James Hecker

James B. Hecker is a retired four-star general of the United States Air Force who commanded United States Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa (USAFE-AFAFRICA) from June 2022 until his retirement in summer 2025 after 36 years of service.^[1][2] In this role, he also served as commander of NATO's Allied Air Command, responsible for air and missile defense across 30 NATO member nations and integration of air power in support of alliance operations spanning more than 19 million square miles.^[3][4] A command pilot with more than 3,300 flight hours primarily in the F-16 Fighting Falcon, Hecker graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1989 and progressed through key assignments including command of the 52nd Fighter Wing, 9th Air Force (Air Forces Central), and Air University.^[3][5] During his tenure amid heightened tensions with Russia following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Hecker emphasized rapid power projection, air superiority strategies, and NATO interoperability, contributing to enhanced deterrence in Europe.^[6][7] He coordinated multinational air exercises and supported operations like the delivery of F-16s to Ukraine, while issuing warnings to U.S. aircrew and veterans against employment with Chinese-backed aviation firms due to risks of technology transfer and security threats.^[8][9] Earlier in his career, Hecker led disaster relief efforts following the 2011 Japan earthquake and tsunami, overseeing U.S. military and civilian responses.^[10] His decorations include the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal, and multiple Legion of Merit awards, reflecting his contributions to airpower employment and leadership.^[11]

Early Life and Education

Early Years and Entry into Military Service

James B. Hecker graduated from the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, in 1989, earning a Bachelor of Science degree.^[3] Upon graduation, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the United States Air Force, marking his entry into military service.^[3] This pathway through the Academy provided Hecker with his initial commissioning and set the foundation for his subsequent career as a command pilot.^[3]

Academic and Professional Training

Hecker earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, in 1989.^[3] He later completed a Master of Business Administration from Troy State University in Troy, Alabama, in 1997; a Master of Science in Aeronautical Sciences from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in 1999; and a Master of Strategic Studies from the Air War College at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, in 2006.^[3] Additionally, he participated in the Program for Senior Executives in National and International Security at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 2011.^[3] Following his commissioning as a second lieutenant in 1989, Hecker underwent Undergraduate Pilot Training at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas, from October 1989 to November 1990.^[3] He then completed Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, from November 1990 to March 1991, followed by F-15 Formal Training Unit at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, from March to September 1991.^[3] These phases qualified him as an F-15 pilot, accumulating over 3,600 flight hours primarily in the F-15C Eagle, among other aircraft, and earning command pilot status.^[3][5] Hecker advanced his professional expertise through the U.S. Air Force F-15C Weapons Instructor Course at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, in 1996, becoming both a graduate and later an instructor at the USAF Weapons School.^[3][5] He also completed key professional military education, including Squadron Officer School by correspondence in 1995, the Master of Military Operational Art and Science at Air Command and Staff College in 1997, and Air War College by correspondence in 2000.^[3]

Military Career

Initial Flying and Operational Assignments

Hecker completed undergraduate pilot training at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas, from October 1989 to November 1990.^[12] Following this, he underwent AT-38 lead-in fighter training at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, from January to March 1991.^[12] He then proceeded to F-15 replacement training at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, from March to August 1991, qualifying him for operational fighter duties. His initial operational flying assignment began in August 1991 as an F-15C pilot with the 8th and 9th Tactical Fighter Squadrons at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, where he served until May 1992. In June 1992, Hecker transferred to Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, assuming roles as F-15C instructor pilot, flight examiner, and chief of standardization and evaluation, positions he held until December 1995.^[12] These assignments focused on air-to-air combat tactics and squadron readiness within the 366th Fighter Wing.^[3] From July 1996 to August 1998, Hecker served as an F-15C weapons officer with the 44th Fighter Squadron at Kadena Air Base, Japan, contributing to Pacific theater air superiority missions amid regional tensions.^[12] During this period, he logged significant hours in the F-15C, building expertise in forward-deployed operations.^[3] These early tours established his foundation as a fighter pilot, emphasizing tactical proficiency and unit leadership prior to advanced combat roles.

Instructor and Advanced Training Roles

Hecker graduated from the U.S. Air Force F-15C Weapons Instructor Course at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, in 1996, establishing his foundation in advanced tactical training.^[3] From September 1998 to July 2000, he served as an instructor pilot in the same course, training elite aircrews in weapons employment, mission planning, and combat tactics for the F-15C Eagle.^[10] This role positioned him among a select cadre responsible for disseminating cutting-edge fighter tactics to operational units across the Air Force. In operational squadrons, Hecker functioned as an instructor pilot, flight examiner, and chief of F-15C standardization, ensuring pilots met rigorous proficiency standards in air-to-air and air-to-ground operations.^[13] His expertise extended to the F-22 Raptor, where he served as an instructor pilot, contributing to the integration of fifth-generation stealth capabilities into Air Force doctrine.^[14] These assignments honed his ability to mentor aviators in high-stakes environments, emphasizing precision, adaptability, and multi-domain awareness. Later, from June 2015 to March 2017, Hecker commanded the 19th Air Force at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas, overseeing undergraduate pilot training for hundreds of trainees annually across multiple flying training wings.^[3] In this capacity, he directed curriculum development, instructor standardization, and resource allocation to produce combat-ready pilots, bridging foundational skills to advanced operational readiness.^[15]

Command Positions in Fighter Units

Hecker commanded the 27th Fighter Squadron, an F-22 Raptor unit assigned to the 1st Fighter Wing at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia, beginning around 2005 as a lieutenant colonel.^[16][17] During his tenure, which extended into 2006 when he held the rank of colonel, the squadron achieved several operational milestones with the newly introduced fifth-generation stealth fighter.^[18] On May 12, 2005, Hecker piloted the first operational F-22A Raptor, aircraft serial AF-042, from Lockheed Martin's Marietta facility to Langley, marking the type's transition to active service.^[19] He subsequently led the squadron's initial combat air patrols under Operation Noble Eagle, including the F-22's first sorties over U.S. airspace and its debut mission carrying live ordnance on January 23, 2006.^[20][18] These missions demonstrated the F-22's air superiority capabilities in homeland defense, with Hecker emphasizing the squadron's readiness for real-world application during the live-ordnance flight.^[18] His leadership in this role built on prior experience as director of operations for the same squadron from July 2003 to September 2004, facilitating a seamless integration of the platform into tactical fighter operations.^[10] This squadron command represented Hecker's primary tactical-level leadership in a frontline fighter unit, contributing to the Air Force's early doctrinal development for advanced air dominance platforms.^[5]

Senior Staff and Joint Assignments

In 2009, Hecker assumed the role of Director of Operations in the Operations Directorate for U.S. Forces Japan at Yokota Air Base, Japan, where he coordinated joint air operations and disaster relief efforts, including Operation Tomodachi following the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.^[3][21] This joint assignment involved integrating U.S. Air Force capabilities with other services under United States Forces Japan, emphasizing multinational coordination in the Indo-Pacific theater.^[10] Later, as a major general, Hecker served as Vice Director of Operations (J-3) on the Joint Staff at the Pentagon from 2018 to 2019, acting as the principal deputy to the Director of Operations in overseeing global joint military operations, strategic planning, and crisis response across all U.S. armed services.^[21][22] In this capacity, he contributed to high-level decision-making on deployments, force posture, and interagency synchronization, drawing on his operational experience to advise the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.^[5][23] These senior joint staff positions honed Hecker's expertise in multinational and interservice integration, bridging tactical airpower execution with strategic-level joint warfighting requirements.^[3] Prior to these roles, he held Air Force-specific staff duties, such as Director of Plans, Programs, and Requirements at Headquarters Air Combat Command and legislative assistant to the Senate Majority Leader, but these were not joint assignments.^[21]

Leadership at Air University

Lieutenant General James B. Hecker assumed command and presidency of Air University on November 22, 2019, during a ceremony at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama.^[24] In this role, he led the U.S. Air Force's intellectual and leadership center, overseeing full-spectrum professional military education, research, doctrine development, and outreach programs across multiple levels of personnel.^[5] Air University, under Hecker's direction, annually graduated more than 50,000 resident students and supported over 120,000 non-resident officers, enlisted members, and civilians through distributed learning initiatives.^[25][5] Hecker emphasized enhancing Air University's capacity to educate leaders for great power competition and joint operations, aligning curricula with evolving strategic demands such as deterrence against peer adversaries.^[26] His priorities included recruiting and retaining high-quality faculty through expanded outreach efforts and improving family stability by extending student tour lengths to reduce disruptions.^[26] Additionally, he supported community initiatives in the River Region, including K-12 education partnerships and spouse employment reciprocity programs to bolster local ties and personnel welfare.^[26] During his tenure, Hecker engaged directly with educational components, such as observing Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps field training at Camp Shelby, Mississippi, on July 13, 2021, and addressing personnel at the Air Force Institute of Technology in July 2021.^[27][28] Hecker relinquished command of Air University in June 2022 to assume leadership of U.S. Air Forces in Europe–Air Forces Africa and Allied Air Command.^[26][3]

Command of U.S. Air Forces in Europe and NATO Roles

Assumption of Command and Key Responsibilities

On June 27, 2022, General James B. Hecker assumed command of U.S. Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa (USAFE-AFAFRICA) and NATO's Allied Air Command (AIRCOM) during a ceremony at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, succeeding General Jeffrey L. Harrigian.^[29][30][31] This transition coincided with Hecker's promotion to four-star general, reflecting the billet's seniority within the U.S. Air Force structure.^[29] In his role as USAFE-AFAFRICA commander, Hecker oversaw the provision of combat-ready air forces to U.S. European Command and U.S. African Command, managing operations across more than 19 million square miles encompassing Europe, parts of Asia, and Africa.^[4] Key responsibilities included directing air and missile defense for 30 NATO member nations, ensuring the readiness of U.S. and allied airpower amid evolving threats such as Russian aggression in Ukraine.^[4][32] As dual-hatted AIRCOM commander, Hecker led NATO's air component command, responsible for planning, directing, and coordinating Allied air operations to preserve territorial integrity from northern Norway to southern Italy and the Azores to eastern Turkey.^[33] This encompassed synchronizing multinational air forces for deterrence, crisis response, and collective defense under Article 5, with an emphasis on integration, capacity building, and advancing capabilities in contested environments.^[34] His leadership focused on five operational priorities: enhancing readiness, integration, and interoperability to counter global security challenges.^[34]

Operational Focus Areas and Deterrence Efforts

Under Hecker's command of U.S. Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa (USAFE-AFAFRICA) since July 2022, operational priorities centered on five key focus areas aimed at bolstering deterrence against peer adversaries, particularly Russia, through enhanced alliance interoperability, readiness, and capability development. These areas included countering anti-access/area-denial (A2/AD) capabilities, integrated air and missile defense (IAMD), agile combat employment (ACE), command and control (C2), and intelligence fusion.^[35][36] Countering A2/AD emerged as the top priority, driven by lessons from the Russia-Ukraine conflict, where neither side achieved air superiority despite extensive use of integrated air defenses and long-range strikes. Hecker emphasized dispersing forces, employing collaborative combat aircraft, and integrating unmanned systems to penetrate contested environments, thereby restoring operational agility lost to adversary denial strategies.^[37][38] This approach sought to enable U.S. and allied forces to operate effectively within A2/AD bubbles, such as those posed by Russian systems in Kaliningrad or Crimea, by prioritizing tactics over fixed basing.^[34] IAMD efforts focused on seamless integration of sensors, shooters, and decision-making across NATO allies to counter ballistic, cruise, and hypersonic threats, with Hecker highlighting its role in collective defense under Article 5. Exercises like Astral Knight 24 in May 2024 tested multinational IAMD operations, involving over 15 nations and demonstrating layered defenses from ground-based systems to airborne early warning.^[39][40] ACE and C2 priorities advanced distributed operations and resilient networks, respectively, enabling rapid force deployment to austere locations while maintaining battlespace awareness amid electronic warfare and jamming. Intelligence fusion rounded out the areas by improving shared domain awareness to anticipate adversary moves. Deterrence initiatives under Hecker integrated these focus areas into NATO's Allied Air Command (AIRCOM), which he has led since February 2024, emphasizing "deterrence by denial" through air superiority to impose costs on aggressors like Russia.^[41] Key efforts included Arctic-focused strategies to counter Russian militarization, with panels at the 2024 Air, Space & Cyber Conference outlining enhanced surveillance and rapid response in high-north domains.^[42] Bomber deployments, such as B-52s and B-1Bs to Europe in 2022-2024, and exercises like Ramstein Flag underscored visible force posture to signal resolve without escalation.^[43] Hecker advocated for NATO's unified air picture and multi-domain integration to deter hybrid threats, stating that allied cohesion post-Ukraine invasion has made the alliance "stronger than ever."^[44] These measures prioritized empirical adaptation to real-world contingencies over theoretical models, with progress measured by increased exercise repetitions and capability milestones.^[45]

Strategic Views and Contributions

Doctrinal Perspectives on Air Superiority

General James B. Hecker has articulated a renewed doctrinal vision for air superiority, emphasizing its enduring primacy in enabling effective air operations amid evolving threats from near-peer adversaries and proliferated unmanned systems. In his analysis, traditional conceptions of air superiority—rooted in dominance over manned aircraft—require updating to address small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS) observed in conflicts like Ukraine, where such systems have disrupted conventional paradigms by enabling low-cost, asymmetric challenges to high-end defenses.^[7] Hecker argues that air superiority must prioritize deterrence by denial, preserving maneuverability for joint forces while countering integrated air defense systems (IADS) through a combination of doctrinal flexibility, such as battle management areas that integrate air and land components without eroding airpower's operational autonomy.^[7] Drawing empirical lessons from Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which began on February 24, 2022, Hecker highlights how neither side achieved decisive air superiority, resulting in a protracted ground war with high casualties—Ukraine losing approximately 60 aircraft and Russia over 70—due to robust defenses and tactical shortcomings.^[46] This stalemate underscores air superiority's causal role in expeditionary success, as Russia's failure to secure it early prevented a swift victory, while Ukraine's air defenses, bolstered by Western aid exceeding $40 billion by March 2023, denied Russian dominance.^[46] Hecker critiques over-reliance on expensive, high-end materiel like Patriot systems against cheap threats such as Shahed drones, advocating a balanced high-low mix, exemplified by Ukraine's innovative Sky Fortress—truck-mounted acoustic detectors paired with machine guns and MANPADS—for sustainable, cost-effective engagements that prioritize mass production and adaptability in industrial-scale warfare.^[7] Doctrinally, Hecker envisions air superiority manifesting in "pulses" rather than persistent control, facilitated by Agile Combat Employment (ACE) tactics that disperse forces and leverage allied interoperability, as demonstrated by Nordic nations' Cold War-era practices and recent Finnish-Swedish integration.^[7] This pulsed approach counters peer threats by enabling temporary windows for strikes and maneuver, supported by enhanced information-sharing across NATO's 32 members to specialize capabilities and avoid unsustainable cost exchanges.^[7] For NATO, maintaining this edge demands doctrinal evolution to integrate air and missile defense, ensuring superiority against Russian IADS if Article 5 is invoked, while fostering innovation to prevent complacency in contested environments.^[46]

Public Statements on Global Threats

Hecker has identified China as a principal near-peer adversary, particularly through covert efforts to acquire Western military expertise. In March 2025, he cautioned U.S. airmen against employment with private aviation companies affiliated with the People's Republic of China, emphasizing that "once you fly on our team, even after you hang up your uniform, you have a responsibility to protect our tactics, techniques and procedures."^[8] He highlighted potential severe penalties, including fines, dishonorable discharge, or life imprisonment, under new allied laws aimed at accountability for compromising allied safety via adversary-backed pursuits.^[8] On Russia, Hecker described its military as having expanded and improved since the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, stating on September 17, 2024, that "Russia is getting larger, and they're getting better than they were before... They are actually larger than they were when [the invasion] kicked off."^[47] He assessed Russia as a persistent long-term challenge, noting on the same date, "Russia is going to be something that we're going to have to deal with for a long time, no matter how this thing ends," and stressed the necessity of neutralizing Russian surface-to-air missile systems to mitigate threats to allied air operations.^[47][34] In the Arctic domain, Hecker portrayed Russia as a substantial threat due to its extensive assets, including 55 icebreakers, nuclear submarines, and enhanced air infrastructure for long-range bombers, while noting increased Sino-Russian coordination, such as joint bomber patrols intercepted in July 2024.^[48] He cited a rise in Russian aircraft activity and advocated for NATO-wide information sharing to counter these developments, asserting on September 18, 2024, "There’s no way you can do it (by yourself), so we have to do it together."^[49][48]

Retirement

Retirement Announcement and Service Reflection

Gen. James B. Hecker announced his retirement from the United States Air Force in May 2025, after 36 years of active duty service.^[1] The announcement came during his tenure as commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa (USAFE-AFAFRICA) and NATO Allied Air Command, a position he assumed on June 27, 2022.^[30] His departure aligned with planned reductions in the command's billet from four-star to three-star status, leaving the position vacant following his exit.^[50] Hecker's service reflection emphasized the length and breadth of his career, which began with commissioning in 1989 and encompassed fighter pilot roles, senior staff assignments, and high-level commands in Europe and Africa.^[1] Official statements highlighted his contributions to airpower deterrence amid global threats, including Russian aggression in Ukraine and tensions with China, though specific personal remarks on legacy were not publicly detailed in the announcement.^[51] The retirement marked the end of his four-star tenure, with no successor immediately nominated amid broader Air Force reorganization efforts.^[51]

Awards and Decorations

Notable Honors and Campaign Medals

General James B. Hecker has been awarded the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal for exceptionally meritorious service in a position of great responsibility within the United States Air Force.^[3] He received the Defense Superior Service Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters, recognizing superior achievement in a joint service assignment.^[3] The Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters was bestowed for exceptionally meritorious conduct in sustained performance of outstanding services.^[3] Hecker earned the Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters for outstanding non-combat meritorious achievement or service.^[3] His combat flying contributions are recognized by the Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters and "C" device, awarded for meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight against an armed enemy.^[3] Additionally, he holds the Aerial Achievement Medal with three oak leaf clusters and the Air Force Achievement Medal.^[3][5] Campaign medals reflect Hecker's participation in overseas operations, including the Southwest Asia Service Medal with one service star for service during the Gulf War, the Kosovo Campaign Medal with one service star, and the Afghanistan Campaign Medal with one bronze star for deployments in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.^[12][11]

Promotion History

Key Promotion Milestones

Hecker entered the U.S. Air Force as a second lieutenant effective May 31, 1989, following his graduation from the United States Air Force Academy.^[3] His initial promotions proceeded on schedule, with advancements to first lieutenant and captain effective May 31, 1991, and May 31, 1993, respectively.^[3] Subsequent field-grade promotions included major effective July 1, 1999, and lieutenant colonel effective March 1, 2002.^[10] Advancement to senior officer ranks marked key milestones in Hecker's career trajectory toward flag rank. He was selected for promotion to brigadier general, with a frocking ceremony held on May 3, 2013, during which his sons pinned on his first star as outgoing commander of the 432nd Wing at Creech Air Force Base, Nevada.^[52] Hecker's promotion to major general preceded his assumption of command over the 19th Air Force on June 23, 2016.^[53] The Department of Defense announced his nomination to lieutenant general on July 24, 2019, concurrent with his assignment as commander and president of Air University.^[54] In June 2022, he was nominated for promotion to four-star general while serving as commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa, a position he assumed on June 27, 2022.^[55] These elevations reflected his extensive operational experience, including command of fighter squadrons, wings, and numbered air forces, as well as his qualifications as a command pilot with over 3,300 flight hours primarily in the F-16.^[3]