53d Test and Evaluation Group The 53d Test and Evaluation Group is a group of the United States Air Force . It is a part of the 53d Wing , and is headquartered at Nellis AFB , Nevada . The Group was originally activated in 1942 as the 79th Pursuit Group ( Interceptor ) , becoming the 79th Fighter Group ( Single Engine ) a few months later . Later that year it moved overseas to Egypt , where it was assigned to Ninth Air Force and participated in combat in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations in Egypt , Libya , Tunisia and Italy until April 1945 . After the end of World War II , it became part of the Army of Occupation until it was inactivated in 1947 . The group was activated again in 1955 as the 79th Fighter Group ( Air Defense ) as part of a program of Air Defense Command ( ADC ) to replace its air defense groups with fighter units with distinguished records in World War II . It provided air defense of the Great Lakes region until it was inactivated in 1960 . In 1988 , Tactical Air Command activated the 4443d Test and Evaluation Group ( TEG ) as an operational test unit at Eglin AFB , an Air Force Systems Command ( AFSC ) base that was home to AFSC ' s Armament Center . In December 1991 , as the USAF eliminated its Major Command controlled ( MAJCON ) four - digit units , the 79th was consolidated with the 4443d , and the combined unit was designated the 79th Test and Evaluation Group . In 1998 , as a result of USAF policy that subordinate groups carry the same number as their parent wing , the 79th TEG was inactivated and replaced by the newly constituted 53d Test and Evaluation Group . In 1999 , the unit moved from Eglin AFB to Nellis AFB , Less than two years later , USAF consolidated the 79th and 53d TEGs to provide one continuous history to its weapons test and evaluation group . The unit consists of seven squadrons , two detachments , and a named flight . Its mission is to manage the flying activities of the 53d wing at Barksdale , Beale , Creech , Dyess , Edwards , Eglin , Nellis , and Whiteman Air Force base s . Units . The group consists of seven squadrons , two direct detachments , and a named flight . These units perform tactical development , operational tests , and evaluations for Air Combat Command . In addition , the group assists the Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center with testing and operating the YAL - 1 Airborne Laser , MQ - 9 , and F - 35A . Detachments . The group includes two detachments which are not part of the regular squadron structure : Named flights . The group includes one named flight : History . World War II . The group was constituted as 79th Pursuit Group ( Interceptor ) on 13 January 1942 and activated at Dale Mabry Army Airfield , Florida on 9 February 1942 , drawing its personnel from the 56th and 81st Fighter Group s . its original squadrons were the 85th , 86th , and 87th Pursuit Squadrons . The group was redesignated the 79th Fighter Group ( Single Engine ) in May 1942 . The group trained in the United States , then moved to Egypt by sea via Brazil in October – November 1942 , where it became part of Ninth Air Force . The group trained with P - 40 Warhawk s ' s while moving westward in the wake of the British drive across Egypt and Libya to Tunisia . Although many of the group ' s pilots flew combat missions with other organizations , the 79th group itself did not begin combat operations until March 1943 . By escorting bombers , attacking enemy shipping , and supporting ground forces , the 79th took part in the Allied operations that defeated Axis forces in North Africa , captured Pantelleria , and conquered Sicily . The group was awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation ( DUC ) for its support of British Eighth Army during that period , March – August 1943 . The group was assigned to Twelfth Air Force in August 1943 and continued to support the British Eighth Army by attacking troop concentrations , gun positions , bridges , roads , and rail lines in southern Italy . It operated in the area of the Anzio beachhead , from January to March 1944 . The group participated in the drive on Rome , from March to June 1944 , and converted to P - 47 Thunderbolt s during that time . It flew escort and strafing missions in southern France during August and September 1944 , and afterward returned to Italy and engaged in interdictory and close support operations in northern Italy . The group received a second DUC for numerous missions flown at minimum altitude in intense flak to help pierce the enemy line at the Santerno River in Italy in April 1945 . 79th Ftr Gp The Group remained overseas as part of United States Air Forces in Europe after the war as part of the occupation force . It was transferred , without personnel and equipment , to the US in June 1947 and inactivated on 15 July 1947 . Air Defense Command . The group was redesignated the 79th Fighter Group ( Air Defense ) , assigned to ADC and activated on 18 August 1955 at Youngstown MAP , Ohio as part of ADC ' s Project Arrow , which was designed to bring back on the active list the fighter units which had compiled memorable records in the two world wars . At Youngstown , the group assumed the personnel and equipment of the 502d Air Defense Group , which was simultaneously inactivated . The group provided air defense over eastern Ohio as part of 30th Air Division of ADC ' s Central Air Defense Force and acted as the host unit for the Air Force portion of Youngstown MAP . The 79th was assigned several support organizations to fulfill this responsibility . One of the group ' s original componenents , the 86th Fighter - Interceptor Squadron ( FIS ) , flying radar equipped and rocket armed North American F - 86D Sabre s was already stationed at Youngstown and transferred from the 502d . In September 1957 the 86th FIS traded its Sabres for Convair F - 102 Delta Dagger aircraft equipped with data link for interception control through the Semi - Automatic Ground Environment system . The Air Force transferred command of Youngstown MAP from ADC to Continental Air Command on 1 March 1960 and the 79th Fighter Group and its components inactivated that date . Lineage . 79th Test and Evaluation Group 4443d Test and Evaluation Group 53d Test and Evaluation Group Components . Support Units Test Units Aircraft . Additionally , the group has flying hours assigned to the B - 2 Spirit bomber , RQ - 4 Global Hawk , and Lockheed U - 2 . References . Bibliography . Further Reading