PATUXENT RIVER, Md. — Cmdr. Jacob King assumed command of the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School from Cmdr. Travis Hartman during a change of command ceremony at Naval Air Station Patuxent River on Jan. 8, 2026.
Capt. Daniel Kitts, Naval Test Wing Atlantic commodore and USNTPS Class 133 alumnus, presided over the event. “Your leadership has left a lasting imprint on this command – one defined by integrity, steady judgment, and a genuine commitment to your people,” Kitts said of Hartman. “Cmdr. King, you’re stepping into a role that will challenge and inspire you in equal measure.”
King, the school’s 53rd commanding officer, previously served as executive officer for 18 months. “I’m honored to continue serving the test community, and I’m committed to ‘embracing the orange’ as I take on the responsibility of leading this exceptional team,” King said.
A Mount Airy native, King graduated from the University of Maryland in 2006, commissioned via the Seaman to Admiral-21 program, and earned naval aviator wings in 2008. He started as an electronics technician on USS Bonhomme Richard, deployed multiple times with Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 14 for Operation Tomodachi disaster relief, graduated USNTPS in 2014, and served as developmental test pilot and H-60 operations officer with Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (HX) 21. He held department head positions with Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 73, deployed for major operations, served as rotary wing operational test director at VX-1, earned a master’s in operations research from Georgia Institute of Technology in 2022, and acted as assistant program manager for the Multi-Mission Helicopter Program before returning to USNTPS.
“Leading this command has been one of the greatest honors of my career,” Hartman said. “Working with [King] has been fantastic, and I look forward to watching him guide USNTPS into its next chapter.”
Hartman, from Missouri, graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 2005, earned a master’s from Washington University in 2007, and completed USNTPS Class 145 in 2014. He started flight testing at VX-23, earned a second master’s in aerospace engineering science from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School in 2015, served as department head with Strike Fighter Squadron 146 and VX-23, acted as deputy program manager for Next Generation Air Dominance at Program Executive Office for Tactical Aircraft Programs in 2021, joined USNTPS as executive officer in 2022, and became commanding officer in 2024.
USNTPS operates under Naval Test Wing Atlantic within Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division at Patuxent River in St. Mary’s County. The school trains developmental test pilots, flight officers, engineers, industry representatives, and foreign partners in comprehensive aircraft and systems test and evaluation. It develops modern test techniques, standardizes flight testing procedures, and remains the sole domestic source for rotary wing test pilots, including for the U.S. Army.
The school has graduated nearly 100 astronauts and plays a key role in naval aviation advancements. Located at NAS Patuxent River, a major hub for naval aircraft testing and development in Southern Maryland, USNTPS supports ongoing programs in fixed-wing, rotary-wing, and unmanned systems evaluation.