96th Test Group
| 96th Test Group | |
|---|---|
 96th Test Group - Emblem | |
| Active | 2012-Present |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | United States Air Force |
| Role | Operational Testing |
The 96th Test Group is a United States Air Force unit, based at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico. It is a Geographically Separated Unit (GSU), assigned to the 96th Test Wing, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida.
Mission
The Test Group's mission is to operate world-class test facilities for high speed sled track testing, navigation and guidance system testing, radar signature measurements, weapon systems flight testing, and Air Force Liaison for all AF programs tested at White Sands Missile Range (WSMR).
Units
- 586th Flight Test Squadron
- Provides deployable operational support for test aircraft staging out of Holloman AFB. The squadron flight tests guidance systems, laser systems, air-to-air/air-to-ground systems, long-range and standoff weapons, live warheads, and provides target and photo/safety chase. It operates three highly modified AT-38B and one C-12J aircraft equipped to support a wide variety of flight test operations.
- 746th Test Squadron
- Also known as the Central Inertial and GPS Test Facility (CIGTF), is the DoD's designated lead test organization chartered to test and evaluate Global Positioning System (GPS) user equipment (UE) and integrated GPS based guidance and navigation systems. To this end, the 746 TS manages the tri-service GPS Test Center of Expertise (COE) comprised of Army, Navy, and Air Force test agencies chartered to support GPS test and evaluation initiatives. With over 40 years of experience, CIGTF has established itself as a leader in Inertial, GPS, and blended GPS/Inertial component and system testing. In addition, CIGTF's inclusive ground, field, and flight-testing capabilities offer the customer a cost-effective means to evaluate their guidance and navigation systems.
- 781st Test Squadron
- Operates the Nationat Radar Cross Section Test Facility (NRTF)
- 796th Test Support Squadron
- 846th Test Squadron - Rocket Sled Tests to include:
- High Speed Tests
- Ejection Seat Tests
- Supersonic Track Tests
- Hypersonic Tests
- The Squadron operates the Holloman High Speed Test Track (HHSTT) which simulates selected portions of the flight environment under accurately programmed and instrumented conditions. This capability fills the gap between laboratory investigations and full scale flight tests. The squadron is also DoD's "Center of Expertise" for all ejection seat testing and the lead facility for all supersonic tracks
- Det 1, 96th TG - All Air Force testing at White Sands Missile Range
- Det 2, 96th TG
Lineage
Assignments
Stations
References
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency