April 26, 2023 53rd Wing completes Operational Testing of B-1B Sustainment Block-18 software The 337th Test and Evaluation Squadron completed the Field Development Evaluation (FDE) of Sustainment Block-18 (SB-18), a major software block upgrade providing new capabilities and improvements to the B-1B Lancer avionics suite, in late March, 2023.
April 11, 2023 53rd Wing uses Ex Black Flag to validate Tactical C2 capabilities for ground and air forces The 422d Test and Evaluation Squadron Command and Control (C2) Division built upon their previous work by expanding the use of a mobile C2 concept to include simultaneous operations from an airborne C-17 and a Mobile Tactical C2 vehicle during exercise Black Flag 23-1 in late February, 2023.
March 1, 2023 82nd ATRS Detachment 1 trains using QF-16 Vipers at Holloman On clear and sunny days, the orange-winged QF-16 Vipers can be seen soaring through the sky… sometimes on their way to be shot down during an exercise.
Feb. 16, 2023 29th Training Systems Squadron redesignated as 29th Test and Evaluation Squadron In order to better reflect its alignment with the 753rd Test and Evaluation Group within the 53rd Wing, the 29th Training Systems Squadron has been redesignated to the 29th Test and Evaluation Squadron, as of Feb. 16, 2023.
Jan. 30, 2023 53rd Wing’s MUSTANGS: the future of agile data capture and ACE capability The 59th Test and Evaluation Squadron hit major milestones in the development and testing of their Multi-Utilization Secure Tactical And Network Ground Station (MUSTANGS) through its recent participation in PACIFIC EDGE 22.
Jan. 12, 2023 53rd Wing unveils DoD’s newest Cyber Facility After nearly four years of construction, the Department of Defense’s newest cyber facility has been officially activated as of Jan. 10, 2023, housing the 53rd Computer Systems Squadron at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.
Dec. 12, 2022 Air Force conducts first ARRW operational prototype missile test Reached hypersonic speeds greater than five times the speed of sound, completed its flight path and detonated in the terminal area.
Nov. 23, 2022 53rd Wing A-10C pilot receives the Distinguished Flying Cross for Combat Ops Maj. Gen. R. Scott Jobe, Director of Plans, Programs, and Requirements, Headquarters Air Combat Command, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, presented Maj. Kyle "Metric" Adkison, 59th Test and Evaluation Squadron A-10C Operational Test pilot, the Distinguished Flying Cross with combat device on
Nov. 18, 2022 QRIP-equipped CAF F-35s set the stage for future Crowd-Sourced Flight Data platform integration In March 2022, the first set of U.S. Air Force operational aircraft were equipped with the Quick Reaction Instrumentation Package (QRIP), enabling the first Combat Air Forces (CAF) contribution to Crowd-Sourced Flight Data (CSFD).
Nov. 3, 2022 Joint Teams Conduct First F-22 In-Flight Tests for Aircrew CBRN Protection The U.S. Air Force conducted the first in-flight vapor purge tests on the F-22 Raptor with the support of the 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron and the 59th Test Squadron on Nellis Air Force Base from Oct. 13-21, 2022.