Air Force Test Center

Air Force Test Center
Headquarters, Air Force Test Center, Edwards AFB, California
Active25 June 1951 – Present
CountryUnited States
BranchUnited States Air Force
RoleFlight Test
Part ofAir Force Materiel Command
Garrison/HQEdwards Air Force Base
Motto(s)Ad Inexplorata
"Toward the Unexplored"
Websitewww.aftc.af.mil
Commanders
Current
commander
Maj Gen Scott A. Cain
Insignia
Air Force Test Center emblem

The Air Force Test Center (AFTC) is a development and test organization of the United States Air Force. It conducts research, development, test, and evaluation of aerospace systems from concept to deployment. It has test flown every aircraft in the Army Air Force's and the Air Force's inventory since World War II. The center employs nearly 13,000 people, and controls the second largest base in the Air Force.[1]

On 6 July 2012, the previous Air Force Flight Test Center (AFFTC) was redesignated as the Air Force Test Center (AFTC).[2] Up until July 2012, the AFTC consisted of two subordinate wings. The 95th Air Base Wing (95 ABW) provided installation support for all units on Edwards Air Force Base while the 412th Test Wing (412 TW) conducted aircraft testing and evaluation at Edwards. In July 2012, the redesignated 96th Test Wing (96 TW), an amalgamation of the former 96th Air Base Wing, the former 46th Test Wing and the former Air Armament Center at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, and the Arnold Engineering Development Complex at Arnold Air Force Base, Tennessee, also came under control of the AFTC.

  1. ^ "AFFTC Fact Sheet". Archived from the original on 2 June 2008. Retrieved 22 January 2009.
  2. ^ "AFFTC to be re-designated as Air Force Test Center". U.S. Air Force. 8 July 2012. Archived from the original on 11 July 2012. Retrieved 19 April 2022.