Submitted by TEAM Public Affairs, Patuxent River

NAVAIR, Patuxent River, MD – Vice Adm. Joseph W. Dyer assumed command of the Naval Air Systems Command on June 30 after the United States Senate confirmed his third star.

As the 13th NAVAIR commander, he is responsible for leading the Naval Aviation Systems TEAM of 30,000 employees at eight sites and managing a budget of more than $16 billion. The TEAM, in partnership with industry, develops, acquires and supports naval aviation related technology for the warfighters in the Fleet.

"Our NAVAIR TEAM has taken on many formidable tasks over the last several years, such as a major relocation, competency-aligned re-organization and business processes re-engineering. It was challenging, but we did it to improve our response to our customers in the fleet and to maximize the use of each tax dollar," Dyer said.

"We have grown into one nationwide team enabling us to leverage the synergy of the whole, while calling on the strengths of our employees, regardless if he or she is working on the floor at a depot, relaying information on a test range or developing a new capability in a program office," Dyer said. "I feel strongly that our team of military, civilian and contractor employees are poised to produce excellent results."

Dyer was born in Murphy, N.C. He was commissioned through the Aviation Reserve Officer Candidate Program following graduation from North Carolina State University with a bachelor of science degree in chemical engineering. He received his wings in March 1971 and was selected as one of the first "Nuggets" (first tour aviators) to fly the Mach 2, RA-5C "Vigilante." He flew nationally tasked reconnaissance missions in both the Eastern and Western hemispheres.

Following graduation from the United States Naval Test Pilot School, Patuxent River, Md., in June 1977 (Class 71’), he served with the Naval Air Test Center at Patuxent River in the Electronic Warfare and Reconnaissance and Carrier Suitability branches. After four years at Patuxent River, he attended Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, Calif., where he received a masters of science in finance.

From January 1981 until 1984, he was assigned to the Naval Weapons Center, China Lake, Calif., as the High Speed Anti-Radiation Missile project officer and test pilot for the initial weapons integration into the F/A-18. Next, he was assigned as commanding officer of the Naval Plant Representative Office in Melbourne, Australia. There, he led a joint American and Australian team in managing the co-production of F/A-18's for the Royal Australian air force.

Returning to the United States in January 1988, he attended the Defense Systems Management College. In May 1988, he was posted as the deputy program manager for the F/A-18 at the Naval Air Systems Command in Washington, D.C. In that position, he led the team that developed the concept for the F/A-18E/F variant and spearheaded the first tactical aviation, data fusion efforts.

He was the executive assistant to the commander of Naval Air Systems Command from March 1990 until July 1992. Subsequently, he served as the Navy's chief test pilot and commanded the Flight Test and Engineering Group, Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division at Patuxent River. From January 1994 to April 1997, he served as F/A-18 program manager leading the engineering and manufacturing development (E&MD) effort on the new F/A-18E/F, the continued production and fleet support of the F/A-18C/D and all F/A-18 foreign military sales. The F/A-18 program won the Department of Defense Acquisition Excellence Award and the Order of Daedalian during this period. Dyer was assigned as the commander of the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division at Patuxent River in July 1997 and one month later assumed additional responsibilities as the Naval Air Systems Command assistant commander for Research and Engineering.

He is an associate fellow of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots. His decorations include three Legion of Merits.

Dyer is married to the former Melda Goldfinch of Tabor City, N. C.