410th Flight Test Squadron


The 410th Flight Test Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force squadron. It was last assigned to the 412th Operations Group at Air Force Plant 42, Palmdale Regional Airport, California, where it was inactivated on 1 August 2008. The squadron's primary mission throughout its lifetime was flight and acceptance testing of the Lockheed F-117A Nighthawk stealth fighter and the Rockwell B-1B Lancer bomber. Activated in March 1989 for B-1B flight testing, the mission of the unit was changed in 1993 when B-1 testing transferred to the 419th Flight Test Squadron and the squadron became the F-117A test squadron, assuming the mission originated in 1980 at Groom Lake, Nevada.

History

B-1B Lancer testing

Background

In November 1979, the Air Force began a study for a modified version of an existing airframe to carry air launched cruise missiles, called the Long-Range Combat Aircraft. On 2 October 1981, President Ronald Reagan announced a Strategic Modernization Program, which would include the procurement of 100. The Rockwell International proposal for the LRCA was a modified B-1A, which was designated the B-1B Lancer.
The first B-1B incorporated several sub-assemblies of the No. 5 B-1A, which has been under construction when the B-1A program was cancelled. Rockwell test pilots flew it for the first time on 31 October 1984, from the Rockwell International assembly plant at Air Force Plant 42, Palmdale, California, landing at Edwards Air Force Base, California. The B-1B was ready for delivery to Strategic Air Command barely eight months after its first flight.

6510 Test Squadron

When the aircraft reached operational squadrons, many shortcomings were discovered. Air Force Systems Command formed the 6510th Test Squadron in March 1989 to test these modifications. Modifications included those needed to improve the low-altitude range of the aircraft, which it was well short of its proposed maximum unrefueled range of 7,455 miles. The modifications increased the range of the aircraft from 1,300 nautical miles to over 3,000. Other modifications tested were to correct problems with the terrain-following radar system, defensive avionics systems, fuel leaks and the Lancer's central integrated test system. In December 1990 General Electric F101 engine turbofan blade failures caused the grounding of the B-1B aircraft, requiring additional modifications.
The B-1 test mission transferred to 6519th Test Squadron on 1 July 1991 and the squadron ceased operations, however it remained active.

F-117A Nighthawk testing

Background

In November 1978, the preliminary testing of the Have Blue stealth aircraft was successfully completed, and during November 1978, Lockheed Corporation was awarded a contract to begin full-scale development of the project. The program was given the code name Senior Trend. In 1980, the Senior Trend Joint Test Force was established at Area 51 consisting of a combination of Lockheed and USAF personnel as an acceptance test unit for newly manufactured aircraft. Air Force Systems Command personnel participating in the test were assigned to Air Force Flight Test Center, Detachment 3.
In June 1981, the first Senior Trend test aircraft was delivered for testing and on 18 June 1981 the first successful flight was made by a Lockheed test pilot. There were usually four to six test flights for acceptance. They included systems checks, handling qualities evaluations, and low observable radar verifications. All flights of the aircraft were made at night without lights and the runway was only briefly illuminated to facilitate landings and takeoffs.
The first production aircraft, was ready for its first flight on 20 April 1982. However, unknown to anyone, the fly-by-wire system had been hooked up incorrectly. Upon liftoff, the plane immediately went out of control. Instead of the nose pitching up, it went horizontal. The aircraft went inverted and ended up traveling backwards through the air. The pilot had no time to eject, and the aircraft flew into the ground. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair, but some of its parts could be salvaged. On 10 November 1988, the long-rumored existence of the "F-117 Stealth Fighter" was finally officially confirmed by the Pentagon. In 1990 the last F-117A was delivered. and the flight test squadron no longer had to perform acceptance flights at Groom Lake. However, the flight test duties still included flights for refurbished aircraft received from Lockheed.
In February and March 1992 the F-117 test unit moved from Groom Lake to Palmdale Plant 42 where Lockheed had produced the aircraft, although some testing, especially RCS verification and other classified activity, was still conducted at Groom Lake. At Palmdale, the test unit came under the operational control of the 2874th Test Squadron of the 412th Test Wing at Edwards as Detachment 5 of the 337th Squadron.

410th Test Squadron

In February 1993, the wing's Director of Operations proposed that the unit be established as the 410th Test Squadron. Headquarters AFMC agreed to this, Detachment 5 was discontinued and its personnel and equipment assigned to the 410th Test Squadron on 1 March 1993 and the squadron resumed operations.
Flight testing continued at Palmdale throughout the operational life of the F-117. On 1 August 2008, with the retirement of the F-117 from the inventory, the last aircraft of the 410th was flown to Tonopah TRA for permanent storage and the unit was inactivated.

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