Kenneth B. Merritt
Lancaster
Summary
Retired Air Force Aircraft Maintainer with twenty years of demonstrated ability to supervise, lead, follow and serve in all aspects of the armament and aviation maintenance career fields, while also being responsible for the management, supervision, development and training of subordinate personnel. Active Security Clearance: TS/SCI, March 2025.
Professional with deep expertise in subject matter, prepared to drive impactful outcomes. Proven ability to deliver results through collaborative teamwork and adaptability. Skilled in research, analysis, and effective communication. Known for reliability and strong focus on meeting organizational goals.
Overview
21
21
years of professional experience
Work History
Aircraft Maintenance and Armament Subject Matter Expert
- Aircraft Maintenance and Armament Subject Matter Expert with over 20 years of experience leading large-scale aircraft sortie generation, munitions operations, and maintenance programs in high-tempo environments. Proven leader with extensive experience managing cross-functional teams, providing program oversight, and driving operational excellence across munitions, logistics, and aviation maintenance disciplines. Qualified on 12 aircraft types, including more than 10 years supporting F-15, F-16, F-22, F-35, and U.S. bomber platforms, enabling effective leadership across diverse mission sets and complex operations. Directed munitions logistics and maintenance activities in support of sortie production, ensuring 100% accountability and mission readiness through effective use of tracking systems and data-driven decision-making. Led training, certification, and professional development programs for personnel across seven aircraft platforms, including oversight of 2000+ weapons loaders across six organizations, ensuring full compliance with qualification and readiness standards. Served as Production Superintendent, managing maintenance, configuration, servicing, and documentation operations for F-16, F-22, and F-35 fleets while supervising personnel and ensuring alignment with flying schedules and mission priorities. Oversaw data integrity and process execution within Maintenance Information Systems, including IMDS, IIMS, and ALIS, to support accurate reporting and operational visibility. As Unit Superintendent for the F-35 Integrated Test Force at Edwards AFB, led a Total Force team spanning five maintenance disciplines, overseeing operations for all three F-35 variants, managing administrative and training programs, and coordinating with command partners to achieve mission objectives. Recognized for fostering accountability, improving team performance, and delivering consistent results under demanding conditions.
T-7 Maintenance Lead
08.2023 - Current
- 40 hours/week
- Supervisor: Johnathan Hill (425-387-8493)
- Duties, Accomplishments and Related Skills:
- Service, maintain and troubleshoot 3 highly modified T-7 Trainers. Conduct ground servicing operations in support of flying and test operations to assist in envelope expansion of capabilities to meet US Air Force needs.
- Fully certified Boeing MSE inspector across all disciplines.
- Utilized prior explosive operations experience to take on local Weapons Safety Rep duties and controls Boeing’s T-7 munitions account.
Advanced Programs Superintendent
10.2023 - 08.2023
- 40 hours/week
- Supervisor: SMSgt Jose Morin (661-277-1959)
- Duties, Accomplishments and Related Skills:
- Drove test efforts on the F-35’s new extended range air-to-ground missile. Advised technical data working group to develop local procedures and during validation discovered multiple safety flaws with program provided support equipment. Led to new loading method allowing 3 pit releases and 18 ground vibration tests and successful product delivery.
- Supported all Test Wing’s Armament Systems related matters in support of key research, development, test and evaluation on bombers, 4/5th generation fighters, Remote Pilot Aircraft, emerging hypersonic technologies. Sets standards, develops policies, and implements aircraft armament certifications to ensure proficiency of 290 military, civilian, and contractor personnel in support of 57 highly modified test aircraft valued at over $5B.
- Managed and coordinated all aspects of the Long-Range Stand-Off Weapon valued at $2.2B. Documented Logistics Support for Memorandum of Agreements, Statement of Capabilities, Program Introduction Documents, Support Agreements, Memorandum of Understandings, Cost and Resource Estimates, Contingency Plans and Logistics Support Plans.
- Liaised with contractor engineers over the F-35’s new low observable wing weapons pylon. Identified multiple design flaws driving improvements in future iterations. Developed work arounds to ensure safety and avoid any loss of test time on the Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile further expanding the 5th generation fighter’s weapons envelope.
- Worked closely with 419 CTF and 412 MXG personnel during daily/weekly project scheduling meetings with the Lead B-52 Program Manager to establish proper asset selection. Enabled the Program Manager to make conscience decisions on aircraft configuration and scheduling priority for AFTC test, proficiency, and customer support missions-efforts ensured the successful completion of high priority 412TW test missions while maintaining the already constrained schedule for other GPB CTF test programs.
F-35 Weapons Section Chief
Edwards AFB, CA
10.2022 - 09.2023
- 50 hours/week
- Supervisor: CMSgt John Julian (801-777-0697)
- Duties, Accomplishments and Related Skills:
- Led a section of twenty-five military, government, and contractor personnel that executed weapons loading, maintenance, and test on fifteen uniquely modified F-35A, B and C aircraft valued at $2.6B. Additionally, he progressed a portfolio of 32 programs that contributed to the $55B agenda of the Joint Program Office. He also managed load certification of 28 munitions and oversaw over 1K alternate mission equipment items valued at $2.8M.
- Guided 445 weapons load training events and showed leadership agility by fulfilling the Production Superintendent and Assistant Superintendent roles for six months. Powered over 1.2K test milestone completions, more than 360 sorties, and 3K total munitions expenditures.
- Coordinated with four 412a Test Wing at Edwards Air Force Base agencies for Beyond Visual Range missile and Small Diameter Bomb pit drop testing. Authored local guidance for non-standard handloading and weapons retrieval utilized by certified technicians in the drop pit leading 33 weapon releases meeting over 200 test points.
- Organized the allocation and operational use of 237 suspension assets and provided instruction on the creation and revision of alternate mission equipment aids to eliminate training deficiencies during load training. Drove fourteen checklist re-writes pushed out to the entirety of the F-35 fleet utilized on 960 U.S. and partner fleet aircraft.
- Discovered a factory quality deficiency on fiberoptic umbilical connectors. Discovered missing elements in the aircraft acceptance process and provided expert feedback to the prime contractor for follow-up. Educated members from USAF military, Civil Service and Lockheed Martin on fiber handling, leading to a 100% release rate on every air-to-air employment since.
F-22 Weapons Section Chief
Edwards AFB, CA
09.2021 - 09.2023
- 50 hours/week
- Supervisor: Douglas Seger (419-707-0706)
- Duties, Accomplishments and Related Skills:
- Led, mentored and supervised fourteen in support of fifteen F-22 Combined Test Force test programs and provided feedback and guidance to the System Program Office on engineering, manufacturing and developmental weapon systems.
- Managed over 7.8 million dollars of specialized munitions equipment and facilities to support both on and off equipment maintenance.
- Liaised with Boeing, Lockheed and government engineers communicating logistical difficulties and munitions safety requirements on weapon’s testing. Ensured the first live release of the new Beyond Visual Range munition on the F-22 Raptor.
- Controlled and maintained nine training munitions required for monthly certification of all weapons loaders in the F-22 Combined Test Force.
F-16 Loading Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge
10.2018 - 09.2021
- 60 hours/week
- Supervisor: William Stackalis (907-888-9901)
- Duties, Accomplishments and Related Skills:
- Led 41 Total Force Airmen in the execution of the Air Force Material Command’s Larger F-16 Flying Hour Program to support 198 sustainment programs valued at 2.8 billion dollars.
- Managed the load training schedule and ensured 100% certification of all weapons loaders assigned to the 416a Aircraft Maintenance Unit at Edwards AFB. Ensured all Test Pilot School weapon’s syllabus milestones were met resulting in the graduation of forty-eight test pilots annually.
- Oversaw 5.7k maintenance actions and 478 munitions operations.
- Regularly partnered with Lockheed Foreign Military Sales personnel to load and configure Partner Nations’ F-16s with a broad array of munitions configurations.
Loading Standardization Crew Chief
03.2015 - 10.2018
- 50 hours/week
- Supervisor: Dustin Hoover ()
- Duties, Accomplishments and Related Skills:
- Managed the Load Standardization Evaluation Program for all of Edwards AFB and other locations in the Antelope Valley which encompassed over 235 loaders and eleven different airframes.
- Responsible for the munitions account which contained forty-one training munitions consisting of, but not limited to 20mm and 25 mm ammunition, missiles, laser and GPS guided bombs.
- Maintained direct certification on six separate aircraft simultaneously.
- Supervised tool crib support section containing 1k pieces of equipment valued at 750k dollars.
- Conducted scheduled/unscheduled munitions and loading operation inspections on the flightline in support of the 412th Maintenance Group’s Evaluation and Inspection plan.
Aircraft Armament Systems Technician
Edwards AFB, Osan AB and Eglin AFB
08.2005 - 03.2015
- 60 hours/week
- Supervisor: Multiple
- Duties, Accomplishments and Related Skills:
- Maintained A-10, F-15, F-16 and special mission aircraft weapon systems.
- Conducted Monthly Required Proficiency Loading evaluations to support and maintain munitions certification for all flightline weapons loaders.
- Go to gun SME. Thorough experience on 20mm M61A1/2 and GAU-8 Avenger cannons.
- Managed 3 equipment accounts and multiple programs across training, health of personnel, and admin control.
Education
High School Diploma -
North West Whitfield High School
Tunnel Hill, GA06-2004
Skills
- Training and mentoring
- Strong analytical skills
- Customer focus
- Creative solutions
- Strategic thinking
- Innovative mindset
- Deep expertise
- Time management
- Teamwork and collaboration
- Team building
- Attention to detail
- Process improvement
ADDITIONAL TRAINING & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
- United States Air Force Non-Commissioned Officer Academy, Lackland AFB, TX
- United States Air Force Airmen Leadership School, Eglin AFB, FL
- Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and SharePoint)
Timeline
Advanced Programs Superintendent
10.2023 - 08.2023
T-7 Maintenance Lead
08.2023 - Current
F-35 Weapons Section Chief
10.2022 - 09.2023
F-22 Weapons Section Chief
09.2021 - 09.2023
F-16 Loading Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge
10.2018 - 09.2021
Loading Standardization Crew Chief
03.2015 - 10.2018
Aircraft Armament Systems Technician
08.2005 - 03.2015
Aircraft Maintenance and Armament Subject Matter Expert
High School Diploma -
North West Whitfield High School