Dube named NDIA Air Force Tester of the Year

  • Published
  • By Katherine C. Gandara, Public Affairs Advisor
  • Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center

Louis Dube is the 2021 National Defense Industrial Association Air Force Tester of the Year Award. Each year, the NDIA offers each military service the opportunity to recognize outstanding accomplishments in test and evaluation innovation and achievements.

Dube is the Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center Detachment 6 F-35 Division Chief and U.S. Operational Test Team Chief Engineer. Dube led F-35 test team members in the execution of congressional oversight test events worth more than $12 million for the F-35A, B, and C variants. Dube’s award citation highlights that his leadership was unmatched in the planning and execution of the UOTT’s first large force exercise data collection where he and the team reviewed 80 test sorties for more than 21 mission events, ultimately saving the F-35 program six weeks and $800,000. Dube organized the Test Management Council that identified the top five enterprise priorities, driving immediate action on key initiatives for Open Air Battle Shaping. OABS provides an instrumented test capability to conduct many-on-many air-to-air, air-to-ground, and ground-to-air test evaluation sorties. Dube is also recognized for authoring three test plans for a $1.7 trillion program, initiating the test and evaluation strategy, which was crucial in early reporting, and expanding the F-35 mission with 13 new weapons capabilities. 

“I was privileged to lead the AFOTEC Detachment 6 F-35 Division for several years,” said Dube. “The 2021 calendar year was a banner year for the F-35 U.S. Operational Test Team and I was fortunate to be entrusted with leading the members of this organization. I am proud of all the team has achieved, and while I'm honored with this recognition, this award reflects their hard work and dedication. Without the incredible talent and perseverance of the test team, none of these accomplishments would have been realized. During 2021, the team executed 22 high visibility missions, analyzed thousands of hours of video and reduced hundreds of gigabytes of data, managed a $55 million budget, participated in several high-profile meetings with the highest levels of F-35 program, Air Force, and Navy leadership, and so much more.”

NDIA is a non-partisan, non-profit defense and national security association that is comprised of more than 1,500 corporations and 63,000 individual members. It was founded to educate its constituency on all aspects of national security. NDIA engages innovative leaders to promote the best policies, practices, products, and technology for warfighters to ensure the safety and security of our nation.  Nominees for the Tester of the Year awards are evaluated on their superior work that significantly contributes to, or directly supports test and evaluation activities during the calendar year.

AFOTEC is a direct reporting unit under Headquarters, United States Air Force and is the Air Force’s independent test agency with a mission to inform the warfighter and acquisition through operational test. AFOTEC evaluates the capability of systems to meet Warfighter needs by planning, executing, and reporting independent operational assessments, tests, and evaluations. From concept development to system fielding, AFOTEC evaluates a system’s overall operational mission capability under realistic conditions. AFOTEC’s mission requires lock-step efforts with acquisition partners focused on shortening the combat capability delivery timeline.