congressionally chartered, federally supported, non-profit corporation that serves as the official civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force . CAP is a volunteer organization with an aviation-minded membership that includes people from all backgrounds, lifestyles, and...
and earned the Spaatz award. He is now the Vice President of the Spaatz Association.
Education
- 1975 Bachelor of ScienceBachelor of ScienceA Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
degree in electrical engineeringElectrical engineeringElectrical engineering is a field of engineering that generally deals with the study and application of electricity, electronics and electromagnetism. The field first became an identifiable occupation in the late nineteenth century after commercialization of the electric telegraph and electrical...
, Mississippi State UniversityMississippi State UniversityThe Mississippi State University of Agriculture and Applied Science commonly known as Mississippi State University is a land-grant university located in Oktibbeha County, Mississippi, United States, partially in the town of Starkville and partially in an unincorporated area... - 1979 Master of ScienceMaster of ScienceA Master of Science is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is typically studied for in the sciences including the social sciences.-Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay:...
degree in electrical engineering, Air Force Institute of TechnologyAir Force Institute of TechnologyThe Air Force Institute of Technology is a graduate school and provider of professional and continuing education that is part of the United States Air Force. It is located on Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. A component of Air University and Air Education and Training Command, AFIT has been...
, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio - 1980 Flight Test Engineers Course, U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School, Edwards AFB, Calif.
- 1983 Squadron Officer SchoolSquadron Officer SchoolSquadron Officer School , is a five-week long Professional Military Education course for U.S. Air Force Captains. It fulfills the U.S. Air Force's requirement for primary developmental education . SOS is based at Maxwell AFB, Alabama, and the in-residence version of the course is taught there...
, Maxwell AFB, Ala. - 1985 Air Command and Staff CollegeAir Command and Staff CollegeThe Air Command and Staff College is located at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama and is the United States Air Force's intermediate professional military education school. It prepares field grade and equivalent officers of all U.S...
, by correspondence - 1985 Defense Systems Management College, Fort Belvoir, Va.
- 1992 Master of Science degree in engineering managementEngineering managementEngineering Management or Management Engineering is a specialized form of management and engineering that is concerned with the application of engineering principles to business practice...
, University of DaytonUniversity of DaytonThe University of Dayton is a private Roman Catholic university operated by the Society of Mary located in Dayton, Ohio...
, Ohio - 1993 Air War CollegeAir War CollegeThe Air War College is a part of the United States Air Force's Air University, headquartered at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama. Air University's higher headquarters is Air Education and Training Command headquartered at Randolph Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas. The Air War...
, by correspondence - 1994 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
- 2000 Advanced Management Program, University of Michigan Business School
- 2002 National Security Management Course, Syracuse UniversitySyracuse UniversitySyracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
, Syracuse, N.Y.
Assignments
- May 1975 - June 1978, computer systems analyst, Aeronautical Systems Division, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
- July 1978 - December 1979, project engineer and Global Positioning System evaluator, Air Force Avionics Laboratory, Aeronautical Systems Division, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
- January 1980 - December 1980, student, U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School, Edwards AFB, Calif.
- January 1981 - December 1984, F-117 Test Program Manager, Air Force Flight Test Center, Detachment 3, Air Force Systems Command, Edwards AFB, Calif.
- January 1985 - June 1985, student, Defense Systems Management College, Fort Belvoir, Va.
- July 1985 - June 1989, Chief, B-2 Avionics Branch, B-2 System Program Office, Aeronautical Systems Division, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
- July 1989 - June 1993, Chief, Bomber Branch, Directorate of Long-Range Power Projection, Special Operations Forces, Airlift and Training Programs, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Washington, D.C.
- July 1993 - June 1994, student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
- July 1994 - August 1995, Chief, Advance Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile Development Integrated Process Team, AMRAAM System Program Office, Aeronautical Systems Center, Eglin AFB, Fla.
- September 1995 - July 1997, Commander, Air Force Rome Laboratory, Air Force Materiel Command, Rome, N.Y.
- July 1997 - February 1999 Deputy Director, Global Power Programs, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Washington, D.C.
- March 1999 - September 2001, Program Director, C-17 System Program Office, Aeronautical Systems Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
- September 2001 - January 2004, Program Executive Officer for Airlift and Trainers, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
- February 2004 - January 2006, Deputy for Acquisition, Aeronautical Systems Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
- January 2006 - November 2007, Commander, Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
- November 2007 – 1 September 2011, Commander Electronic Systems Center, Hanscom AFB, Mass.
Major awards and decorations
Air Force Distinguished Service MedalAir Force Distinguished Service MedalThe Air Force Distinguished Service Medal was created by an act of the United States Congress on July 6, 1960. The medal was intended as a new decoration of the United States Air Force to replace the policy of awarding the Army Distinguished Service Medal to Air Force personnel.The Air Force...
Legion of MeritLegion of MeritThe Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements...
with oak leaf cluster
Defense Meritorious Service MedalDefense Meritorious Service MedalThe Defense Meritorious Service Medal is the third-highest award bestowed upon members of the United States military by the United States Department of Defense...
Meritorious Service MedalMeritorious Service Medal (United States)The Meritorious Service Medal is a military decoration presented to members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguished themselves by outstanding meritorious achievement or service to the United States subsequent to January 16, 1969...
with three oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Effective dates of promotion
- Second Lieutenant June 4, 1975
- First Lieutenant July 31, 1977
- Captain July 31, 1979
- Major December 1, 1986
- Lieutenant Colonel April 1, 1990
- Colonel July 1, 1996
- Brigadier General July 1, 2002
- Major General November 1, 2005
- Lieutenant General November 7, 2007