03/06/2025
CDR James Moore Licata, callsign "Two Times," a native of Mequon, Wisconsin, graduated with distinction from the United States Naval Academy in May of 2009 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering (Aeronautical track). During his final semester at the Academy, he began graduate coursework at the University of Maryland through the Voluntary Graduate Education Program (VGEP). He graduated from the University of Maryland with a Master of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering in December of 2009.
Following graduate school, Licata reported to NAS Pensacola, Florida in January of 2010 for Aviation Preflight Indoctrination. In October of 2010, he reported to the “Rangers” of VT-28, NAS Corpus Christi, Texas, for Primary Flight Training in the mighty T-34C Turbo Mentor. CDR Licata was designated a Naval Aviator in June of 2012 upon completion of training in the T-45C Goshawk with the “Fighting Redhawks” of VT-21, NAS Kingsville, Texas. He was then assigned to the “Vikings” of VAQ-129, NAS Whidbey Island, Washington, for FRS training in the EA-18G Growler.
Upon completion of FRS training, CDR Licata reported in July of 2013 to the “Gauntlets” of VAQ-136, based at NAS Whidbey Island, where he served until September of 2016 as NATOPS Officer, Joint Mission Planning System (JMPS) Officer, Assistant Operations Officer, Aircraft Division Officer, and Personnel Officer. During his tour with the Gauntlets, CDR Licata made multiple underway periods while assigned to Carrier Air Wing TWO (CVW-2) embarked aboard the USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76), USS George Washington (CVN-73), and USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70), including the 2014 Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) Maritime Exercise, and the 2015 CVN-73 Southern Seas deployment around South America. During his final year with VAQ-136, Two Times was the winner of the peer-selected CDR Noel Greene Inspirational Leadership Award.
Following his tour with the Gauntlets, Two Times attended the United States Naval Test Pilot School at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland, and completed the course in December of 2017 with Class 152. He was then assigned to the “Salty Dogs” of VX-23, NAS Patuxent River, to serve as a project officer test pilot. While onboard VX-23, he worked as the east coast project officer for Growler H16 System Configuration Set (SCS), to include system enhancements to the airborne electronic attack hardware suite.
Two Times returned to the Fleet in summer of 2020 as a department head with the World Famous "Black Ravens" of VAQ-135, an Expeditionary EA-18G squadron based at NAS Whidbey Island. Here, he served as Safety Officer, Administration Department Head, Maintenance Officer, and Operations Officer. He also served as a Special Projects Officer for “Speed to the Fleet” capabilities. During his time with the Black Ravens, the squadron deployed from fall 2020 to spring 2021 to Misawa, Japan with multiple detachments around the USINDOPACOM area of responsibility to include Guam and Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Japan. During his tour, Two Times received the VAQ community-wide 2021 Individual Operational Excellence Award and the 2022 ALQ-99 Excellence Award for his direct, personal work in technology integration.
In February 2023, Two Times reported to the "Ghost Wolves" of UX-24 at Webster NOLF, Maryland to assume the role of Government Flight Test Director for Advanced Development efforts. Here, he served as the military Test and Evaluation lead for U.S. Navy Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) and the U.S. Navy’s principal test representative in the CCA Development Project Arrangement between the United States and Australian governments. In February of 2025, Two Times reported to the “Dust Devils” of VX-31, China Lake, California to join the team as Chief Test Pilot.
CDR Licata has accumulated more than 1,700 flight hours in military aircraft and more than 150 carrier arrested landings. His personal decorations include the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, and the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (two awards).
