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U.S. Air Force

Test and Evaluation

The squadrons that test every aircraft, weapon, and system before it goes to war. From Edwards AFB flight test to Eglin weapons evaluation, T&E makes sure it works before the warfighter depends on it.

Test & Evaluation
Explore T&E Squadrons
Edwards / Eglin / Test Wings
Prove It Works Est. 1942
TEST & EVAL
EDWARDS AFB, CA
Test and Evaluation
DT / OT&E / Flight Test / Weapons Test
Edwards
AFB, California
Eglin
AFB, Florida
AFFTC
Flight Test Center
412th TW
TEST WING
Test and Evaluation squadrons prove that aircraft, weapons, and systems perform as designed before the Air Force commits them to combat. Developmental Test evaluates new systems against specifications. Operational Test and Evaluation puts systems in the hands of operational units to determine if they are effective and suitable for combat. Edwards AFB in the Mojave Desert has been the center of flight test since Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier there in 1947. Eglin AFB in Florida is the primary weapons test range. Read more
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Sound Barrier to Stealth 1947 - Present
EDWARDS
RIGHT STUFF HERITAGE
Edwards AFB Flight Test
Where Legends Are Made
1947
Sound Barrier Broken
Yeager
Chuck Yeager, X-1
X-Planes
Experimental Acft
AFFTC
FLIGHT TEST CENTER
Edwards AFB is where the Air Force tests its most advanced aircraft. Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier in the X-1 over the dry lake bed on October 14, 1947. Every major fighter, bomber, and transport aircraft has been tested at Edwards. The X-15 reached the edge of space. The F-117 stealth fighter was tested in secret. The B-2 Spirit flew its first flights from Edwards. The 412th Test Wing continues the mission, currently testing the B-21 Raider and F-35 upgrades. Read more
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EGLIN
96TH TEST WING
Eglin AFB Weapons Testing
The Biggest Weapons Range in the Free World
Eglin
AFB, Florida
96th TW
Test Wing
724 sq mi
Range Complex
Weapons
SLED TESTING
Eglin AFB operates the largest overland weapons testing range in the free world at over 724 square miles. The 96th Test Wing tests air-delivered weapons, electronic warfare systems, navigation equipment, and aircraft survivability. Every new bomb, missile, and precision guided munition is validated at Eglin before it enters the combat inventory. The 33rd Fighter Wing at Eglin is also the F-35 joint training wing. The base combines weapons testing with operational training in a unique dual mission. Read more
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Edwards
Flight Test Center
Eglin
Weapons Testing
1947
Sound Barrier
B-21
Raider Testing