46th Test Wing

46th Test Wing

F-35 on display during its first visit to Eglin and the 46th Test Wing
Active 1941—1944, 1975-1982, 1992-2012
Country  United States
Branch  United States Air Force
Role Developmental Test and Evaluation
Part of Air Force Material Command
Motto Custos Libertate Latin (Guardians of Liberty) 1942-1944
Support 1975-1983
Proof by Trial 1993-2012
Decorations AFOUA
Insignia
46th Test Wing emblem (approved 9 December 1993)[1]

The 46th Test Wing is an inactive wing of the United States Air Force last based at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. The wing's 46th Test Group was a tenant unit at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico.

The wing's history dates from 1941, when the Army Air Forces (AAF) activated the 46th Bombardment Group. The group served in the early period of the United States' involvement in World War II flying antisubmarine missions over the Gulf of Mexico. It then served as a training unit until being disbanded in 1944 in a general reorganization of AAF units.

The 46th Aerospace Defense Wing replaced the 4600th Air Base Wing to provide administrative an logistic support to headquarters elements of Air Defense Command and North American Air Defense Command at Ent Air Force Base, Peterson Air Force Base, and the Cheyenne Mountain Complex. It was inactivated in 1983.

The wing and group were consolidated into a single unit in 1984, but remained inactive until 1992, when the consolidated unit was activated at Eglin as the 46th Test Wing. The wing managed test and development at Eglin and at Holloman until 2012 when its functions were combined with those of the 96th Air Base Wing in a reorganization of Air Force Materiel Command.

Mission

The wing executed developmental test and evaluation for Air Force air-delivered weapons, navigation, and guidance systems, command and control systems and Air Force special operations systems.[2]

History

The 87th Bombardment Squadron

World War II

The wing was activated as the 46th Bombardment Group (Light) and in 1941, equipped with Douglas A-20 Havoc aircraft.[3] Its operational squadrons were the 50th,[4] 51st,[5] and 53d Bombardment Squadrons,[6] and the 8th Reconnaissance Squadron.[7] Shortly after activation in 1941, the 8th Reconnaissance Sq mission changed and it became the 87th Bombardment Squadron.[7] The 46th participated in maneuvers, including desert maneuvers,[8] and flew anti-submarine warfare patrol and search missions over the Gulf of Mexico in early 1942.[3] It also served as an operational training unit,[3] which involved the use of an oversized parent unit to provide cadres for "satellite groups."[9] In late 1943 the group mission changed to replacement training of individual pilots and aircrews (RTU).[3][9] Just before disbanding, the group began to convert to North American B-25 Mitchells.[4][5][6][7] In 1944, the group was disbanded and its personnel, equipment and functions transferred to the 333d AAF Base Unit (Replacement Training Unit, Light Bombardment)[10] at Morris Field in a major reorganization of the Army Air Forces in which RTUs were disbanded and training activities given to base units.[11]

Cold War

Patch with 46th Aerospace Defense Wing emblem

In March 1975, 46th Aerospace Defense Wing was activated to replace the 4600th Air Base Wing at Peterson Field, where it took over the personnel, equipment, and of the 4600th and its mission of administering facilities of North American Air Defense Command (NORAD), Aerospace Defense Command (ADC), and Army Air Defense Command (ARADCOM) located on Ent Air Force Base, Peterson Air Force Base, and the Cheyenne Mountain Complex, plus various other nearby off-base facilities,[12] which the 4600th wing had been performing from Ent Air Force Base, then from Peterson Field since April 1958.[13] Despite its name, the wing was a "disguised" air base wing.[14] Although the provision of administrative and logistics 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,[12] when ADC was inactivated and the wing transferred to the 4th Air Division of Strategic Air Command.[1] In April 1983, the 46th was inactivated and replaced by the 1st Space Wing.[15]

Test Operations

The 46th was redesignated as the 46th Test Wing and replaced the 3246th Test Wing at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida in October 1992.[1] It designed and performed flight and ground developmental tests with uniquely modified aircraft and facilities for conventional weapons and electronic combat systems.[1] 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.[1] Weapons systems recently tested by the wing include the Small Diameter Bomb, Terminal High Altitude Area Defense System, Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile, Target Void Sensing Fuze, Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM), and the Trident Intercontinental Ballistic Missile.[16] The wing worked closely with the 53d Wing of Air Combat Command, which performed operational testing of many of the same weapons systems.[16]

In February 2012, the wing relocated its UH-1N helicopters from Eglin to Duke Field in anticipation of a 250 percent increase in helicopter developmental test programs.[17] The wing mission transferred to the 96th Air Base Wing, which was redesignated as the 96th Test Wing on 18 July 2012.[18] The 46th Test Wing was subsequently inactivated on 1 October 2012.

Lineage

Bombardment Group

Activated on 15 January 1941[3]
Disbanded on 1 May 1944[3]

Wing

Activated on 15 March 1975[12]
Inactivated on 1 April 1983[12]
Activated on 1 October 1992.[1]
Inactivated on 1 October 2012

Assignments

Components

Groups

Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico

Operational Squadrons

  • 8th Reconnaissance Squadron (later, 87th Bombardment Squadron): 15 January 1941 – 1 May 1944
  • 40th Test Squadron: 1 October 1992 - 8 September 1993[21]
  • 46th Flying Training Squadron: 15 March 1975 - 1 October 1979[1]
  • 50th Bombardment Squadron: 15 January 1941 – 1 May 1944
  • 51st Bombardment Squadron: 15 January 1941 – 1 May 1944
  • 53d Bombardment Squadron: 15 January 1941 – 1 May 1944

Support Units

  • 46th Civil Engineering Squadron: 15 March 1975 - 1 April 1983[22]
  • 46th Consolidated Aircraft Maintenance Squadron: 15 March 1975 - 1 November 1981[22]
  • 46th Security Police Squadron: 15 March 1975 - 1 April 1983[22]
  • 46th Supply Squadron: 15 March 1975 - 1 April 1983[22]
  • 46th Transportation Squadron: 15 March 1975 - 1 April 1983[22]
  • 46th Weather Squadron: 1 October 1992 - 8 September 1993[1]
  • USAF Clinic, Peterson: 15 March 1975 - 1 April 1983[22]

Stations

Aircraft and Launch Vehicles Operated

Awards and campaign

Award streamer Award Dates Notes
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 July 1975–30 June 197746th Aerospace Defense Wing[12]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 July 1977–30 June 197946th Aerospace Defense Wing[12]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 October 1992-31 December 199246th Test Wing[1][24]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 January 1992–31 December 199346th Test Wing[1]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 January 1994–31 December 199446th Test Wing[1]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 January 1995–31 December 199546th Test Wing[1]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 January 1997–31 December 199746th Test Wing[1]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 January 1998–31 December 199946th Test Wing[1]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 January 2001–31 December 200146th Test Wing[1]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 January 2002–31 December 200246th Test Wing[1]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 January 2000–31 December 200046th Test Wing[1]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 January 2003–31 December 200346th Test Wing[1]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 January 2004–31 December 200446th Test Wing[1]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 January 2005–31 December 200546th Test Wing[1]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 January 2006–31 December 200646th Test Wing[1]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 January 2008-31 December 200846th Test Wing[16]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 January 2010 - 31 December 201046th Test Wing[16]
Campaign Streamer Campaign Dates Notes
Antisubmarine7 December 1941-23 May 4246th Bombardment Group[3]

Unit Emblems

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 Robertson, Patsy (2008-09-22). "Factsheet 46 Test Wing (AFMC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved June 26, 2012.
  2. ↑ 46th Test Wing Home Page
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. pp. 104–105. ISBN 0-912799-02-1.
  4. 1 2 Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. pp. 214–215. ISBN 0-405-12194-6.
  5. 1 2 Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p.227
  6. 1 2 Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp.220-221
  7. 1 2 3 Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 299
  8. ↑ Abstract, History of 46th Bomb Gp 1941-1944. Retrieved June 26, 2012
  9. 1 2 Craven, Wesley F & Cate, James L, ed. (1955). "Introduction". The Army Air Forces in World War II. VI, Men & Planes. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press. p. xxxvi. LCCN 48003657.
  10. ↑ See Abstract, History of Morris Field, 1940-1944. Retrieved June 26, 2012
  11. ↑ Maurer, Combat Units, p. 7
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947-1977 (PDF). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. p. 75. ISBN 0-912799-12-9.
  13. ↑ Abstract, History of 4600th Air Base Wg, Jan-Jun 1971. Retrieved June 26, 2012
  14. ↑ Ravenstein, p. viii
  15. ↑ Abstract, History of 46th Aerospace Def Wg, Jan-Mar 1983. Retrieved 26 June 2012
  16. 1 2 3 4 Eglin AFB Press Release, "46th Test Wing garners Air Force award", 12 December 2011. Retrieved June 28, 2012
  17. ↑ DOD Housing Network News Story, The 46th Test Wing’s Hueys relocated to Eglin’s Duke Field, 6 Mar 2012. Retrieved June 26, 2012
  18. ↑ AFMC Press Release, "AFMC Prepares for 5-Center Transition", 19 June 2012. Retrieved June 26, 2012
  19. ↑ AFHRA Factsheet, 46th Operations Group. Retrieved June 26, 2012
  20. ↑ AFHRA Factsheet, 46th Test Group. Retrieved June 26, 2012
  21. ↑ AFHRA Factsheet, 40th Flight Test Squadron. Retrieved June 26, 2012
  22. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Mueller, Robert (1989). Air Force Bases, Vol. I, Active Air Force Bases Within the United States of America on 17 September 1982 (PDF). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. p. 474. ISBN 0-912799-53-6.
  23. ↑ Wilson, Art (2008). Runways in the Sand. Blythe, California: Art Wilson. p. 128. ISBN 978-0-615-21889-2. OCLC 316309702. LCC D769.85.C21 B598 2008
  24. ↑ This was a shared award with 3246th Test Wing

Bibliography

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.

External links

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