EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- In order to better reflect its alignment with the 753rd Test and Evaluation Group within the 53rd Wing, the 29th Training Systems Squadron has been redesignated to the 29th Test and Evaluation Squadron, as of Feb. 16, 2023.
The renaming recognizes the organization’s primary mission of conducting Operational Test and Evaluation (OT&E) of Combat Air Forces (CAF) and Bomber Air Forces (BAF) aircrew training devices, both outside and within the synthetic environment. Additionally, they are the sole COMBAT FORGE Weapons Systems Evaluation Program executing unit.
“The 29th has redesignated seven times in its 105-year history as the national security landscape changed and new focus was required,” said Lt. Col. David Clementi, 29th TES commander. “Thanks to the selfless effort of countless Airmen, this redesignation is the beginning of an important chapter in the squadron’s involvement in the development and fielding of a common synthetic test and training environment.”
The 29th TES will be the designated operational test agent for Air Combat Command and Air Force Global Strike Command Simulator Certifications (SIMCERT) and Simulator Validations (SIMVAL).
The SIMCERT is an operational test of the training device to assess concurrency, fidelity, and interoperability in an operationally realistic environment. It assesses major systems, instructor functions, brief/debrief performance, interoperability, and ultimately aims to provide a recommendation for accreditation of Ready Aircrew Program (RAP) missions and events as well as instrument and emergency procedures.
The SIMVAL is a significantly more detailed technical evaluation process, categorized as a "major system" operational assessment of the Computer-Generated Forces mission environment and of all interfaces comprising the Major Weapon(s) System (MWS) Training Systems (TS).
“The only way we can accelerate test and get to the future faster for the warfighter is to be more agile and integrated,” said Col. James Dailey, 753rd Test and Evaluation Group commander. “As such, we must organize in ways that maximize our limited resources so that we can achieve our vision of integrated operational test of our weapon systems, as opposed to operational tests conducted in isolation. This is one of our first steps towards achieving this vision.”
Within the 53rd Wing, all squadrons whose primary mission is OT&E are designated as Test and Evaluation Squadrons. Redesignating the 29th TSS to the 29th TES reflects the true nature of the squadron’s operational test and evaluation mission across all synthetic environments.
“The future of high-end, advanced test and training will inevitably take place in a common synthetic environment,” said Clementi. “Our role within the 29th TES is to provide the Warfighter a tactical advantage by delivering an accredited environment capable of mission rehearsal, tactics development, and readiness assessment, and by ensuring that environment keeps pace with the level of integration required for fighting and winning a conflict with a peer competitor.
For more information, contact 1st Lt Lindsey Heflin, Public Affairs Advisor for the 53rd Wing at 850-598-3283 or lindsey.heflin.1@us.af.mil.
The 53rd Wing perfects lethality by testing new operational capabilities and evaluating fielded capabilities. They bring the future faster by answering warfighter demands for integrated, multi-domain capabilities.