The 85th Test and Evaluation Squadron is part of the

53d Wing The 53rd Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force based at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. The wing reports to the United States Air Force Warfare Center at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, which in turn reports to Headquarters Air Combat Comma ...

Eglin Air Force Base Eglin Air Force Base is a United States Air Force (USAF) base in the western Florida panhandle, located about southwest of Valparaiso, Florida, Valparaiso in Okaloosa County, Florida, Okaloosa County. The host unit at Eglin is the 96th Test ...

, Florida. It conducts testing and evaluation for the

F-15 Eagle The McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle is an American twin-engine, all-weather fighter aircraft designed by McDonnell Douglas (now part of Boeing). Following reviews of proposals, the United States Air Force (USAF) selected McDonnell Douglas's des ...

F-15E Strike Eagle The McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) F-15E Strike Eagle is an American all-weather multirole strike fighter derived from the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle. Intended for the Dual-Role Fighter (DRF) program (initially called Enhanced Tactical Fi ...

, and

F-16 Fighting Falcon The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is an American single-engine supersonic Multirole combat aircraft, multirole fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force (USAF). Designed as an air superio ...

airframes.

Mission

The 85th Test and Evaluation Squadron is responsible for conducting operational test and evaluation, tactics development, and programs for F-15C, F-15E, and F-16CM aircraft. It uses specially instrumented aircraft to test and evaluate current and future weapons, the newest air-to ground munitions,

air-to-air missile An air-to-air missile (AAM) is a missile fired from an aircraft for the purpose of destroying another aircraft (including unmanned aircraft such as cruise missiles). AAMs are typically powered by one or more rocket motors, usually solid-fuel roc ...

s, electronic warfare systems, and associated components and avionics. The squadron provides operational fighter expertise to

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Air force, air service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is one of the six United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Tracing its ori ...

Headquarters,

Department of Defense The United States Department of Defense (DoD, USDOD, or DOD) is an executive department of the U.S. federal government charged with coordinating and supervising the six U.S. armed services: the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Space Force, ...

agencies, and the aerospace industry in developing future aircraft and in employment techniques and concepts. The 85th focuses on air-to-air missile employment and

tactics Tactic(s) or Tactical may refer to: * Tactic (method), a conceptual action implemented as one or more specific tasks ** Military tactics, the disposition and maneuver of units on a particular sea or battlefield ** Chess tactics In chess, a tac ...

, suppression and destruction of enemy

air defense Anti-aircraft warfare (AAW) is the counter to aerial warfare and includes "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action".AAP-6 It encompasses surface-based, subsurface (Submarine#Armament, submarine-lau ...

s and lethal precision engagement.

History

World War II

Activated on 9 February 1942. Moved to

Egypt Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...

, October–November 1942, and became part of

Ninth Air Force The Ninth Air Force (Air Forces Central) is a Numbered Air Force of the United States Air Force headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. It is the Air Force Service Component of United States Central Command (USCENTCOM), a joint D ...

. Trained with

Curtiss P-40 Warhawk The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk is an American single-engined, single-seat, all-metal fighter-bomber that first flew in 1938. The P-40 design was a modification of the previous Curtiss P-36 Hawk which reduced development time and enabled a rapid entry ...

s's while moving westward in the wake of the British drive across Egypt and

Libya Libya, officially the State of Libya, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to Egypt–Libya border, the east, Sudan to Libya–Sudan border, the southeast, Chad to Chad–L ...

Tunisia Tunisia, officially the Republic of Tunisia, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It is bordered by Algeria to the west and southwest, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Tunisia also shares m ...

. Although many of the unit's pilots flew combat missions with other organizations, the 79th group itself did not begin operations until March 1943. By escorting bombers, attacking enemy shipping, and supporting ground forces, took part in the Allied operations that defeated Axis forces in

North Africa North Africa (sometimes Northern Africa) is a region encompassing the northern portion of the African continent. There is no singularly accepted scope for the region. However, it is sometimes defined as stretching from the Atlantic shores of t ...

, captured

Pantelleria Pantelleria (; ), known in ancient times as Cossyra or Cossura, is an Italian island and comune in the Strait of Sicily in the Mediterranean Sea, southwest of Sicily and east of the Tunisian coast. On clear days Tunisia is visible from the ...

, and conquered

Sicily Sicily (Italian language, Italian and ), officially the Sicilian Region (), is an island in the central Mediterranean Sea, south of the Italian Peninsula in continental Europe and is one of the 20 regions of Italy, regions of Italy. With 4. ...

. Assigned to

Twelfth Air Force The Twelfth Air Force (12 AF; Air Forces Southern, (AFSOUTH)) is a Numbered Air Force of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command (ACC). It is headquartered at Davis–Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. The command is the air component to U ...

in August 1943 and continued to support

British Eighth Army The Eighth Army was a field army of the British Army during the Second World War. It was formed as the Western Army on 10 September 1941, in Egypt, before being renamed the Army of the Nile and then the Eighth Army on 26 September. It was cr ...

by attacking troop concentrations, gun positions, bridges, roads, and rail lines in southern Italy. Operated in the area of the

Anzio Anzio (, also ; ) is a town and ''comune'' on region of Italy, about south of Rome. Well known for its seaside resorts, it is a fishing port and a departure point for ferries and hydroplanes to the Pontine Islands of Ponza, Palmarola, and Ve ...

beachhead, January–March 1944. Participated in the drive on

Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

, March–June 1944, and converted to

P-47 Thunderbolt The Republic P-47 Thunderbolt is a World War II-era fighter aircraft produced by the American company Republic Aviation from 1941 through 1945. It was a successful high-altitude fighter, and it also served as the foremost American fighter-bombe ...

s during that time. Flew escort and strafing missions in southern

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

during August and September 1944, and afterward engaged in

air interdiction Air interdiction (AI), also known as deep air support (DAS), is the use of preventive tactical bombing and strafing by combat aircraft against enemy targets that are not an immediate threat, to delay, disrupt or hinder later enemy engagement o ...

and

close air support Close air support (CAS) is defined as aerial warfare actions—often air-to-ground actions such as strafes or airstrikes—by military aircraft against hostile targets in close proximity to friendly forces. A form of fire support, CAS requires ...

operations in northern Italy. Remained overseas as part of

United States Air Forces in Europe United may refer to: Places * United, Pennsylvania, an unincorporated community * United, West Virginia, an unincorporated community Arts and entertainment Films * ''United'' (2003 film), a Norwegian film * ''United'' (2011 film), a BBC Two f ...

after the war as part of the occupation force. Transferred, without personnel and equipment, to the US in June 1947. Inactivated on 15 July 1947.

Air Defense Command

85th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron North American F-86D-40-NA Sabre 52-3725

Reactivated in 1952 as part of

Air Defense Command Aerospace Defense Command was a major command (military formation), command of the United States Air Force, responsible for air defense of the continental United States. It was activated in 1968 and disbanded in 1980. Its predecessor, Air De ...

as an air defense squadron, initially equipped with

F-51D Mustang Over twenty variants of the North American P-51 Mustang fighter were produced from 1940, when it first flew, to after World War II, some of which were employed also in the Korean War and in several other conflicts. Allison-engined Mustangs NA- ...

fighters at

Scott Air Force Base Scott Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base in St. Clair County, Illinois, near Belleville and O'Fallon, east-southeast of downtown St. Louis. Originally Scott Field, it was one of 32 Air Service training camps established af ...

, Illinois with a mission for the air defense of St Louis and the western Ohio River Valley. Re-equipped in January 1953 with F-86D Sabre Interceptors. In 1957 began re-equipping with the North American

F-86L Sabre The North American F-86D/K/L Sabre (initially known as the YF-95 and widely known informally as the "Sabre Dog") is an American transonic jet interceptor aircraft, interceptor. Developed for the United States Air Force in the late 1940s, it was ...

, an improved version of the F-86D which incorporated the

Semi Automatic Ground Environment The Semi-Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE) was a system of mainframe computer, large computers and associated computer network, networking equipment that coordinated data from many radar sites and processed it to produce a single unified image ...

, or SAGE computer-controlled direction system for intercepts. The service of the F-86L destined to be quite brief, since by the time the last F-86L conversion was delivered, the type was already being phased out in favor of supersonic interceptors, inactivated on 1 March 1960.

Lineage

85th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron * Constituted as the 85th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) on 13 January 1942 : Activated on 9 February 1942 : Redesignated 85th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) (Twin Engine) on 31 January 1942 : Redesignated 85th Fighter Squadron (Twin Engine) on 15 May 1942 : Redesignated 85th Fighter Squadron on 10 September 1942 : Redesignated 85th Fighter Squadron, Single Engine on 21 August 1944 : Inactivated on 15 July 1947 * Redesignated 85th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron on 11 September 1952 : Activated on 1 November 1952 : Inactivated on 1 July 1959 * Consolidated on 15 December 1991 with the 4485th Test Squadron as the 4485th Test SquadronLineage, including assignments, stations, and aircraft in AFHRA Factsheet 85th Test and Evaluation Squadron * Designated as the 4485th Test Squadron and activated on 12 April 1971. * Consolidated on 15 December 1991 with the 85th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron : Redesignated 85th Test and Evaluation Squadron on 1 December 1991

Assignments

* 79th Pursuit (later, 79th Fighter) Group, 9 February 1942 – 15 July 1947 *

33d Air Division The 33rd Air Division (33d AD) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Command, assigned to First Air Force, being stationed at Fort Lee Air Force Station, Virginia. It was inactivated on ...

, 1 November 1952 *

20th Air Division The 20th Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Tactical Air Command at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida where it was inactivated on 1 March 1983. During most of the division's history it ...

, 1 March 1956 – 1 July 1959 * USAF Tactical Air Warfare Center, 12 April 1971 * 4443d Test and Evaluation Group (later 79th Test and Evaluation Group,

53d Test and Evaluation Group The 53rd Test and Evaluation Group is a Group (air force), group of the United States United States Air Force, Air Force. It is a part of the 53rd Wing, and is headquarters, headquartered at Nellis AFB, Nevada. The Group was originally activate ...

), 1 August 1988 – Present

Bases stationed

* Dale Mabry Field, Florida, 9 February 1942 *

Morris Field Charlotte Douglas International Airport is an international airport serving Charlotte, North Carolina, United States, located roughly west of the city's central business district. Charlotte Douglas is the primary airport for commercial and m ...

North Carolina North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...

, 1 May 1942 *

East Boston Airport General Edward Lawrence Logan International Airport — also known as Boston Logan International Airport — is an international airport located mostly in East Boston and partially in Winthrop, Massachusetts, United States. Covering , it has ...

Massachusetts Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode ...

, 23 June 1942 *

Bedford Municipal Airport Hanscom Air Force Base (AFB) is a United States Air Force base located predominantly within Bedford, Massachusetts, with portions extending into the adjoining towns of Lincoln, Concord and Lexington. The facility is adjacent to Hanscom Field ...

, Massachusetts, 1 July 1942 – 28 September 1942 * Kasfareet Landing Ground, Egypt (LG-212), 12 November 1942 *

Gazala Gazala, or ʿAyn al-Ġazāla ( ), is a small Libyan village near the coast in the northeastern portion of the country. It is located west of Tobruk. History In the late 1930s (during the Libya as Italian colony, Italian occupation of Libya), th ...

Landing Ground, Libya (LG-149), 24 January 1943 * Sidi el Hani Landing Ground, Tunisia, 27 April 1943 * Causeway Landing Ground, Tunisia, 2 June 1943 * RAF Valletta, Malta, 6 July 1943 * Syracuse Airfield,

, Italy, 18 July 1943 * Cassabile Landing Ground, Sicily, Italy, 26 July 1943 * Palagonia Landing Ground, Sicily, Italy, 30 July 1943 * Isole Landing Ground, Crotone, Italy, 15 September 1943 * Salsola Airfield, Italy, 5 October 1943 * Madna Airfield, Italy, 19 November 1943 *

Capodichino Airport San Pietro a Patierno is a suburb of Naples, the chief city in Campania, Italy. Geography It is one of the largest suburbs of Naples and is relatively lightly populated compared to surrounding areas, with around 20,000 residents. The district ...

, Italy, 16 January 1944 *

Pomigliano Airfield Pomigliano Airfield was a military airfield and base established in 1938–39 in Pomigliano d'Arco, southern Italy near Naples. It was attacked on several occasions by the United States Army Air Force. The airfield was later used by the USAAF Twel ...

, Pomigliano d'Arco, Italy, 30 April 1944 * Serragia Airfield,

Corsica Corsica ( , , ; ; ) is an island in the Mediterranean Sea and one of the Regions of France, 18 regions of France. It is the List of islands in the Mediterranean#By area, fourth-largest island in the Mediterranean and lies southeast of the Metro ...

, France, 11 June 1944 * Saint Raphaël-Frejus Airport, France (Y-12),Station Number in Johnson 22 August 1944 * Valence, France (Y-23), 30 September 1944 * Iesi Airfield, Italy, 5 October 1944 *

Fano Airfield Fano Airport is a recreational aerodrome in Italy , located southeast of Fano and northwest of Mondolfo in the province of Pesaro and Urbino in the Marche region of Italy. The aerodrome is used for general aviation, with no commercial airline ...

, Italy, 5 December 1944 *

Cesenatico Airfield Cervia Air Base is an air base of the Italian Air Force (Aeronautica Militare). It is located in northern Italy, approximately southwest of Cervia, in the province of Ravenna (Emilia-Romagna). It was the home of the 5th Fighter Wing, which flew ...

, Italy, 24 March 1945 *

Hörsching Airfield Linz Airport (, ) is a minor international airport located in Hörsching, near Linz, the third-largest city in Austria. It was also known as the Blue Danube Airport until 2019. History Early years Air traffic used to take place at the ''Südba ...

Austria Austria, formally the Republic of Austria, is a landlocked country in Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine Federal states of Austria, states, of which the capital Vienna is the List of largest cities in Aust ...

, 26 July 1945 – *

Langley Field Langley may refer to: People * Langley (surname), a common English surname, including a list of notable people with the name * Dawn Langley Simmons (1922–2000), English author and biographer * Langley Wakeman Collyer (1885–1947), one ...

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...

, 25 June 1947 – 15 July 1947 * Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, 1 November 1952 – 1 July 1959 * Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, 12 April 1971 – Present

Aircraft operated

P-40 Warhawk The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk is an American single-engined, single-seat, all-metal fighter-bomber that first flew in 1938. The P-40 design was a modification of the previous Curtiss P-36 Hawk which reduced development time and enabled a rapid entry ...

(1942–1944) *

(1944–1947) *

F-51 Mustang The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang is an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II and the Korean War, among other conflicts. The Mustang was designed in 1940 by a team headed by James H. Kin ...

(1952–1953) * F-86D Sabre Interceptor (1953–1957) *

F-86L Sabre Interceptor The North American F-86D/K/L Sabre (initially known as the YF-95 and widely known informally as the "Sabre Dog") is an American transonic jet interceptor. Developed for the United States Air Force in the late 1940s, it was an interceptor deriva ...

(SAGE) (1957–1959) *

F-4 Phantom II The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is an American tandem two-seat, twin-engine, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor and fighter-bomber that was developed by McDonnell Aircraft for the United States Navy.Swanborough and Bower ...

(1971 – ) *

RF-4 Phantom II The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is an American tandem two-seat, twin-engine, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor and fighter-bomber that was developed by McDonnell Aircraft for the United States Navy.Swanborough and Bowers ...

(1971 – ) *

A-10 Thunderbolt II The Fairchild Republic A-10 , also infamously known under the nickname , is a single-seat, twinjet, twin-turbofan, straight wing, straight-wing, Subsonic aircraft, subsonic attack aircraft developed by Fairchild Aircraft, Fairchild Republic ...

(1977 – present) *

(1976 – present) *

(1988 – present) *

(1978 – present) * F-15EX Eagle II (2021–present)

References

Notes

; Explanatory notes ; Citations

Bibliography

* * * * *

External links

53d Test and Evaluation Group Fact Sheet
{{DEFAULTSORT:85th Test And Evaluation Squadron Military units and formations in Florida 0085