Biography
Commanding Officer, Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 214
Lieutenant Colonel Robert F. Guyette

Lieutenant Colonel Robert F. Guyette was commissioned from the United States Naval Academy in May 2004 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Aerospace Engineering. After completing The Basic School in Quantico, VA he trained in T-34Cs with Training Squadron SIX (VT-6) at Naval Air Station (NAS) Whiting Field, FL and in T-45As with VT-22 at NAS Kingsville, TX before being designated a Naval Aviator in October 2006. He completed F/A-18 training with VFA-106 at NAS Oceana, VA before reporting to Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (All Weather) 224 [VMFA (AW)-224] at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Beaufort, SC.

Deploying twice to Indonesian Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) in 2008 and 2010, Captain Guyette served in multiple F/A-18 maintenance, operations, and aviation safety leadership roles, and was selected for transition to the F-35 program in 2010.

In February 2011, Captain Guyette reported to Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 6th Marines as a Forward Air Controller, and deployed to Helmand Province, Afghanistan as part of OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM and OPERATION EASTERN STORM. Captain Guyette embedded at the squad and platoon levels, conducting infantry combat operations in the Marjeh, Sangin and Kajaki districts.

Captain Guyette reported to Marine Aircraft Group 13 (MAG-13) at MCAS Yuma, AZ in April 2012 to stand up the VMFA-121 Green Knights, the world’s first operational F-35 squadron. That December, he became the first operational pilot qualified to fly the F-35, training with Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501 (VMFAT-501) at Eglin AFB, FL. In 2014, he was selected to attend the US Naval Test Pilot School in Patuxent River, MD.

Following United States Naval Test Pilot School (USNTPS), Major Guyette was assigned to the Air Test and Evaluation Squadron Two Three (VX-23) F-35 Integrated Test Force. As a Salty Dog, he executed high risk Developmental Test as the lead test pilot for multiple programs in the F-35A, B and C models, ashore and at sea aboard USS AMERICA and ESSEX. Selected to serve as a Service Chief Fellow at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Major Guyette provided engineering support and operational perspective to multiple advanced technology DARPA projects.

Major Guyette then joined the VMFAT-501 Warlords in Beaufort, SC in 2018, where he trained new U.S. Marines, British and Italian F-35B pilots as an Instructor Pilots, and further served as the Executive Officer. He also continued to contribute to development of the F-35 high angle of attack flight control system, and teamed with the U.S. Air Force to build the first Federal Aviation Administration certified F-35A and F-35B Level III flight demonstration profiles.

In June 2020, Major Guyette reported to the VMFA-242 Bats in Iwakuni, Japan, serving as the Executive Officer on the team transitioning from the F/A-18D to the F-35B. In October 2021, Lieutenant Colonel Guyette flew as lead test pilot for the F-35B demonstration team aboard the Japanese Ship IZUMO, re-establishing Japanese aircraft carrier-based fighter aviation. Lieutenant Colonel Guyette also flew the F-35B Level III Flight Demonstration at the 2022 Singapore Air Show before returning to Yuma, AZ and Marine Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron 1 (VMX-1).

At VMX-1 Lieutenant Colonel Guyette served as the Chief Operational Test Director and Chief Test Pilot for Operational Test and Evaluation for all U.S. Marine Corps Aviation and C2 platforms. During his tenure, the squadron focused on developing tactics, techniques and procedures for Nodal Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations, as well as operationalizing advanced warfighting capabilities in the F-35B, MV-22B, UH-1Y, AH-1Z, CH-53K and MQ-9A.

On February 1, 2024, Lieutenant Colonel Guyette assumed command of Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 214 – The Black Sheep.

LtCol Guyette holds a Masters in Systems Engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School and an MBA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He has flown over thirty-five types of military aircraft and helicopters, and was named the 2018 Marine Corps Aviation Awards (MCAA) John Glenn Marine Test Pilot of the Year, and the 2018 MCAA Michael Hough Acquisition Officer of the Year. His military awards include the Bronze Star with Combat Distinguishing Device, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Navy Commendation Medal with two gold stars, and the Combat Action Ribbon. He is married to the former Amber Ingram of Sumrall, Mississippi, and they have three very busy children.