40th Flight Test Squadron
3247th Test Squadron F-16A Fighting Falcon[note 1]
Active1940–1970; 1971–1982; --present
Country United States
Branch United States Air Force
RoleFlight Testing
Part ofAir Force Materiel Command
Nickname(s)Fighting Fortieth (1959–1982)
EngagementsSouthwest Pacific Theater
Korean War[1]
DecorationsDistinguished Unit Citation
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
Philippine Presidential Unit Citation
Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation[1]
Insignia
40th Flight Test Squadron emblem[note 2][1]
40th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron emblem[note 3][2]40 Fighter-Interceptor Sq emblem
40th Pursuit Squadron emblem[note 4][1][3]

The 40th Flight Test Squadron is a United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 96th Operations Group, based at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida.

History

40th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron Convair TF-102A-45-CO Delta Dagger 56-2360, Johnson AB, Japan, 1963

"Combat in Southwest and Western Pacific, 2 June 1942 – 14 August 1945. Served in the occupation force in Japan, 1945–1950. Combat in Korea, 8 July 1950 – 25 May 1951. Air defense in Japan and Korea, June 1951 – June 1965. Trained cadres for transfer to Southeast Asia, 1966–1969. Not manned, 10 May 1969 – 15 October 1970 and 1 June 1972 – 30 April 1982."[1]

Conducted test and evaluation missions, using the various aircraft, 1982–present.

In 2022, the squadron added the Kratos XQ-58A Valkyrie to its inventory. This semi-autonomous unmanned aerial vehicle is capable of determining an optimal mission flight path based on inputs from ground stations or airborne fighter aircraft. Testing will be led by the Autonomous Aircraft Experimentation Team.[4]

Lineage

40th Tactical Fighter Squadron
  • Constituted as the 40th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) on 22 December 1939
Activated on 1 February 1940
Redesignated 40th Fighter Squadron on 15 May 1942
Redesignated 40th Fighter Squadron, Single Engine on 20 August 1943
Redesignated 40th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron on 20 January 1950
Redesignated 40th Tactical Fighter Squadron on 20 June 1965
Inactivated on 15 October 1970
  • Activated on 1 October 1971
Inactivated on 30 April 1982
  • Consolidated with the 3247th Test Squadron on 1 October 1992 as the 40th Flight Test Squadron[1]
40th Flight Test Squadron
  • Designated as the 3247th Test Squadron and activated on 25 June 1982
  • Consolidated with the 40th Tactical Fighter Squadron as the 40th Test Squadron on 1 October 1992
Redesignated 40th Flight Test Squadron on 15 March 1994[1]

Assignments

Stations

Aircraft

See also

References

Notes

Explanatory notes
  1. Aircraft is General Dynamics F-16A block 15 serial 80-573 armed with an AIM-9 Sidewinder missile and a cluster weapon on 12 May 1986. This aircraft now on display at USAF Armament Museum at Eglin AFB.
  2. Approved 27 July 1983.
  3. Approved 9 July 1959.
  4. Approved 19 June 1941.
Citations
  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Factsheet 40 Flight Test Squadron". Air Force Historical Research Agency. 11 December 2007. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
  2. Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 187-188
  3. Hubbard, p. 720
  4. 1 2 Helfrich, Emma (11 November 2022). "XQ-58A Valkyrie Drone Has Joined Eglin Air Force Base's Test Wing". The Warzone. Retrieved 12 November 2022.
  5. Assignment information in Factsheet, 40 Flight Test Squadron, except as noted.
  6. Haulman, Daniel L. (4 December 2017). "Factsheet 96 Operations Group (AFMC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 1 March 2018.
  7. Station information in Fact Sheet 40 Flight Test Squadron excpt as noted.
  8. AirForces Monthly. Stamford, Lincolnshire, England: Key Publishing Ltd. May 2021. p. 7.

Bibliography

Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

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