EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- A first-of-its-kind F-35 Lightning II Combined Test Force stood up May 1, 2025 to become part of Eglin’s developmental and operational fighter test complex.
This major milestone by the Air National Guard Air Force Reserve Command Test Center establishes the Air Reserve Component as a key player in fifth-generation fighter aircraft testing.
AATC pilots have long been a part of the Eglin test community. Many are stationed here and routinely fly DT and OT missions with 96th Test Wing and 53rd Wing aircraft.
This new unit underscores the importance of expanding reserve component testing capabilities to fifth-generation aircraft and reaffirms the ARC's growing role in advancing cutting-edge fighter technology.
“Coordinating and streamlining across the Total Force by tirelessly testing, evaluating, and extrapolating our capabilities is how we bring the future faster,” said Maj. Gen. Duke Pirak, Air National Guard’s acting director.
As the ARC traditionally operates legacy fighter platforms, the creation of the CTF expands ARC capabilities into fifth-generation aircraft operations. This signals ARC's growing involvement beyond its historical support role, positioning it as a key contributor to worldwide combat operations.
"We are primarily accountable to the warfighter,” said Col. Daniel J. Wittmer, AATC commander. “Our weapons and tactics process creates a bottom-up approach to solving critical capability gaps for warfighters across all mission sets in all areas of responsibility. It is simply not possible to modernize as fast and effectively as AATC does without benchmark processes coupled with the best operators, analysts, and engineers.”
This approach aligns with AATC's model of delivering an 80% solution at 20% the cost. By focusing on high-impact modifications and streamlined testing procedures, AATC can address critical capability gaps.
Currently, CTF pilots fly Alabama and Vermont ANG-supplied F-35As for their test missions.