Brigadier General David R. Lopez Brig. Gen. David R. Lopez is the Deputy Commander, Sixteenth Air Force (Air Forces Cyber), Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas. Sixteenth Air Force ensures the readiness of more than 49,000 personnel conducting worldwide operations by delivering multisource intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance products, applications, capabilities and resources. In addition, they build, extend, operate, secure and defend the Air Force portion of the Department of War global network. The command also serves as the Service Cryptologic Component, responsible to the Director, National Security Agency, and Chief, Central Security Service, as the Air Force's sole authority for matters involving the conduct of cryptologic activities. Sixteenth Air Force leads Air Force global information warfare activities with nine wings, a technical center and an operations center. Brig. Gen. Lopez earned his commission through the ROTC program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1996. He is a Distinguished Graduate of Undergraduate Pilot Training, F-15C Initial Training, Squadron Officer School, and the College of International Security Affairs. The general was a member of the F/A-22 initial cadre in 2004 and later served as an Air Warfare Specialist on the Office of the Secretary of Defense Staff. Brig. Gen. Lopez has commanded at the squadron, group, and wing levels and has deployed three times to the Middle East. The general is a Command Pilot with over 2,000 hours in the F-22 and F-15C, including 84 combat hours over Southwest Asia. In his previous assignment, the general served as the Deputy Director of Operations, U.S. Central Command, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida. EDUCATION 1996 Bachelor of Science, Aeronautics and Astronautics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge 2002 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. 2007 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence 2008 Master of Science, Aeronautics, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Fla. 2010 Master of Science, Joint Advanced Warfighting School, Norfolk, Va. 2016 Master of Arts and Chancellor’s Award for Excellence, College of International Security Affairs, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Va. 2016 Enterprise Perspective Seminar, Alan L. Freed Associates, Washington, D.C. 2018 Senior Manager Course in National Security Leadership, The George Washington University, Washington, D.C 2019 Enterprise Leadership Seminar, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill 2020 National Security Managers Course, Syracuse University, N.Y. 2021 Leading Strategically Seminar, Center for Creative Leadership, Colo. 2024 CAPSTONE General and Flag Officer Course, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Va. ASSIGNMENTS 1. April 1997–May 1998, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, AETC Commander’s Trophy, Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas 2. May 1998–June 1998, Student, Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals, Sheppard AFB, Texas 3. June 1998–January 1999, Student, F-15C Formal Training Unit, Tyndall AFB, Fla. 4. February 1999–September 2001, F-15C Instructor Pilot, 58th Fighter Squadron, Eglin AFB, Fla. 5. September 2001–May 2003, F-15C FTU Instructor Pilot and Academic Instructor, 325th Operations Support Squadron, Tyndall AFB, Fla. 6. May 2003–June 2004, F-15C FTU Instructor Pilot and Flight Commander, 1st Fighter Squadron, Tyndall AFB, Fla. 7. June 2004–May 2005, Student, F-22 FTU, 43rd FS, Tyndall AFB, Fla. 8. June 2005–September 2006, F-22 FTU Evaluator Pilot and Chief of Standardization and Evaluation, 43rd FS, Tyndall AFB, Fla. 9. September 2006–September 2008, F-22 Operational Test Pilot and Division Commander, 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron, Nellis AFB, Nev. 10. September 2008–July 2009, F-22 Operational Test Pilot and Assistant Director of Operations, 422nd TES, Nellis AFB, Nev. 11. July 2009–June 2010, Student, Joint Advanced Warfighting School, National Defense University, Norfolk, Va. 12. June 2010–July 2012, Joint Operational Planner and Chief, Training Division (J37), Headquarters Joint Enabling Capabilities Command, U.S. Transportation Command, Norfolk, Va. 13. September 2012–March 2013, Director of Operations, 1st Operations Support Squadron, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va. 14. March 2013–July 2015, Commander, 1st OSS, JB Langley-Eustis, Va. 15. July 2015–June 2016, Counter-Terrorism Fellow, College of International Security Affairs, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Va. 16. June 2016–June 2018, Air Warfare Specialist, Office of the Secretary of Defense Staff, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va. 17. June 2018–June 2019, Commander, 1st Operations Group, JB Langley-Eustis, Va. 18. June 2019–July 2021, Commander, 1st Fighter Wing, JB Langley-Eustis, Va. 19. July 2021–June 2022, Senior Executive Officer to Commander, Air Combat Command, JB Langley-Eustis, Va. 20. June 2022–June 2023, Commander, 380th Air Expeditionary Wing, Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates 21. June 2023–July 2026, Deputy Director of Operations, U.S. Central Command, MacDill AFB, Fla. 22. July 2026-present, Deputy Commander, Sixteenth Air Force (Air Forces Cyber), Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS 1. June 2010–July 2012, Joint Operational Planner and Chief, Training Division (J37), Headquarters Joint Enabling Capabilities Command, U.S. Transportation Command, Norfolk, Va., as a major and lieutenant colonel 2. June 2016–June 2018, Air Warfare Staff Specialist, Office of the Secretary of Defense Staff, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va., as a lieutenant colonel and colonel 3. June 2023–July 2026, Deputy Director of Operations, U.S. Central Command, MacDill AFB, Fla., as a brigadier general FLIGHT INFORMATION Rating: command pilot Flight hours: more than 2,300 including 84 combat hours Primary aircraft flown: F-22, F-15C Other aircraft flown: T-38A, T-37 and AT-38 MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS Defense Superior Service Medal with oak leaf cluster Legion of Merit Medal with oak leaf cluster Defense Meritorious Service Medal Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters Air Medal Aerial Achievement Medal Air and Space Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster Joint Service Achievement Medal Air and Space Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster Joint Meritorious Unit Award with oak leaf cluster Air and Space Outstanding Unit Award with three oak leaf clusters Combat Readiness Medal National Defense Service Medal Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal Global War on Terrorism Service Medal Humanitarian Service Medal Air and Space Expeditionary Service Ribbon with Gold Border and oak leaf cluster