Essentially all the things we’re doing now,
but they did it while getting shot at!’
Following the war the 422 (referred to
as ‘the four-four-two’) was deactivated,
but it re-formed in 1969 at Nellis. ‘We
started in 1969 with the host 57th Wing
and it’s incredible to look at what was
going on back then. Those were the days
of the F-111, the F-4, and it’s cool to look
at how this place has matured into the
largest squadron in the USAF and the only
one with all six current types of ghters.
We’re privileged to be here and continue
to advance the ball for the Combat Air
Forces [CAF].’‘Green Bats’ today
With multiple types (mission design series,
MDS) on its books — all six combat-codedfast jet types in the USAF — the ight lines
at Nellis contain a smattering of A-10Cs,
F-15C/Ds, F-15Es, F-16C/Ds, F-22As and
F-35As sporting ‘OT’ (operational test) tail
codes and green and black checkered
n stripes. The 422 is now under the 53rd
Wing, which is headquartered at Eglin AFB,
Florida, but has geographically separated
squadrons throughout the US, including
the 422nd TES. The squadron’s mandate
is to take the aircraft, their upgrades and
associated weapons and test them in
an operationally relevant environment,
while at the same time developing and
evaluating new tactics, techniques, and
procedures (TTPs).
The USAF formally demands two
separate types of testing for new ‘kit’.
Developmental test (DT) is what mostWEPTACMaj Aaron ‘Buck’ Schuett is an F-15C
Eagle pilot assigned to the ‘Green
Bats’. He explains the basic process of
how assignments land at the 422nd
TES. ‘One of our primary interactions
with the CAF [Combat Air Forces] is
at the annual weapons and tactics
conferences — WEPTAC — where
both the active-duty and reserve/
guard components send their
weapons o cers to meet with the
test enterprise, intelligence specialists
and industry partners to discuss
di erent methods in which ghter
aircraft are being modernized, what
threats are emerging from potential
adversaries, and gaps or de ciencies
in our tactics and systems. Before
WEPTAC begins, squadrons have
the opportunity to send inputs on
what issues they’re facing, so we can
focus time during WEPTAC on what
the war ghter really cares about.
After WEPTAC, we work with ACC [Air
Combat Command] in getting CAF
inputs onto the test priority list.
‘Apart from WEPTAC we often send
aircrews from the 53rd Wing out
to units to brief them about what
we’re working on and to be guest
instructor pilots. While we’re on the
road, we get the chance to hear lots
of informal feedback on ways to make
[the air force] more lethal, and that
wide range of input helps cage our
priorities on why we do what we do.’Above: A Block
52 F-16CM is
joined by its
fellow ‘Green
Bats’ during a
photoshoot to
mark the unit’s
75th anniversary.
Left: The AN/
APG-63(v)3 radar
upgrade and Talon
HATE programs
have kept the OT
F-15Cs gainfully
employed in
recent years.
Jamie HunterFEATURE ARTICLE // 422ND TEST AND EVALUATION SQUADRON
52 November 2018 //^ http://www.combataircraft.net