46th Test Wing
Encyclopedia
The 46th Test Wing is a wing
of the United States Air Force
based out of Eglin Air Force Base
, Florida
. The wing operates as tenant unit at Holloman AFB, NM.
46th Test Group (46 TG)
46th Maintenance Group (46 MXG)
46th Range Group (46 RANG)
in 1942 and flew patrol and search missions off the Gulf of Mexico
. In late 1943 the group mission changed to replacement training until it was deactivated in May 1944.
The 46th was reactivated, replacing the 4600th Air Base Wing in March 1975, where it took over the mission of administering facilities of North American Air Defense Command (NORAD), Air Defense Command (ADC), and Army Air Defense Command (ARADCOM) located on Ent Air Force Base
, Peterson Air Force Base
, and Cheyenne Mountain
Complex, plus various other nearby off-base facilities. Although the provision of administrative and logistical support was the wing's primary mission, its flying training squadron served NORAD and ADC mission requirements and provided flying training for cadets at the United States Air Force Academy
until 1 October 1979.
The 46th replaced the 3246th Test Wing at Eglin Air Force Base
, Florida
in October 1992. It designed and performed flight and ground developmental tests with uniquely modified aircraft and facilities for conventional weapons and electronic combat systems. The wing also supported other Department of Defense
components and numerous allied nations during test and exercises and managed the largest test range in the free world.
Wing (air force unit)
Wing is a term used by different military aviation forces for a unit of command. The terms wing, group or Staffel are used for different-sized units from one country or service to another....
of the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
based out of Eglin Air Force Base
Eglin Air Force Base
Eglin Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately 3 miles southwest of Valparaiso, Florida in Okaloosa County....
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. The wing operates as tenant unit at Holloman AFB, NM.
Mission
The 46 TW Executes Developmental Test and Evaluation Enabling the Warfighter to put Weapons on Target in all Battlespace MediaSubordinate Organizations
46th Operations Group (46 OG)46th Test Group (46 TG)
46th Maintenance Group (46 MXG)
46th Range Group (46 RANG)
Lineage
- Established as 46th Bombardment Group (Light) on 20 November 1940
- Activated on 15 January 1941
- Disestablished on 1 May 1944
- Reestablished, and consolidated (31 January 1984) with the 46th Aerospace Defense Wing, which was established on 10 February 1975
- Activated on 15 March 1975
- Inactivated on 1 April 1983
- Redesignated 46th Test Wing on 24 September 1992
- Activated on 1 October 1992.
Assignments
- Air Force Combat Command, 15 January 1941
- V Air Support Command (later, Ninth Air Force)Ninth Air ForceThe Ninth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force's Air Combat Command . It is headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina....
, 1 September 1941 - Third Air ForceThird Air ForceThe Third Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Forces in Europe . It is headquartered at Ramstein Air Base, Germany....
, 18 April 1942 - XII Bomber CommandXII Bomber CommandThe XII Bomber Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Twelfth Air Force, based in Corsica, France...
, 2 May 1942 - III Bomber CommandIII Bomber CommandThe III Bomber Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Third Air Force stationed at MacDill Field, Florida. It was inactivated on 8 April 1946.-Lineage:...
, 8 May 1942 - Second Air ForceSecond Air ForceThe Second Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Air Education and Training Command . It is headquartered at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi....
, c. 8 July 1942 - I Ground Air Support Command, c. 10 November 1942
- III Air Support CommandIII Air Support CommandThe III Air Support Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Third Air Force stationed at Drew Field, Florida. It was inactivated on 16 March 1942.-Lineage:...
, 25 January 1943 - III Bomber CommandIII Bomber CommandThe III Bomber Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Third Air Force stationed at MacDill Field, Florida. It was inactivated on 8 April 1946.-Lineage:...
, 6 August 1943-1 May 1944 - Aerospace Defense CommandAerospace Defense CommandAerospace Defense Command is an inactive United States Air Force Major Command. Established in 1946 under the United States Army Air Forces, its mission was to organize and administer the integrated air defense system of the Continental United States , exercise direct control of all active...
, 15 March 1975 - 4th Air Division, 1 October 1979-1 April 1983
- Air Force Development Test Center (later, Air Armament Center), 1 October 1992–present
Components
- 46th Operations Group: 8 September 1993–present
- 8th Reconnaissance (later, 87th Bombardment) Squadron: 15 January 1941-1 May 1944
- 40th Test Squadron40th Flight Test SquadronThe 40th Flight Test Squadron is a United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 46th Operations Group, based at Eglin AFB, Florida.-Lineage:...
: 1 October 1992-8 September 1993 - 46th Flying Training Squadron: 15 March 1975-1 October 1979
- 46th Weather Squadron: 1 October 1992-8 September 1993
- 50th Bombardment Squadron50th Fighter-Bomber SquadronThe 50th Fighter-Bomber Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 319th Fighter-Bomber Group. It was last stationed at New Orleans NAS, Louisiana, and was inactivated on 16 November 1957-History:...
: 15 January 1941-1 May 1944 - 51st Bombardment Squadron51st Bombardment SquadronThe 51st Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 68th Bombardment Wing. It was inactivated at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina on 30 September 1982.-History:...
: 15 January 1941-1 May 1944 - 53d Bombardment Squadron: 15 January 1941-1 May 1944
Stations
- SavannahHunter Army AirfieldHunter Army Airfield , located in Savannah, Georgia, United States, is a military airfield and subordinate installation to Fort Stewart.Hunter features a runway that is 11,375 feet long and an aircraft parking area that is more than 350 acres...
, GeorgiaGeorgia (U.S. state)Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, 15 January 1941 - Bowman Field, KentuckyKentuckyThe Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, 20 May 1941 - Barksdale Field, LouisianaLouisianaLouisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, 2 February 1942 - Galveston AirportGalveston AirportGalveston Airport is a public-use airport in unincorporated Cass County, Indiana, United States. The airport is located three nautical miles northwest of the central business district of Galveston, Indiana.-Facilities:...
, TexasTexasTexas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, 1 April 1942 - Blythe Army Air Base, CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, 23 May 1942 - Will Rogers Army Airfield, OklahomaOklahomaOklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, 10 November 1942 - Drew Field, FloridaFloridaFlorida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, 9 October 1943 - Morris Field, North CarolinaNorth CarolinaNorth Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, 6 November 1943-1 May 1944 - Peterson Field (later, AFB), ColoradoColoradoColorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, 15 March 1975-1 April 1983 - Eglin AFB, FloridaFloridaFlorida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, 1 October 1992–present
Aircraft and Launch Vehicles Operated
- A-20 HavocDouglas DB-7The Douglas A-20/DB-7 Havoc was a family of American attack, light bomber and night fighter aircraft of World War II, that served with several Allied air forces, principally those of the Soviet Union, United Kingdom, and United States. The DB-7 was also used by the air forces of Australia, South...
(1941–1944) - B-25 MitchellB-25 MitchellThe North American B-25 Mitchell was an American twin-engined medium bomber manufactured by North American Aviation. It was used by many Allied air forces, in every theater of World War II, as well as many other air forces after the war ended, and saw service across four decades.The B-25 was named...
(1944) - C-118 LiftmasterDouglas DC-6The Douglas DC-6 is a piston-powered airliner and transport aircraft built by the Douglas Aircraft Company from 1946 to 1958. Originally intended as a military transport near the end of World War II, it was reworked after the war to compete with the Lockheed Constellation in the long-range...
(1975) - C-131 SamaritanC-131 SamaritanThe Convair C-131 Samaritan was an American military transport produced from 1954 to 1956. It is the military version of the Convair CV-240.-Design and development:...
(1975) - T-33 Shooting StarT-33 Shooting StarThe Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star is an American-built jet trainer aircraft. It was produced by Lockheed and made its first flight in 1948, piloted by Tony LeVier. The T-33 was developed from the Lockheed P-80/F-80 starting as TP-80C/TF-80C in development, then designated T-33A. It was used by the...
(1975–1979) - T-37 TweetCessna T-37The Cessna T-37 Tweet is a small, economical twin-engine jet trainer-attack type aircraft which flew for decades as a primary trainer for the United States Air Force and in the air forces of several other nations...
(1975–1979) - T-39 Sabreliner (1975)
- U-4Aero Commander (aircraft)The Aero Commander 500 is the first in a series of light-twin piston-engined aircraft originally built by the Aero Design and Engineering Company in the late 1940s. In 1950 it became the Aero Commander company, and a division of Rockwell International from 1965. The initial production version was...
(1975–1979) - UH-1 IroquoisUH-1 IroquoisThe Bell UH-1 Iroquois is a military helicopter powered by a single, turboshaft engine, with a two-bladed main rotor and tail rotor. The helicopter was developed by Bell Helicopter to meet the United States Army's requirement for a medical evacuation and utility helicopter in 1952, and first flew...
(1992 – present) - C-130 HerculesC-130 HerculesThe Lockheed C-130 Hercules is a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built originally by Lockheed, now Lockheed Martin. Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was originally designed as a troop, medical evacuation, and cargo transport...
(1992 – present) - F-111 AardvarkGeneral Dynamics F-111The General Dynamics F-111 "Aardvark" was a medium-range interdictor and tactical strike aircraft that also filled the roles of strategic bomber, reconnaissance, and electronic warfare in its various versions. Developed in the 1960s by General Dynamics, it first entered service in 1967 with the...
(1992–1995) - RF-4F-4 Phantom IIThe McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is a tandem two-seat, twin-engined, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor fighter/fighter-bomber originally developed for the United States Navy by McDonnell Aircraft. It first entered service in 1960 with the U.S. Navy. Proving highly adaptable,...
(1992–1993) - F-15 EagleF-15 EagleThe McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle is a twin-engine, all-weather tactical fighter designed by McDonnell Douglas to gain and maintain air superiority in aerial combat. It is considered among the most successful modern fighters with over 100 aerial combat victories with no losses in dogfights...
(1992 – present) - F-16 Falcon (1992 – present)
- A-10 Thunderbolt IIA-10 Thunderbolt IIThe Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II is an American single-seat, twin-engine, straight-wing jet aircraft developed by Fairchild-Republic in the early 1970s. The A-10 was designed for a United States Air Force requirement to provide close air support for ground forces by attacking tanks,...
(1996 – present)
Operations
The 46th participated in anti-submarine warfareAnti-submarine warfare
Anti-submarine warfare is a branch of naval warfare that uses surface warships, aircraft, or other submarines to find, track and deter, damage or destroy enemy submarines....
in 1942 and flew patrol and search missions off the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
. In late 1943 the group mission changed to replacement training until it was deactivated in May 1944.
The 46th was reactivated, replacing the 4600th Air Base Wing in March 1975, where it took over the mission of administering facilities of North American Air Defense Command (NORAD), Air Defense Command (ADC), and Army Air Defense Command (ARADCOM) located on Ent Air Force Base
Ent Air Force Base
Ent Air Force Base was a United States Air Force facility opened in 1951 on the site of a closed sanatorium in conjunction with the move of the United States Air Force's Air Defense Command, later Aerospace Defense Command , to Colorado Springs, Colorado...
, Peterson Air Force Base
Peterson Air Force Base
Peterson Air Force Base is a base of the United States Air Force located at Colorado Springs in El Paso County, Colorado, United States and it provides runways for the adjacent City of Colorado Springs Municipal Airport under a shared joint civil-military airport arrangement...
, and Cheyenne Mountain
Cheyenne Mountain
Cheyenne Mountain is a mountain located just outside the southwest side of Colorado Springs, Colorado, U.S., and is home to the Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station and its Cheyenne Mountain Directorate, formerly known as the Cheyenne Mountain Operations Center .Throughout the Cold War and...
Complex, plus various other nearby off-base facilities. Although the provision of administrative and logistical support was the wing's primary mission, its flying training squadron served NORAD and ADC mission requirements and provided flying training for cadets at the United States Air Force Academy
United States Air Force Academy
The United States Air Force Academy is an accredited college for the undergraduate education of officer candidates for the United States Air Force. Its campus is located immediately north of Colorado Springs in El Paso County, Colorado, United States...
until 1 October 1979.
The 46th replaced the 3246th Test Wing at Eglin Air Force Base
Eglin Air Force Base
Eglin Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately 3 miles southwest of Valparaiso, Florida in Okaloosa County....
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
in October 1992. It designed and performed flight and ground developmental tests with uniquely modified aircraft and facilities for conventional weapons and electronic combat systems. The wing also supported other Department of Defense
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
components and numerous allied nations during test and exercises and managed the largest test range in the free world.