2021 Superior Achievement Award

Presented to: Major Matthew L. Sutton

Citation: For his ingenuity, dedication, and leadership in ensuring critical operational test and tactics improvements for warfighters in a contested electromagnetic environment

Major Matthew L. Sutton has devoted significant efforts to ensure the effectiveness and suitability of newly developed hardware and software for the warfighter. This includes integration with Command and Control and other strike platforms for standoff weapon targeting/engagement, defensive avionics updates and improvements to enable penetration into defended airspace, simultaneous efforts on four aircraft avionics software updates, and tests to enhance precision weapon delivery in GPSdenied or GPS-degraded environments.

Major Sutton integrated with the E-3 as a liaison to test new methods of passing targeting data while employing standoff weapons (i.e., cruise missiles), furthering knowledge sharing between communities. He was selected to lead a dissimilar formation of a B-1B and a B-52H on an integrated standoff weapon training mission to increase integration of both employment and test efforts, then subsequently flew on a B-52H to continue cross-platform integration. He regularly interfaces with ACC, AFGSC, AFMC, the B-1B System Program Office, various prime contractors, and DoD DOT&E (Developmental and Operational Test and Evaluation) to ensure readiness. This includes solving problems facing B-1B avionics upgrades, often balancing technical requirements with human factors considerations.

Currently, Major Sutton is working on additional programs that will continue to improve the avionics of the B-1B and enhance lethality. This includes a multi-phased test he is leading for precision GPS-out weapon delivery. Starting with a test designed to create best practices for managing the system integration of a new laser ring gyro INS integration, this culminates in improvements in the ability of the B-1B avionics to integrate with onboard aircrew-controlled sensor updates for the delivery of precision WGS-84 plane weapons in a contested environment.

Major Sutton is an instructor weapon systems officer in the 337th Test and Evaluation Squadron (TES) at Dyess Air Force Base, the sole operational test unit for the B-1B.