Col. Maryann Karlen is the 46th Commandant of the United States Air Force Test Pilot School, Edwards Air Force Base, California. She leads the world’s premier aerospace test school in forming future test leaders and advancing test research, administering Air University’s most demanding Master’s degree program, graduating over 100 military and civilian students annually from the Flight, Space and Enlisted Test Courses in support of multidomain test operations across the Department of Defense, NASA and more than 20 Partner nations. The school’s elite staff of 131 execute the most complex flying program in the Department of the Air Force, leveraging 5,000 flying hours in 35 diverse aircraft, as well as the most complex space program in the United States Space Force, operating upwards of 30 space systems annually. The school is home to the X-62A, the world’s first fighter autonomy testbed, generating cutting-edge test research in partnership with leading academic and industry teams.
Karlen graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park in 2003 with a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering and an Air Force ROTC commission. She served as a C-17 Instructor Pilot, flying missions across the globe and combat missions in support of OPERATIONs ENDURING and IRAQI FREEDOM. Col Karlen was selected to attend the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School at Edwards and served as a test pilot in the KC-10, KC-135, C-17. She was then selected as an Exchange officer to the U.K. where she served as Director of Operations and a Test Pilot, becoming the first American qualified on the A400M. Col Karlen commanded the Air Mobility Command Test and Evaluation Squadron with 29 different Air Force Specialty Codes spread across six geographically separated locations and executing a $460,000 test budget. Prior to her current assignment, Col Karlen was the Deputy Commander for the Air Force Test Center.
EDUCATION
2003 B.S., Aerospace Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD
2009 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, AL
2012 M.S., Flight Test Engineering, USAF TPS, Edwards AFB, CA
2013 M.S., Aerospace Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
2014 Defense Acquisition University Test & Evaluation Engineering - Level III
2014 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, AL (via correspondence)
2022 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, AL (via correspondence)
ASSIGNMENTS
01. Aug 03 – Jul 04, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Columbus AFB, MS
02. Jul 04 – Feb 05, Student, C-17 Flying Training Unit, Altus AFB, OK
03. Feb 05 – Aug 09, Instructor Pilot, 6th AS, McGuire AFB, NJ
04. Aug 09 – Aug 10, Research Pilot, 418th FLTS, Edwards AFB, CA
05. Aug 10 – Dec 11, Executive Officer, 412th TW, Edwards AFB, CA
06. Dec 11 – Dec 12, Student, USAF Test Pilot School, Edwards AFB, CA
07. Dec 12 – Apr 15, Test Pilot, 418th FLTS, Edwards AFB, CA
08. Apr 15 – Aug 18, Exchange Officer, 206th Sqn, MOD Boscombe Down, UK
09. Aug 18 – Dec 19, Director of Operations, 418th FLTS, Edwards AFB, CA
10. Dec 19 – Jun 20, Deputy Commander, 412th Operations Group, Edwards AFB, CA
11. Jun 20 – Jun 22, Commander, AMC Test and Evaluation Squadron, JBMDL, NJ
12. Jun 22 – Jun 24, Deputy Commandant, USAF Test Pilot School, Edwards AFB, CA
13. Jun 24 – Jun 25, Deputy Commander, Air Force Test Center, Edwards AFB, CA
14. Jun 25 – Present, Commandant, USAF Test Pilot School, Edwards AFB, CA
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight hours: More than 3,300
Aircraft flown: C-17, A400M, KC-135, KC-10, C-12, T-38, Tucano and 28 other aircraft
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS:
Meritorious Service Medal, Third Oak Leaf Cluster
Aerial Achievement Medal, Three Oak Leaf Clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal
(Current as of Aug 2025)