The 46th Test Group was a United States Air Force group active from 1992 to 2012. It was last active with the 46th Test Wing at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. The 46th Test Group was stationed as a tenant unit at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, throughout its existence. It was disbanded on July 18, 2012, and replaced by the 96th Test Group in an administrative reorganization.
History
The Group served as the Air Force’s liaison with the United States Army White Sands Missile Range (WSMR), liaising with the U.S. Army and Test Center organizations. The group provided test sponsorship for many Air Force test programs on WSMR. The group also scheduled airspace for all Air Force tests and Air Force tactical training on WSMR.
On August 1, 1970, per Air Force Systems Command Special Order G-94, the Air Force Missile Development Center at Holloman AFB was disbanded and the Tactical Air Command assumed host responsibilities for the facility. Associate units and programs transferred to other locations within Air Force Systems Command. The inactivation resulted in the loss of more than 450 military and 570 civilian positions.
The Test & Evaluation activities that remained were the Central Inertial Guidance Test Facility (CIGTF), the High Speed Test Track, the Radar Target Scatter Facility (RATSCAT), and the Target Drone Facility. These organizations were combined to form the nucleus of a Holloman AFB tenant organization, the 6585th Test Group
In 1976, the Air Force Special Weapons Center was disestablished, and the 6585th Test Group at Holloman became part of the 3246th Test Wing, Armament Development and Test Center at Eglin AFB, FL. The Group was inactivated on September 30th, 1992 as part of a reorganization, with personnel and equipment being assigned to the new 46th Test Group at Holloman, upon activation it was transferred to the 6585th's personnel, equipment and mission.
It was inactivated as a result of an organizational realignment at Eglin AFB, being replaced at Holloman by the new 96th Test Group. In turn, the 96th Test Group was itself replaced by the 704th Test Group around 2016.
Lineage
Designated as the 6585th Test Group
Activated on August 1st, 1970
Redesignated 46th Test Group on October 1st, 1992
Inactivated on July 18th, 2012
Assignments
Air Force Special Weapons Center in August 1st, 1970
Armament Development and Test Center (later, Armament Division) in October 1st, 1975 3246th Test Wing in January 1st, 1984 46th Test Wing, between October 1st, 1992 and July 18, 2012
Components
46th Guidance Test Squadron (later 746th Test Squadron), September 8, 1993 – July 18, 2012 Also known as the Central Inertial Guidance Test Facility (CIGTF), the 746 TS is the DOD's designated Responsible Test Organization (RTO) chartered to test and evaluate GPS user equipment (UE) and integrated GPS based guidance and navigation systems. In support of GPS testing, the 746th TS also manages the tri-service GPS Test Center of Expertise (COE) composed of Army, Navy, and Air Force test agencies chartered to support GPS test and evaluation initiatives.
846th Test Squadron, 1 October 1994 – 18 July 2012
Also known as the Holloman High Speed Test Track (HHSTT), the 846 TS performed rocket testing on the aerospace test facility for a wide variety of test hardware in a near operational environment. Specific advantages are: the test items are recovered for post-run analysis; the sled provides sustained linear and dynamic acceleration and velocity with superimposed, tailored vibration; and the sled track provides extremely accurate test article positioning and time correlation. Repeated tests of the same test item provide an independent evaluation of modifications made during a development program.
National Radar Cross Section Test Facility
The National Radar Cross Section Test Facility (NRTF) is the DoD facility for RCS testing. Formerly known as RATSCAT, which began measuring radar scattering in 1963, it comprises two complementary sites, Main site and RATSCAT Advanced Measurement System (RAMS). Assigned to the U.S. Air Force’s 781st Test Squadron, NRTF is located west of Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico in a rolling gypsum region of WSMR. NRTF specializes in the RCS characterization of full-scale, aerodynamic vehicles and antenna radiation pattern development. Due to its remote, secure environment, it can also accommodate customers requiring specialized testing of developmental electronics systems. NRTF products directly support weapon system development programs, vulnerability assessment studies, and mission planning efforts throughout the DoD.