John Boyd | |
|---|---|
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| Nickname(s) | Forty Second Boyd Genghis John The Mad Major The Ghetto Colonel |
| Born | January 23, 1927 Erie, Pennsylvania, US |
| Died | March 9, 1997 (aged 70) West Palm Beach, Florida, US |
| Buried | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Service | United States Air Force |
| Years of service | 1945–1975 |
| Rank | Colonel |
| Commands | Task Force Alpha 56th Combat Support Group |
| Battles / wars | World War II Korean War Vietnam War |
| Awards | Legion of Merit (4) Air Medal (3) Harold Brown Award |
| Alma mater | University of Iowa Georgia Institute of Technology |
| Other work | Energy–Maneuverability theory OODA loop Military strategy |
John Richard Boyd (January 23, 1927 – March 9, 1997) was a United States Air Force fighter pilot and Pentagon consultant during the second half of the 20th century. His theories have been highly influential in military, business, and litigation strategies and planning.
As part of the Fighter Mafia, Boyd inspired the Lightweight Fighter program (LWF), which produced the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon and preceded McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet. Boyd, together with Thomas Christie, created the Energy–Maneuverability theory of aerial combat, which became the world standard for the design of fighter aircraft. He also developed the decision cycle known as the OODA loop, the process by which an entity reacts to an event.