96th Test Group

The 96th Test Group was a United States Air Force organization responsible for managing and operating specialized test capabilities at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, and for coordinating Air Force programs tested at White Sands Missile Range. It was established in 2012 as the successor to the 46th Test Group and was assigned to the 96th Test Wing at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, while operating as a geographically separate unit at Holloman. The group supported a broad range of aerospace and weapons testing rather than producing commercial products. Its activities included high-speed sled and rocket sled testing, ejection-seat evaluation, supersonic and hypersonic test work, navigation and guidance-system evaluation, Global Positioning System testing, radar-signature measurement, weapons-system flight testing, and liaison and scheduling support for Air Force activities at White Sands Missile Range. These functions placed the organization between laboratory experimentation and full-scale operational flight testing, providing controlled, instrumented environments for evaluating military systems. Its principal operating elements included the 586th Flight Test Squadron, the 746th Test Squadron, the 796th Test Support Squadron, the 846th Test Squadron, and detachments supporting programs at White Sands Missile Range. The 586th Flight Test Squadron conducted flight testing of guidance, laser, air-to-air, air-to-ground, long-range, and standoff weapon systems, including tests involving live warheads and the use of chase and safety aircraft. The 746th Test Squadron, also known as the Central Inertial and GPS Test Facility, served as a Department of Defense lead organization for testing GPS user equipment and integrated GPS-based guidance and navigation systems. The 846th Test Squadron operated the Holloman High Speed Test Track and supported high-speed, ejection-seat, supersonic, and hypersonic testing. The group's support and detachment functions helped users obtain range services, logistics, airspace coordination, and other infrastructure required for Air Force testing. Public descriptions of the organization reported an authorized workforce of approximately 90 military personnel, 239 civilians, and 161 contractors, with scientists, engineers, and technicians making up roughly two-thirds of the total. This composition reflected the group's technically specialized mission and its reliance on government and contractor expertise. The 96th Test Group's independent organizational existence ended during a broader realignment of test activities. On 1 December 2016, its mission, personnel, and assets were reported as having been absorbed by the 704th Test Group. The historical record also identifies the 796th and 846th Test Squadrons as continuing elements around that transition, but the 96th Test Group itself is treated as an inactive or defunct Air Force unit rather than an ongoing commercial brand.

The 96th Test Group was constituted by the United States Air Force on 18 June 2012 and activated on 1 October 2012. Its creation followed the inactivation of the 46th Test Group, whose personnel and equipment were transferred to the new organization. Although assigned to the 96th Test Wing at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida, the group operated from Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico as a geographically separate unit. The group's mission covered several specialized areas of military test and evaluation. It operated or coordinated facilities for high-speed sled testing, navigation and guidance-system testing, radar-signature measurement, and weapons flight testing. It also served as the Air Force liaison for programs using White Sands Missile Range. This made the organization a coordinating and technical hub for test programs requiring range access, specialized instrumentation, aircraft, engineering support, and safety oversight. Its subordinate structure reflected the breadth of that mission. The 586th Flight Test Squadron provided deployable support for test aircraft and evaluated guidance systems, laser systems, air-to-air and air-to-ground systems, long-range and standoff weapons, and live-warhead applications. The squadron operated modified T-38C aircraft and a C-12J configured for test support, target work, photographic duties, and safety chase operations. The 746th Test Squadron operated the Central Inertial and GPS Test Facility, which was designated as a Department of Defense lead test organization for GPS user equipment and integrated GPS-based guidance and navigation systems. It also managed a tri-service GPS Test Center of Expertise bringing together Army, Navy, and Air Force test agencies. The 846th Test Squadron operated the Holloman High Speed Test Track. The track provided a controlled and highly instrumented environment for high-speed, ejection-seat, supersonic, and hypersonic testing. Its role was to bridge the gap between laboratory testing and full-scale flight tests by reproducing selected portions of the flight environment under programmed conditions. The squadron was also identified as a Department of Defense center of expertise for ejection-seat testing and as a lead organization for supersonic-track work. The 796th Test Support Squadron and group detachments supplied additional technical, administrative, range, and operational coordination. A detachment at White Sands Missile Range sponsored Air Force programs using the range. Its duties included helping test users prepare support documentation, obtain logistics and range resources, and schedule Air Force training and mission requirements involving the 49th Fighter Wing, the 96th Test Group, and weapons-system programs. These functions were important because many test activities depended on coordinated airspace, range instrumentation, safety, and support services rather than on the group alone. The reported authorized workforce consisted of 90 military members, 239 civilian employees, and 161 contractor personnel. Approximately two-thirds were scientists, engineers, or technicians, illustrating the group's highly technical character. The group was stationed at Holloman from 1 October 2012 through 2016 and remained assigned to the 96th Test Wing during that period. On 1 December 2016, the group's mission, personnel, and assets were reported as absorbed by the 704th Test Group. This organizational change ended the 96th Test Group as a separate unit. Some subordinate capabilities and squadrons continued in related test roles, but the parent group is no longer an active Air Force organization.

• 2016

  Absorption into the 704th Test Group

  [1]96th Test Groupen.wikipedia.org

  On 1 December 2016, the group's mission, personnel, and assets were reported as absorbed by the 704th Test Group.

• 2012

  Constitution of the group

  [1]96th Test Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The 96th Test Group was constituted on 18 June 2012 as a replacement for the inactivated 46th Test Group.

• 2012

  Activation at Holloman Air Force Base

  [1]96th Test Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The group was activated on 1 October 2012 and operated from Holloman Air Force Base as a geographically separate unit assigned to the 96th Test Wing.

A specialized United States Air Force test and evaluation organization providing instrumented aerospace, weapons, navigation, and range-support capabilities for military programs.

• Test facility

  Holloman High Speed Test Track

  A specialized, instrumented track used for high-speed, rocket sled, ejection-seat, supersonic, and hypersonic testing. The facility reproduced selected portions of flight conditions in a controlled environment, supporting evaluations that sit between laboratory experiments and full-scale flight testing.

• Navigation and guidance test facility

  Central Inertial and GPS Test Facility

  The facility, operated by the 746th Test Squadron, evaluated GPS user equipment and integrated GPS-based guidance and navigation systems. It supported ground, field, and flight testing and coordinated work across Army, Navy, and Air Force test organizations.

• Flight-test service

  Weapons and guidance flight-test support

  The 586th Flight Test Squadron provided aircraft and personnel for testing guidance systems, laser systems, air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons, long-range and standoff systems, live warheads, and related target, photographic, and safety-chase activities.

• Range liaison and coordination

  White Sands Missile Range program support

  A group detachment assisted Air Force users of White Sands Missile Range with support documentation, logistics, scheduling, range resources, airspace coordination, and related requirements for training and weapons-system testing.

1. 196th Test Groupen.wikipedia.org