John L. "Jack" Hudson is a retired Lieutenant General in the U.S. Air Force. He was Commander, Aeronautical Systems Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio (WPAFB). Hudson is currently serving as a member of the Senior Executive Service as the Director of the National Museum of the United States Air Force at WPAFB.
General Hudson was born in New York state. He was commissioned in 1973 as a distinguished graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy. He has served as a T-38 instructor pilot; an A-10 pilot, instructor pilot and flight examiner; and as a test pilot at Edwards AFB, Calif. The general has served on the Air Staff and as the director of several Air Force and joint system program offices, as the senior military assistant to the Under Secretary for Defense for Acquisition and Technology, and as Program Executive Officer and Program Director, Joint Strike Fighter Program, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition. Prior assuming the command of ASC, he was Assistant Deputy Under Secretary of the Air Force for International Affairs.
General Hudson earned the Command Pilot rating with more than 3,500 flying hours in the A-10, A-7, T-38 and 42 other types of aircraft.
General Hudson remained at WPAFB after retirement, assuming the newly created position of Deputy Director of the National Museum of the United States Air Force.
On 23 December 2010, Hudson assumed the director's position at the museum upon the retirement of his predecessor, Maj. Gen. (ret.) Charles D. Metcalf.