
Dayton, Ohio – With officially taking charge of the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) at a ceremony on Wednesday, Brig. Gen. Jason E. Bartolomei assumed a responsibility supervising a significant budget and a wide range of advanced scientific projects. Held at the National Museum of the United States Air Force close to Dayton, the event was a major turning point under direction of one of the most important Air Force research centers.
Employing more than 12,500 people—including airmen, Space Force guardians, Pentagon officials, and contractors—the AFRL, which is housed at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, is a key hub for military science and technology research. The laboratory is a powerhouse of invention and research with a broad operation spanning nine technology areas extending to 40 different locations worldwide.
Under Bartolomei’s direction, the AFRL will oversee an enormous $9.5 billion annual budget in addition to another $3 billion in outside sponsored research initiatives. This sum underlines how important the lab is for improving the technological capacity of the Air Force and the Space Force.
Bartolomei showed his excitement and appreciation for his new post during the event, stressing the major impact his predecessor, Maj. Gen. Scott A. Cain, had in getting him ready for this position.
“So right now, it’s full steam ahead with the direction that we’re moving,” he said as reported by WVXU. “I believe science and technology is going to be critical for meeting the challenges that we have, both internationally and in the national security stage.”
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General Duke Richardson, commander of the Air Force Materiel Command, also spoke at the event, noting the vast scale of operations and research conducted by the AFRL.
“We’re not just talking about the Air Force, we’re also talking about the Space Force,” he said. “There’s just a lot of work and research that goes on inside the Air Force Research Lab.”
Bartolomei’s connection to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base is deeply personal, having started his military career there as a second lieutenant.
“Ohio has a super special place in our heart. This was where I started my career as a brand new second lieutenant,” he said. “I had the opportunity to serve here for four years, and those were for the best years that (my wife) Tracy and I have had.”
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Bartolomei’s time at the AFRL is likely to be a defining one in the progress of military research and development given a strong agenda and a clear vision for the future. Given the demand for creative technology and security solutions at an all-time high, his leadership comes at a crucial time.