A native of New York, N.Y., Capt. Jason Lopez received his commission in 1991 from the U.S. Naval Academy. Upon commissioning, he was selected to intern at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab prior to reporting for naval aviation flight training. Following initial flight training and designation as a naval aviator, he transferred to Marine Helicopter Training Squadron 302 (HMT-302) in Tustin, Calif., for qualification in the MH-53E helicopter.

Lopez began his career as a naval aviator assigned to Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadron Fourteen (HM-14). There, he served in both the Operations and Maintenance departments and qualified as a helicopter aircraft commander and mission commander. He participated in various fleet exercises in the North Atlantic and Mediterranean.

Subsequent to his tour at HM-14, he was assigned to the Airborne Mine Countermeasures Weapon Systems Training School as a weapons and tactics instructor and fleet replacement squadron instructor. Later, he returned to HM-14 for his department head tour, initially as the admin department head and later as the operations department head. He deployed in support of the Rim of the Pacific and other Joint Task Force Exercises. Following his department head tour, he was assigned to the Mine Warfare Program Office (PMS-495) as the organic and legacy airborne mine countermeasures (AMCM) officer. In this capacity, he served as a co-integrated product team (IPT) lead, with the H-60 Multi-Mission Helicopter Program (PMA-299), spearheading the integration of next-generation AMCM sensors onto the MH-60S platform.

As a newly re-designated aerospace engineering duty officer, he received orders to the Heavy Lift Helicopter Program Office (PMA-261) as the IPT lead for the H-53 In-Service Fleet. He was responsible for the development, acquisition, modification, and fleet support of all Navy and Marine Corps models of the H-53 helicopter. In 2009, Lopez was assigned as an action officer for the Assistant Secretary of the Navy (ASN) for research, development and acquisition (RDA), where he was responsible for a portfolio of various aircraft type/model/series to include the P-3C, EP-3E, P-8A,X-49A, MH-60R and MH-60S. While serving as ASN (RDA), he was selected to serve as the deputy program manager for PMS-495, facilitating the research, development, test, procurement and fielding of mine warfare weapon systems to the Littoral Combat Ship, while supporting legacy mine warfare capability. In 2014, Lopez was selected to serve as the principal deputy program manager for the Air Combat Electronics Program Office (PMA-209) and in June 2016, he became the program manager for the Naval Aviation Training Systems Program Office (PMA-205).

Lopez is a member of the Acquisition Corps and a graduate of the National Intelligence University and the U.S. Marine Corps Command and Staff College. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy and a Master’s degree in that same discipline from The George Washington University. His personal awards include the Legion of Merit, the Meritorious Service Medal (three), the Navy Commendation Medal (two), and the Navy Achievement Medal (two).