DET 3

OPERATIONS GROUP

I HAVE IT

I HAVE IT

I HAVE IT

SPECIAL PROJECTS

FLIGHT TEST SQUADRON

SPECIAL PROJECTS

FLIGHT TEST SQUADRON

I HAVE IT

I HAVE IT

C.I.A.  U-2

I HAVE IT

NO KNOWN PATCHES FOR PROGRAM

I HAVE IT

I HAVE IT

I HAVE IT

RED EAGLES

WHITE STAR

RED EAGLES

BLACK  STAR

RED EAGLES

WHITE STAR

THANKS BILL Z

I HAVE IT

In May 1980 ? The 4477th TEF was redesignated the 4477th Test and Evaluation Squadron (TES) under command of the 57th Fighter Weapons Wing. In August of that year the squadron was placed under the command and control of the Deputy Commander, Tactics and Test, 57th FWW (57FWW/DT).

In September 1985, the 4477th TES was reassigned under the command and control of the Deputy Commander, Adversary Tactics, 57th FWW (57FWW/AT).

In March 1988, Project CONSTANT PEG was discontinued due to budget cuts but the 4477th TES was not inactivated until July 1990. Remaining assets were reconstituted as Detachment 2 of the 57th FWW. (It became DET 2, 57FW in October 1991 and DET 2, 57th WG in April 1993)
 

6513d TEST SQUADRON

SPECIAL PROJECTS FLIGHT TEST SQUADRON

6513d TEST SQUADRON

SPECIAL PROJECTS FLIGHT TEST SQUADRON

Thanks Bill Z

57th WING based at Nellis AFB

But DET-2 Operates Off location

TONAPAH

ex DET-2    57 FW

TONAPAH

LOW OBSERVABLES FIGHT TEST

"BIRD OF PREY"

YF-118G

TRI-SERVICE STANDOFF ATTACK MISSILE 

TSSAM CRUISE MISSILE

I HAVE IT

??????

?????

?????

 DEMONSTRATOR ??

FOLLOW ON PROGRAM FROM THE YF-24

I HAVE IT

ORIGINAL HAVE BLUE TEAM DECAL

Thanks PM

F-117A NIGHTHAWK

PS-33 / PS-88

The United States Air Force, at the beginning of the F-117 program, had an acquisition command (Air Force Systems Command) and a support command (Air Force Logistics Command).  The F-117 program was begun by AFSC using a carve-out System Program Office (SPO) established within the Aeronautical Systems Center (ASC) at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio.  At an early date in the program’s development, AFLC was brought in by including a few individuals who worked in Detachment 6, 2762d Logistics Support Squadron (SP), under the HQ AFLC/AZ Special Projects Office, located at WPAFB, OH.  Det 6, located at Norton AFB, CA, (PS-33) provided critical logistics support for the SR-71.  Even though the SR-71 was no longer a strictly black program, Det 6 provided a handy cover for AFLC’s participation in the program, plus a pool of logistics specialists, with black program experience and the required security clearances, who were familiar with the Lockheed Skunk Works and who were located in close proximity to Lockheed’s Burbank plant.

This began a transitional period for the AFLC participants in the program.  Plans were soon made to move the support work to McClellan AFB (PS-88) and close the Detachment, so a gradual transfer of responsibility was begun.  As SM-ALC/QLA’s capability grew and as Detachment incumbents departed for other jobs, work was transferred to McClellan AFB employees performing temporary duty at Norton AFB.  Finally, the people and warehouse assets were moved to McClellan in June-July 1985 and the Detachment was deactivated.

As the F-117A program gained momentum in the early 1980’s, the USAF made plans to “normalize” future support within the AF Logistics Command structure.  While being a “black” program would probably never permit a support structure parallel to that for F-15s for F-111s, Sacramento Air Logistics Center was tasked in late 1983/early 1984 to prepare to take on full logistics and management responsibility for support of the F-117A.  By fall of 1984, Sacramento item managers were sitting beside their Norton AFB Det 6 counterparts in what had become Det 51 of McClellan AFB.  Similarly, warehousing personnel began preparing to move the entire program inventory from Norton AFB to McClellan AFB.  Of course, this was all being done “in the black” by Sacramento personnel assigned to QL, a new directorate tasked with “specialized management” of tasks assigned by the ALC commander.

PS-77

A depot was established in 1984 to accomplish repairs and install modifications on the aircraft.  This depot, first located in Lockheed’s Palmdale Plant 10 (PS-77), eventually took the place of Lockheed Depot Field Teams performing the depot work on site at PS-66.  Half of an existing Lockheed hangar, Building 602, was secured, and appropriate fencing was installed around it, including a taxiway gate to allow C-5s into the vicinity of the building for loading and unloading.  This enabled the concept of Compatibility Updates (CU’s) to be implemented, in which an attempt was made to create blocks of aircraft having the same or similar configurations.

The articles (F-117s) were moved to and from the depot by C-5 under the cloak of darkness, in order to maintain program security.  This meant that the aircraft had to be defueled, disassembled, cradled, and then loaded aboard the C-5, flown to the depot, and unloaded before the real work could begin.  Of course, this meant that the reverse actions had to occur at the end of the depot work before the article could be reassembled, flight-tested, and redelivered to the operating Group.

BLUE STREAK

SYSTEM PROGRAM OFFICE

Activated Oct 1979

Activated June 11th 1981

Activated July 15th 1981

Activated Oct 15th 1979

A-7

OTHERS

EMBLEM SEEN ON VEHICLES 2009

Linked to a Program?

WANTED

RQ-170 

30th Reconnaissance Squadron 

Tonopah Test 
Range, Nev

RQ-170 

30th Reconnaissance Squadron 

Tonopah Test 
Range, Nev

Based at EDWARDS AFB , NORTH BASE but carries out Classified work at Operating Locations like Tonopah Test Range and Groom Lake.

ADVANCED PROGRAMS

VINDICATOR