Air Proving Ground Command | |
---|---|
Active | 1942–2012 |
Country | United States |
Branch | United States Air Force |
Role | Test and Development |
Garrison/HQ | Eglin Field, later Eglin AFB, Florida |
Insignia | |
Air Proving Ground Command emblem |
The Army Air Forces Proving Ground Command (AAF PGC) was the primary testing command of the United States Army Air Forces (1946-47), and then the United States Air Force (1947-57).
In March 1946, the Army Air Forces Center was redesignated the AAF PGC, adding the responsibilities of a similarly named organization in June, when it moved to Eglin Field, Florida. It became the Army Air Forces' (later the United States Air Force's) primary testing command (except for a brief period in 1948, when it was part of Air Materiel Command) until 1957. In 1957 the PGC was redesignated the Air Proving Ground Center and re-assigned to Air Research and Development Command (ARDC). The APGC continued its mission thereafter as part of the ARDC.
From 27 October 1942, the School of Applied Tactics, later the AAF Tactical Center and then the AAF Center, was stationed at Orlando Army Air Base, Florida. The Centre was redesignated the AAF PGC on 8 March 1946 and, the same day, re-stationed to Eglin Field (later Air Force Base), Florida. It remained at Eglin AFB thereafter.
On 1 October 1998, the Air Force Development Test Center, as it had become, was redesignated the Air Armament Center.[1] The Air Armament Center continued to carry out its tasks until it was inactivated on 1 October 2012.