Amentum Board Visits Edwards AFB to Spotlight Advanced Flight-Testing Operations

Amentum CEO John Heller, along with members of the company’s executive board, recently visited Edwards Air Force Base, the epicenter of advanced flight testing and aerospace innovation in California’s Mojave Desert. The visit gave Amentum leadership an up-close look at the critical role our subsidiary, JT4, plays in supporting the development of next-generation aviation and defense technologies.

“Our team appreciated the time and effort that Mr. Heller and the executive board made to drive out to the desert and visit with our dedicated employees,” said Rey Garza, president of JT4. “It was great for the JT4 team to showcase their talent and reaffirm the mission of testing these advanced platforms for the future of national security.”

Amentum and JT4 have worked hand in hand with the Air Force to support the base for more than 15 years.  Edwards Air Force Base serves as the epicenter for the flight testing of some of the world’s most advanced aerospace platforms and technologies.

“Our mission is to deliver the expertise and technology required to ensure every test is as reliable and efficient as possible,” explained Garza. “The work we do here directly supports national security, by helping to advance and fine-tune technologies that keep the U.S. at the forefront of defense and aviation innovation.”

At the center of Edwards’ flight-testing operations is the Ridley Mission Control Center (RMCC), where missions are coordinated, real-time data is gathered, and testing is overseen across an expansive area that stretches from the Pacific Ocean to Utah and New Mexico. Amentum’s JT4 team provides critical services for RMCC operations, including telemetry analysis, data acquisition, mission control, and the development of innovative technologies like the Modular Mission Control Room Upgrade system. These efforts help to ensure the RMCC can meet the challenges of increasingly complex testing scenarios.

While the Ridley Mission Control Center serves as the nerve center for coordinating and monitoring flight tests across vast areas, Edwards Air Force Base is also home to specialized facilities that enable other critical aspects of aerospace testing. One such facility is the Benefield Anechoic Facility (BAF), a world-class testing chamber that plays a vital role in creating a controlled and precise testing environment. By simulating real-world operating scenarios in a safe and cost-effective manner, the BAF allows for critical evaluations and electromagnetic compatibility testing before these systems are deployed in flight.

In addition to physical testing environments like the BAF, the base is also equipped with cutting-edge virtual testing capabilities, such as the Joint Simulation Environment (JSE), where the future of aviation is brought to life through highly realistic and immersive simulations. This advanced facility delivers incredibly realistic simulations of next-generation aircraft like the F-22 and F-35, as well as experimental technologies under development. Using F-35 cockpit simulators and immersive virtual battlespaces, JT4 ensures high-fidelity evaluations that improve system performance and prepare pilots for the most challenging missions they may face.

“The JSE enables advanced aerospace technologies to be tested in secure, realistic digital environments,” Garza noted. “It allows us to improve systems and troubleshoot challenges before they are deployed in real-world scenarios—enhancing safety, reducing costs, and ensuring mission readiness.”

Finally, JT4 also provides a range of specialized services, from developing mobile telemetry systems to testing advanced electronic warfare antennas and F-35 helmet simulators. The team’s work has become an indispensable part of the Edwards Air Force Base legacy as a global leader in aerospace innovation.