United States Air Force Academy

Go to home page
Engineering Division

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

mechanical engineering lab

A broad-based and flexible program that allows you to focus in many important disciplines, such as fatigue/fracture mechanics and failure analysis.

About Us

Not sure what engineering discipline to pursue right now and want to keep your options open? Mechanical Engineering is a broad-based and flexible program, allowing cadets to focus in many important disciplines, such as fatigue/fracture mechanics and failure analysis.

If understanding, building and using state-of-the-art materials such as composites and ceramics intrigues you, or if you enjoy the idea of designing and analyzing structures, our Mechanical Engineering program—ranked #7 in the nation, according to U.S. News’ Best Colleges list—is the major for you.

There are incredible mechanical engineering systems in aerospace and automotive hardware, power generation facilities, and manufacturing. Because systems bring together the engineering of mechanics and motion, thermodynamics and fluids, materials and structures, and control, Mechanical Engineering is a broad discipline of design and analysis.

The Mechanical Engineering and Systems Engineering majors are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET.

Mechanical Engineering Faculty and Staff

Department News News From Around The Department


March 14, 2024

Metallurgy: creating art through knife-making

Cadet 1st Class Ryan Hebert forges a knife in the U.S. Air Force Academy Department of Mechanical Engineering March 11, 2024. Cadets in the senior-level Physical Metallurgy course construct a knife for their class project. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Trevor Cokley) By Randy Roughton U.S. Air Force Academy Strategic Communications U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. – Each cadet in Capt. Michael Lee’s Physical Metallurgy course constructs a knife for their class project. This semester, two cadets satisfied the requirement by producing knives for the 2024 Minerals, Metals and Materials Society Bladesmithing Competition in Orlando, Florida. In early March, Cadets...

Continue Reading Metallurgy: creating art through knife-making

July 13, 2020

USAFA Recognizes Class of 2020 Top Graduate

On Thursday 9 July Lt Gen Silveria recognized the United States Air Force Academy Class of 2020 Top Graduate, 2Lt Zack Bailey during a small ceremony in Polaris Hall. Lt Bailey was also recognized as the Outstanding Cadet in Mechanical Engineering, the Outstanding Cadet in Engineering and the Outstanding Cadet in Academic Performance. Lt Bailey is a recipient of the Marshall Scholarship and is on his way to King’s College London in the fall. Congratulations Lt Bailey!

Continue Reading USAFA Recognizes Class of 2020 Top Graduate

May 18, 2020

United Launch Alliance launches 6th orbital test vehicle for U.S. Space Force; project contains satellite built by Air Force Academy cadets

United launch Alliance, May 18, 2020 CAPE CANAVERAL AIR FORCE STATION, Colo. -- A United Launch Alliance Atlas V 501 rocket carrying the USSF-7 mission for the U.S. Space Force lifted off from Cape Canaveral May 17. This marks the 84th successful launch of an Atlas V rocket, 139th launch for ULA, the second launch for the U.S. Space Force and sixth flight of the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle or “OTV-6.” “The success of this mission resulted from collaboration with our customer while working through challenging, and ever changing, health and safety conditions,” said Gary Wentz, ULA vice president of government...

Continue Reading United Launch Alliance launches 6th orbital test vehicle for U.S. Space Force; project contains satellite built by Air Force Academy cadets

See All News
Cadet Resources

HQ USAFA/DFEM
2354 Fairchild Drive, Suite 6L-155
United States Air Force Academy, CO 80840
(719) 333-2531 | DSN 333-2531
(719) 333-2944 | DSN 333-2944