Mottern, Michael M.

Michael McDowell Mottern was born May 24, 1943, in Morehead City, NC.  He attended NC State University where he received a Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering on May 29, 1965.  On that same day, he was commissioned in the US Air Force as a Distinguished Military ROTC Graduate. Mike also earned a Master’s Degree in Astronautics/Space Facility Engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology in 1967 and in Management/Public Administration from Auburn University in 1975.

After graduate school (AFIT) and pilot training at Laughlin AFB, TX, Mike served eight years as a fighter pilot – including two combat tours in Southeast Asia in the F-100 Super Sabre and F-4 Phantom and four years in Europe at Upper Heyford and Lakenheath. He graduated from the USAF Test Pilot School in 1975, Class 75B.

After four years of testing munitions, electronics, and avionics systems in the F-101 Voodoo at Tyndall AFB, FL, Mike was assigned to the Pentagon for four years where he was Deputy Chief of the AF Studies and Analyses’ Fighter Division and later, Military Assistant to the Air Force Chief Scientist. Before retirement, he was a senior test manager with significant experience leading major test organizations and multiple test support contracts.

Mike was Commander of the Test Wing at Eglin AFB where he performed flight testing as an F-16 test pilot followed by an assignment as Director of Test & Evaluation at HQ Systems Command, Andrews AFB, MD. He was in charge of all US Air Force developmental T&E where he led a team of flight test, program and financial managers to consolidate Air Force developmental testing. He provided flight management and logistics support for 226 Air Force test aircraft and he modernized stealth technology, climatic test and aircraft anechoic facilities with major construction upgrades.

After 26 years and 19 family moves in the Air Force, Mike retired in 1991, relocated to Niceville, FL, and joined Vitro Services Corporation in Fort Walton Beach.  As a Senior Vice President, he managed the testing of torpedo propulsion systems for the Naval Undersea Warfare Center at Newport, RI. He directed flight test support for special Air Force classified flight testing at Holloman AFB, NM. He directly supported the Navy’s VX-9 Test & Evaluation Squadron at China Lake, CA. He also directed test support for the Army’s Electronic Proving Ground at Fort Huachuca, AZ. In addition, Mike was responsible for a Navy contract at Pearl Harbor, HI, to manage the weapons storage area and load all the ships in the Pacific Fleet with munitions.

Vitro Services later became part of BAE Systems and as a Vice President, from 1995 to 2006, Mike was General Manager of Eglin’s Air Armament Center’s Test Range and Technical Facilities contract where his 800 employees provided technical test support to operate the Guided Weapons Evaluation Facility, the J-PRIMES anechoic chamber, the Climatic Lab and all test ranges at Eglin AFB.

In 2004, he was Technical Chairman of the International Telemetry Conference. His experience included 35 years of testing aircraft, weapons, avionics, electronic combat, navigation, and communications systems. He flew 43 different types of aircraft.

Mike and his wife Rita have two children and four grandchildren.