The U.S. Naval Test Pilot School (USNTPS) held a graduation ceremony for Class 157 at USNTPS’ hangar June 5, 2020. Thirty-four students successfully completed an intense 11-month course of instruction for designation as Engineering Developmental Test Pilots, Test Flight Officers, and Test Engineers.

The Navy officially named the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) leader of Southern Maryland’s Tech Bridge during a virtual press event hosted by Sec. James “Hondo” Geurts, Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development, and Acquisition, May 12 from Arlington, Virginia.

Cmdr. Jared D. Goul became the 25th commanding officer of Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 20 during a ceremony at NAS Patuxent River on Thursday, May 7, taking over from Cmdr. Matthew J. Tharp.

Rear Adm. John S. Lemmon, Commander,  Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, and himself a former commanding officer of VX-20, presided over the change of command ceremony.

Northrop Grumman’s T-38 Talon, the world’s first supersonic jet trainer, has been a mainstay in pilot training since the 1960s. The United States Naval Test Pilot School (USNTPS) is the Navy’s principal operator of the twin-engined Talon; its fleet of 10 aircraft flies an average of 1,100 hours per year, providing students with valuable experience evaluating transonic and supersonic flight characteristics. However, over the past 20 years the nation’s T-38 fleet has developed a chronic problem with inconsistent exhaust gas temperatures, or EGT.

A Navy program to upgrade the avionics of C/KC-130T Hercules logistics support and aerial refueling aircraft successfully completed a crucial developmental test and evaluation event last month thanks to the ingenuity of the program team who overcame challenges imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

A noteworthy chapter of Naval test flight came to an end last month at Naval Air Station Patuxent River when C-2A Greyhound BuNo 162142 made its final flight, taking to the air with a crew of veterans who had flown the aircraft countless times over its nearly 30-year career with Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 20.

Cmdr. Daniel P. "Hugs" Martin took command of Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (UX) 24 during a ceremony at NAS Patuxent River's Webster Outlying Field today. Martin took over from Cmdr. Matthew A. "Moto" Densing, who served as the squadron’s first commanding officer upon its establishment in 2018.

Col. Richard E. Marigliano, Commodore of Naval Test Wing Atlantic, presided over the change of command ceremony. 

The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) is rising to the national call for production of  Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) including face shields, masks, and mask assembly kits in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

April marks the 45th anniversary of the founding of Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 20, which has a long and proud history of providing full-spectrum flight test for the fleet.

The U.S. Naval Test Pilot School likes to tell its new students that half their day will be spent studying in class, and the other half will be spent flying — and the other half will be spent writing technical reports. The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged the school to come up with innovative ways to enable students to continue studying, flying, and writing while at the same time ensuring the health and safety of the entire school.