| 412th Test Wing | |
|---|---|
| Active | 20 November 1943 — present |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | Air Force |
| Type | Developmental Test and Evaluation |
| Size | 5,000 |
| Part of | Air Force Material Command Air Force Flight Test Center |
| Garrison/HQ | Edwards Air Force Base |
| Motto | Proof by Trial |
| Decorations | AFOUA |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander |
Colonel Dawn Dunlop[1] |
The 412th Test Wing (412 TW) is a wing of the United States Air Force, assigned to the Air Force Flight Test Center at Edwards Air Force Base, California.
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The 412th Test Wing plans, conducts, analyzes, and reports on all flight and ground testing of aircraft, weapons systems, software and components as well as modeling and simulation for the USAF.
There are three core components for this mission: flying operations, maintenance, and engineering.
The wing maintains and flies an average of 90 aircraft with upwards of 30 different aircraft designs and performs over 7,400 missions (over 1,900 test missions) on an annual basis.
The Test Pilot School, also part of the test wing, is where the Air Force's top pilots, navigators and engineers learn how to conduct flight tests and generate the data needed to carry out test missions.
The Engineering Division and the Electronic Warfare Division provide the central components in the conduct of the Test and Evaluation mission. They provide the tools, talent and equipment for the core disciplines of aircraft structures, propulsion, avionics and electronic warfare evaluation of the latest weapon system technologies.
The Project and Resource Management Divisions who provide the foundation for the successful program management of test missions.
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Groups
Squadrons
Schools
Tested from 1978–1992:
Tested from 1993 – present:
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The 412th tested a wide variety of Army Air Force aircraft from 1943-1946. It was the first U.S. jet fighter group to be activated, and spent most of its early existence in experimental testing of the P-59A and P-80 aircraft. The group developed training programs and trained aircrew and ground personnel as cadres for newly formed jet aircraft-equipped units. It was deactivated in 1946.
The group was reactivated from 1955–1960 and served in an air defense role in Michigan.
From 1 March 1978, the wing managed flight operations for the Air Force Flight Test Center at Edwards Air Force Base, California. Using a mixed fleet of support aircraft, the wing annually tested both experimental and USAF inventory aircraft, as well as others on loan from US government agencies and foreign governments. Component systems flight-testing included weapons and ordnance, avionics and sensors, flight controls, and aircrew life-support equipment. It operates the Air Force Test Pilot School, training students from around the world. It performed free-flight testing of the Space Transportation System (STS) for NASA from 1978–1980, and in April 1981 recovered the shuttle Columbia following the first-ever orbital mission of a reusable spacecraft. The wing continues to provide an alternate landing site services for STS recovery, most recently for the Atlantis during its STS-117 mission.
The wing deployed support personnel and equipment to Southwest Asia for Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm from, August 1990-March 1991. While deployed, it performed tests on radar and weapons system accuracy. On 2 October 1992 the 6510th Test Wing, the previous Edwards test organisation, deactivated and the 412th took its place. It transitioned into an objective test wing in 1992 to enhance its mission of air vehicle development, testing, and evaluation. It has tested and evaluated both manned and unmanned aerospace vehicles for U.S. and foreign governments.
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.
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