History Air Armament Center

apgc conducted realistic testing of new weapons independent organization, reporting directly chief of staff of air force , advocating fly-before-buy approach acquiring new systems. such shift, however, remained challenge, air force continued buy-fly-fix process had grown demands of second world war , undervalued importance of timely independent operational test , evaluation.

apgc attempted simulate combat conditions during tests. grew in size acquired systems tested. 1956, air force regulations outlined eight-phase test , evaluation process did not include apgc until phase seven. point in acquisition cycle, air force had fielded units new systems apgc had not yet tested. not surprisingly, operators experienced serious problems these new, untested systems. led misperception value of operational test , evaluation (ot&e) , apgc. had ot&e taken place before production decisions , fielding new systems, there not have been question added value of independent ot&e.

as result of doubts value of apgc , cuts defense budget, in 1957 air force stripped apgc of major command status, reduced budget , authorized personnel, , redesignated command air proving ground center, , assigned air research , development command. action meant air force no longer had independent organization specialized in impartial operational test , evaluation.

decentralized operational testing @ major commands occurred 1958 1973. major command emphasis on quick deployment rather thorough testing , impartial evaluations. although air force streamlined ot&e 8 3 phases during period, ot&e still came @ end of acquisition process. in addition, systems became more complex, , air force moved acquire systems quickly, fly-before-buy approach fell wayside. consequences became clear when department of defense study found 21 of 22 major weapons systems used in vietnam war 1965-1970 suffered severe operational deficiencies. these results stated case independent ot&e in air force.

the aac focal point acquisition of advanced weapons systems. center carried out scientific research, system management, production, operational performance, business management, requirements definition, customer , engineering support, technology planning, materiel identification, , field support activities.

while fly-before-buy has repeatedly proven worth in thorough testing of systems , avoidance of later problems, air force in twenty-first century remains severely hampered buy-fly-fix approach. literally billions of dollars have been spent in making weapons systems operational after have entered squadron service. example, rockwell b-1b lancer suffered repeated such problems. when declared operational, apart nuclear weapons, conventional weapon b-1 use free-fall bombs.