Colonel Nicholas A. Suppa is the Deputy Commander at the 80th Flying Training Wing, Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas. The wing consists of more than 1,300 military, civilian and contract personnel, and has over 200 military aircraft. Col Suppa assists the wing commander in the execution of 55,000 sorties and 66,000 hours annually for the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training (ENJJPT) program. ENJJPT is the world’s only internationally manned and managed undergraduate pilot training program, in which 14 NATO nations participate: Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Italy, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States. In addition to undergraduate pilot training, the wing also hosts Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals and pilot instructor training.
Col Suppa entered the Air Force in June 2004 as a graduate of the United States Air Force Academy, earning a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Mechanics. He completed pilot training at Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas, in 2005. Following initial operational assignments in the F-15E Strike Eagle, he served as an evaluator pilot and F-15E program manager at the United States Air Force Weapons System Evaluation Program. In 2015, he was selected for transition to the F-35A Lightning II and subsequently served in multiple operational and leadership roles, including Director of Operations and Commander of the 56th Operations Support Squadron at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona. He later served as Chief of F-35 Integration and Interoperability at Headquarters Allied Air Command. Col Suppa also served as the Military Assistant to the Commander, NATO HQ Allied Air Command, where he was the principal strategic advisor to a four-star commander overseeing a 32-nation multinational force. Col Suppa is a command pilot with more than 2,500 flight hours in the F-15E and F-35A, including over 400 combat hours. Prior to his current assignment, Col Suppa was a student at the National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair in Washington D.C.
EDUCATION
2004 Bachelor of Science in Engineering Mechanics, United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado
2004 Air and Space Basic Course, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama
2011 Master of Science in Aeronautical Science, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Florida
2011 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama
2013 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2021 Air War College, by correspondence
2026 Master of Science in National Security Strategy, National War College, Washington, District of Columbia
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 2004 – July 2005, Awaiting Pilot Training, 116th Operations Group, Warner Robins Air Force Base, Georgia
2. August 2005 – August 2006, Student, 84th and 87th Flying Training Squadrons, Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas
3. August 2006 – December 2006, Student, 49th Fighter Training Squadron, Moody Air Force Base, Georgia
4. December 2006 – August 2007, Student, F-15E Basic Course, 333d Fighter Squadron, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina
5. August 2007 – May 2010, Scheduling Officer and Four-Ship Flight Lead, 335th Fighter Squadron, Seymour
Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina
6. May 2010 – September 2010, Student, F-15E FTU Instructor Course, 334th Fighter Squadron, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina
7. September 2010 – May 2012, Chief of Mission Planning and Instructor Pilot, 334th Fighter Squadron, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina
8. May 2012 – December 2012, Flight Commander and Instructor Pilot, 4th Training Squadron, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina
9. December 2012 – July 2016, F-15E Program Manager and Evaluator Pilot, USAF Weapons System Evaluation Program, Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida
10. July 2016 – February 2017, Student, F-35 Transition and Instructor Course, 62d Fighter Squadron, Luke Air Force Base, Arizona
11. February 2017 – November 2017, Assistant Director of Operations and F-35 Instructor Pilot, 56th Operations Support Squadron, Luke Air Force Base, Arizona
12. November 2017 – November 2018, Chief of F-35 Program Integration and F-35 Instructor Pilot, 56th Fighter Wing, Luke Air Force Base, Arizona
13. November 2018 – May 2020, Director of Operations and F-35 Evaluator Pilot, 308th Fighter Squadron, Luke Air Force Base, Arizona
14. May 2020 – May 2022, Commander, 56th Operations Support Squadron, Luke Air Force Base, Arizona
15. June 2022 – September 2023, Chief, F-35 Integration and Interoperability, Headquarters Allied Air Command, Ramstein Air Base, Germany
16. September 2023 – June 2025, Military Assistant to the Commander, Headquarters Allied Air Command, Ramstein Air Base, Germany
17. August 2025 – July 2026, Student, National War College, Washington, District of Columbia
18. July 2026 – Present, Deputy Commander, 80th Flying Training Wing, Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight Hours: More than 2,500, including over 400 combat hours
Aircraft: T-6, T-38, F-15E, F-15SG, F-35A
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2015 53d Wing Lieutenant General Chennault Award Winner
2015 83d Fighter Weapons Squadron Instructor of the Year
2014 United States Air Force Collier Trophy Winner
2014 83d Fighter Weapons Squadron Field Grade Officer of the Year
2013 53d Weapons Evaluation Group Officer Operations Professional of the Year
2013 83d Fighter Weapons Squadron Instructor of the Year
2013 83d Fighter Weapons Squadron Daedalian Exceptional Pilot of the Year
2013 53d Weapons Evaluation Group Aircrew Flight Equipment Officer of the Year
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant, June 2, 2004
First Lieutenant, June 2, 2006
Captain, June 2, 2008
Major, August 1, 2014
Lieutenant Colonel, March 1, 2019
Colonel, October 1, 2025
(CURRENT AS OF JULY 2026)