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        Policy UpdatesNewsroomReoptimizationBIOGRAPHIESAF Senior Leaders   Representatives from across the Department of Defense and Airmen assigned to the 88th Test and Evaluation Squadron converse after a Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) flight gear developmental test at Nellis Air Force Base, April 20, 2021. Along with the HH-60 Pave Hawk Helicopter, the representative aircraft for the test and evaluation phase of the new CBRN system will be the KC-135 Stratotanker, F-16 Fighting Falcon and C-130 Hercules aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Dwane R. Young)Representatives from across the Department of Defense and Airmen assigned to the 88th Test and Evaluation Squadron converse after a Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) flight gear developmental test at Nellis Air Force Base, April 20, 2021. Along with the HH-60 Pave Hawk Helicopter, the representative aircraft for the test and evaluation phase of the new CBRN system will be the KC-135 Stratotanker, F-16 Fighting Falcon and C-130 Hercules aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Dwane R. Young)
                
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 Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation CenterThe Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center, located at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, is a direct reporting unit under U.S. Air Force Headquarters, the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia. It is the Air Force independent test agency responsible for testing, under operationally realistic conditions, new systems being developed for Air Force and multi-service use. (U.S. Air Force graphic)

    










The Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center, located at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, is a direct reporting unit under U.S. Air Force Headquarters, the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia. It is the Air Force independent test agency responsible for testing, under operationally realistic conditions, new systems being developed for Air Force and multi-service use.**Vision**
Leader of the Test Enterprise – Accelerating Change.**Mission**
Inform the Warfighter and Acquisition through operational testing.**Personnel and Organization**
AFOTEC employs more than 670 military and civilian personnel at its headquarters and four detachments located at Edwards Air Force Base, California; Eglin AFB, Florida; Hill AFB, Utah; Nellis AFB, Nevada, and multiple operating locations around the country.
Test teams conduct tests at selected sites; collect, analyze and evaluate the data; and prepare formal reports. The teams are managed by AFOTEC and include personnel from the operating and supporting commands who will eventually employ these systems.**Operational Testing**
AFOTEC’s independent and objective evaluations of how well systems will meet operational requirements provide a vital link between the developer and user. They are key elements of the system acquisition approval process.
Operational tests are designed to address critical issues regarding a system’s performance in combat-like environments when operated by field personnel. They seek to answer questions about how safe, effective, reliable, maintainable, compatible and logistically supportable new Air Force systems will be.
The results of AFOTEC’s tests, normally conducted on prototype and pre-production models, play an important role in Air Force and Department of Defense acquisition decisions. Test results also identify deficiencies requiring corrective action.

An Airman assigned to the 88th Test and Evaluation Squadron performs pre-flight checks on an HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter in full Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear flight gear during a developmental test at Nellis Air Force Base, April 21, 2021. Airmen provided individual notes to assessors following the test in order to make changes or improvements. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Dwane R. Young)An Airman assigned to the 88th Test and Evaluation Squadron performs pre-flight checks on an HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter in full Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear flight gear during a developmental test at Nellis Air Force Base, April 21, 2021. Airmen provided individual notes to assessors following the test in order to make changes or improvements. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Dwane R. Young)
    
    U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Jeremiah Davidson with the 153rd Maintenance Group, Wyoming Air National Guard replaces a turbine overheat detector on a C-130H Hercules aircraft, Sep. 26, 2016 in Cheyenne, Wyoming. The aircraft assigned to the 153rd Airlift Wing are undergoing a 3.5 engine enhancement modification and will begin an operational use evaluation test program at the jointly run Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve test center in Tucson, Arizona. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Senior Master Sgt. Charles Delano/released)U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Jeremiah Davidson with the 153rd Maintenance Group, Wyoming Air National Guard replaces a turbine overheat detector on a C-130H Hercules aircraft, Sep. 26, 2016 in Cheyenne, Wyoming. The aircraft assigned to the 153rd Airlift Wing are undergoing a 3.5 engine enhancement modification and will begin an operational use evaluation test program at the jointly run Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve test center in Tucson, Arizona. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Senior Master Sgt. Charles Delano/released)
    
    U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Samuel Pruett, Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center force protection program manager, based at Eglin AFB, Fla., secures weapons on a test dummy prior to a test of the modular handgun system at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, Dec. 6, 2017. The test address the new modular handgun system’ capability to resist damage during ejection and still function as designed after sustaining ejection forces.  This is the first time any service has conducted this type of demonstration to ensure a side arm is safe for aircrew to carry in ejection seat aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo by Wesley Farnsworth)U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Samuel Pruett, Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center force protection program manager, based at Eglin AFB, Fla., secures weapons on a test dummy prior to a test of the modular handgun system at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, Dec. 6, 2017. The test address the new modular handgun system’ capability to resist damage during ejection and still function as designed after sustaining ejection forces.  This is the first time any service has conducted this type of demonstration to ensure a side arm is safe for aircrew to carry in ejection seat aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo by Wesley Farnsworth)
**Principles of Test**The Six Principles of Test were adopted by the Service Operational Test Agencies and the Director, Operational Test and Evaluation to focus on delivering combat capability at the speed of relevance. The principles apply to all acquisition types, technology demonstrations, and experimentation. The way test and evaluation supports quantity, speed to field, and increased performance is by testing earlier, faster, smarter, discovering problems early, and reducing overall test-related costs. The efforts buy-down costs, shorten development and production time, maximize the potential to move major decision points left, and support earlier fielding of combat capability.**Early Operational Testing Involvement:** Involve in programs as early as possible with acquisition partners; design integrated test events in an environment that can collect data once to answer respective test objectives.**Tailor to the Situation:** Empower test teams with flexibility to adjust their tests as needed in order to field capabilities as rapidly as possible; teams know they have the flexibility to tailor their test planning, execution, and reporting as needed.**Continuous and Cumulative Feedback:** Ensure integrated test provides timely feedback regarding the problems discovered throughout the life of a program, especially in the earlier stages; testing is a continuum and partnership with program managers and users – no “final exam” surprise.**Streamline Processes and Products:** Remove bureaucratic constraints from current processes to deliver combat capability to accrue warfighting advantages to the U.S. and our allies.**Integrated and Combined Collection/Test:** Pursue synchronized collection and data throughout acquisition stakeholder communities; use all test events at any point in the program to achieve contractor, developmental, and operational test objectives in a collaborative fashion to the maximum extent possible. One team, one plan, one test.**Adaptive:** Allow Airmen the freedom and latitude to change in order to take advantage of learning during the test process or as processes change.**History**
The Air Force activated the Air Force Test and Evaluation Center as a separate operating agency reporting directly to the Air Force Chief of Staff Jan. 1, 1974 at Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M. The center achieved initial operational capability in April 1974 and full operational capability by October 1974.
On April 4, 1983, the center was redesignated the Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center to clearly delineate its role as the Air Force's operational test agency. The Air Force redesignated AFOTEC a direct reporting unit to the CSAF, Feb. 5, 1991. Later, in 1991, the Air Force broadened AFOTEC's responsibilities by re-assigning all initial, qualification, and selected follow-on operational tests and evaluations from the major commands to the center.
AFOTEC's test and evaluation mission further expanded in 1997 when the center absorbed the "non-traditional" testing mission of the disbanded Defense Evaluation Support Activity. AFOTEC's mission success is reflected in its receipt of 13 Air Force Organizational Excellence Awards.
(Current as of August 2021)
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