AFMC Command News

AFMC announces new AFRL commander

  • Published
  • By Kathleen A.K. Lopez
  • Air Force Materiel Command Public Affairs
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio (AFMCNS) --  Air Force Materiel Command officials announced Dec. 8 that Maj. Gen. Ted F. Bowlds will be the new commander of the Air Force Research Laboratory.

General Bowlds' current position is deputy program executive officer and vice commander, Aeronautical Systems Center, also headquartered here. The center is responsible for managing more than 50 major programs and an annual budget of $18 billion. It has 37 units worldwide.

The general entered the Air Force in 1975 through ROTC. He has served as a flight-test engineer on the F-117 Nighthawk, an avionics program manager on the B-2 Spirit, Chief of Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile development in the AMRAAM System Program Office and as commander of Rome Laboratory, Rome, N.Y.

"I selected General Bowlds to be the new AFRL commander because of his leadership ability, uncompromising character and technical expertise," said Gen. Bruce Carlson, commander, AFMC. "Ted has a solid record of successfully leading complex organizations and meeting large acquisition challenges. He has my complete confidence and I know he will take our Air Force lab to a new level of competency."

General Bowlds succeeds Maj. Gen. Perry L. Lamy.

As AFRL commander, General Bowlds will lead management of the Air Force's $1.3 billion science and technology program as well as $1.1 billion of customer-funded research and development.

In other assignments across the command, Brig. Gen. David J. Eichhorn will replace General Bowlds at ASC. General Eichhorn is currently deputy for support and vice commander of Electronic Systems Center, Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass.

Maj. Gen. Arthur J. Rooney Jr., will become ESC vice commander. Currently, General Rooney is commander, Air Force Security Assistance Center, Wright-Patterson AFB.

Brig. Gen. David W. Eidsaune will become AFSAC commander. General Eidsaune is currently the director of the Air Component Coordination Element, Multi-National Force-Iraq in Baghdad.