USA/UWF grad AEDC vice director

Jason Coker was impressed with the Arnold Engineering Development Complex (AEDC) aboard Arnold AFB, Tenn., long before accepting a position of leadership as vice director in early December. “What Arnold does and its criticality to the nation’s aeronautical capabilities are really second to none,” he said. Coker began his new duties Dec. 9. Coker, a native of Idaho, earned his bachelor’s degree in electrical and electronics engineering from the University of South Alabama in Mobile, and a master’s in systems engineering from the University of West Florida in Pensacola. He began his civil service career in 1999 after spending a decade in the Defense Department supporting developmental test and evaluation for numerous weapons programs across the AF and Missile Defense Agency. Coker also has more than 20 years of ground test experience. He served in leadership roles, including serving director of Eglin AFB’s 782nd Test Squadron where, he was responsible for Eglin’s ground test facilities, providing hardware-in-the-loop, electronic warfare, climatic, seeker and sensor testing for weapons, aeronautical systems and countermeasures programs. Coker lives in Huntsville, Ala., which is about 60 miles SSW of Arnold AFB. (Source: Tullahoma News Tenn., 01/11/20) AEDC operates more than 68 aerodynamic and propulsion wind tunnels, rocket and turbine engine test cells, environmental chambers, arc heaters, ballistic ranges, sled tracks, centrifuges and other specialized units. AEDC has operating locations at Ames Research Center, Mountain View and Edwards AFB, Calif.; Peterson AFB, Colo.; Eglin AFB, Fla.; Kirtland AFB, and White Sands Missile Range, N.M.; Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, and Hill AFB, Utah. AEDC offers a suite of test capabilities to simulate speed, temperature, pressure and other parameters over a wide range to meet the needs of aerospace system developers. Facilities can simulate flight conditions from sea level to 300 miles and from subsonic velocities to Mach 20. https://www.tullahomanews.com/news/local/new-vice-director-joins-aedc-team/article_17b53948-33d3-11ea-b2ba-13ee8aa2cbce.html