Lt. Gen. John F. Thompson is the Commander, Space and Missile Systems Center, Space Force Command, Los Angeles Air Force Base, California. He is responsible for more than 5,000 employees nationwide and an annual budget of $6 billion. As the Space Force Program Executive Officer for Space, General Thompson manages the research, design, development, acquisition, and sustainment of satellites and the associated command and control systems. His extensive portfolio includes military satellite communication, missile warning, navigation and timing, space- based weather, space launch and test ranges, certification for launch, space superiority, responsive space and other emerging evolutionary space programs.
General Thompson entered the Air Force in 1984 as a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy. He has served in a variety of scientific, acquisition and logistics-oriented capacities, including staff assignments at Air Force Systems Command, Air Force Materiel Command and in the office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition.
The general has been Chief of the Commodities Division, Ogden Air Logistics Center, Utah, and Chief of the Air Vehicle Division, C-17 System Program Office, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. He also served as Director of Propulsion, Oklahoma City ALC, Okla.; and Chief of Staff, Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson AFB. He has commanded the 327th Aircraft Sustainment Wing, Tinker AFB, Okla., and the 303rd Aeronautical Systems Wing, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, where he served as Air Force Program Executive Officer for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance. General Thompson has also served as Air Force Program Executive Officer for Strategic Systems, Deputy Program Executive Officer for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Program, and KC-46 Program Director.
Prior to assuming his current position, General Thompson was Commander, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio.