New Vice Director Joins AEDC Team by Bradley Hicks Base, Tenn., the Headquarters of Also Has More Than 20 Years of the U.S
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PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID TULLAHOMA TN Vol. 67, No. 1 Arnold AFB, Tenn. PERMIT NO. 29 January 6, 2020 AEDC T-3 engine test cell receives upgrades for future tests By Deidre Moon “Replacement parts for the test AEDC Public Affairs cell are hard to find, and that’s one of the big reasons that we’re doing The Arnold Engineering De- this,” he said. velopment Complex T-3 turbine “The new T-3 Data Acquisition engine test cell at Arnold Air System, or DAS, is being checked Force Base is undergoing several out, and the cell is getting a new modifications to prepare it for fu- Test Area Control System, which ture testing. is still in the design phase.” Built as part of the Engine Test 2nd Lt. Adam Doyle, a proj- Facility, or ETF, at Arnold in the ect manager for the Test Systems early 1950s, the T-3 test cell was Sustainment Division, mentioned designed for testing small engines. that the DAS upgrade will provide It has the capability to reach Mach a more reliable way to effectively 4 at simulated altitudes below establish and control test condi- 70,000 feet and Mach 2.5 at sea- tions. level conditions. “With that upgrade, we are also T-3 is one of four operational upgrading our Test Unit Support test cells within ETF, but the cell System to a Test Area Control Sys- hasn’t been updated since the late tem,” he said. “These two upgrades 1980s. will help standardize the T-3 test According to Mark Duke, a cell equipment, which will reduce project manager for the Test Op- maintenance cost with regards to erations and Sustainment contrac- spare parts and training of person- tor at Arnold AFB, T-3 is currently nel. Saving money for AEDC and experiencing a “face-lift” to bring the test customer is a huge accom- Dakota Aaron, right, an eSTARR hardware engineer, and Calvin Davis, an instrumentation, data the technology up to date and to plishment for this project.” and controls engineer, evaluate the system test plan book in front of new displays in the Arnold make the data acquisition process Engineering Development Complex Engine Test Facility T-3 test cell data conditioning room at Arnold Air Force Base, Tennessee, Dec. 3. The displays are part of recent upgrades to the test more efficient. See , page 3 T-3 cell. (U.S. Air Force photo by Jill Pickett) New Vice Director joins AEDC team By Bradley Hicks Base, Tenn., the headquarters of also has more than 20 years of the U.S. Air Force test ranges and AEDC Public Affairs AEDC. ground test experience. He served multiple aeronautical programs. “I have been impressed by the in multiple leadership roles from Coker most recently served as Jason Coker was impressed environment here, the profession- team lead to Squadron Director, the Deputy Division Director for with Arnold Engineering Devel- alism of the people, as well as the including previously serving as the Space and Missile Defense Policy, opment Complex long before re- warmth,” he said. “From day one, 782nd Test Squadron Director, Eg- Joint Staff J5, at the Pentagon in cently accepting a leadership post I felt like I was already a team lin Air Force Base, Florida. There, Washington, D.C. He was respon- within the organization. member here. Everybody has truly he was responsible for Eglin’s sible for overseeing and providing “What Arnold does and its rolled out the red carpet to wel- ground test facilities, providing strategic analysis, planning and criticality to the nation’s aeronauti- come me.” hardware-in-the-loop, electronic coordination for Space and Missile cal capabilities are really second to Coker, an Idaho native, earned warfare, climatic, seeker and sen- Defense activities to the Chairman none,” he said. “It is an extremely his bachelor’s degree in electrical sor testing for weapons, aeronauti- of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. During important mission, and I am ex- and electronics engineering from cal systems and countermeasures his tenure on the Joint Staff, Coker cited to be a part of it.” the University of South Alabama programs. provided oversight for the standup In early December, AEDC and his master’s in systems en- Jason Coker, He also served in the Office of of the new United States Space Commander Col. Jeffrey Geragh- gineering from the University of AEDC Vice Director the Security of Defense, Acquisi- Command and the coordination ty announced Coker as the new West Florida. He began his civil ported developmental test and tion Technology & Logistics, as and implementation of the 2019 AEDC Vice Director. Coker began service career in 1999 after spend- evaluation for numerous weapons assistant deputy director of the Test Missile Defense Review. serving in this capacity on Dec. 9 ing a decade in the Department of programs across the Air Force and Resource Management Center. from his office at Arnold Air Force Defense industry where he sup- Missile Defense Agency. Coker There, he provided oversight for See DIRECTOR, page 3 Contracting officer at Arnold AFB VOODOO 1 aircrew receives AFMC Chief of Safety’s Aircrew of Distinction Award 2019 receives 2019 AFTC Annual Award By Lt. Col. Charles 2019 for their actions dur- • 1st Lt. Richard McNiel and Dwight Harp ing a night flight test mis- Holloway, flight test By Deidre Moon ample of how AEDC is Commander, 746th Test sion over White Sands engineer, 746th Test AEDC Public Affairs truly second to none!” Squadron and AEDC Missile Range, N.M., May Squadron In the nomination Public Affairs 20-21, 2019. This annual • Mr. Brian Bowar, Christopher Fan- packet for the award, award was presented by instrumentation ning, contracting officer Fanning is recognized HOLLOMAN AIR AFMC to the aircrew that engineer, 746th Test for the Test Range and for leading a team in FORCE BASE, N.M. – showed extraordinary skill, Squadron Specialized Contract- executing a $1.7 bil- An unexpected fire in any alertness, ingenuity or pro- Two and a half hours ing Division at Arnold lion Test Operations enclosed space is danger- ficiency in averting or min- into the flight in a modi- Air Force Base, received and Sustainment con- ous; a fire inside an air- imizing the seriousness of fied Beechcraft C-12J Hu- the 2019 Air Force Test tract; guiding a $24.9 plane four miles in the sky an aviation mishap during ron test aircraft at approxi- Center Annual Award for million source selection with no way out can be flight or intent for flight. mately 3 a.m. and 21,000 Outstanding Civilian in for Simplified Acquisi- deadly. The five aircrew mem- feet, the power distribu- Enterprise, Supervisor of Christopher Fanning tion Base Engineering One group of Airmen at bers of VOODOO 1 were: tion unit for onboard test the Year. mand levels. Requirements for the Holloman Air Force Base systems in the cabin spon- Col. Jeffrey Geragh- “Winning an annual Installation Contract- • Maj. Simon Kassemi, recently encountered this taneously caught fire. The ty, Arnold Engineering award is a huge honor ing Branch; and being aircraft commander, exact scenario, worked to- fire immediately envel- Development Complex and a great distinction,” a highly engaged team 586th Flight Test gether as a team, and lived oped the PDU to the rear commander at Arnold Air Geraghty said. “Win- player. He has also Squadron to tell the story. Based on of the aircraft and smoke Force Base, announced ning at the higher head- overseen other con- their actions, the 704th Test • Col. Charles Cain, test began to fill the cabin. in December the AEDC quarters level brings tracting efforts, execut- Group’s VOODOO 1 air- pilot, 704th Test Group In an aircraft cabin fire, team members receiving even more attention to ing 50 actions, equaling crew was awarded the Air • Lt. Col. Charles annual awards at the Air the great work we are $50 million. Force Materiel Command McNiel, flight test Force Test Center and accomplishing here at Chief of Safety’s Aircrew See VOODOO 1, page 4 engineer, 746th Test Air Force Materiel Com- AEDC. Just another ex- See AWARD, page 3 of Distinction Award for Squadron 704th Test Group successfully Innovatus Agilis Auxilium – AEDC Team’s efficient actions executed the second Directed Innovative Agile Support support Hypersonic Conventional Energy Experiment Strike Weapon testing …Page 2 …Page 2 …Page 2 2 • January 6, 2020 Arnold 704th Test Group successfully executed Air Force Base the second Directed Energy Experiment By John Cao policy required to accom- Director, 704thTest Group plish the mission. Directed Energy CTF The Campaign is headed by the Strategic, Develop- The successful execu- ment, Planning, and Ex- tion of the Air Force’s sec- perimentation, or SDPE, ond Directed Energy, or office at Wright-Patterson Col. Jeffrey Geraghty DE, Experiment at Fort Air Force Base, Ohio. The Commander Sill, Oklahoma, in October 704th Test Group DE CTF Jason Austin 2019, paved the way for at Kirtland Air Force Base Chief, further understanding of is tasked to execute the DE Public Affairs how DE weapons can sup- experimentation campaign. port the airbase air defense The second DE experi- mission against unmanned ment, known as Experiment aerial systems, or UASs. 1b, was a follow-on to an Richard Tighe The 704th Test Group Di- earlier experiment execut- General Manager, rected Energy Combined ed at White Sands Missile National Aerospace Test Force, or DE CTF, Solutions Range, New Mexico, in late and its partners are making 2018. High Mach Staff: plans for future experiments Experiment 1b was ex- Kathy Jacobsen, in support of the DE Experi- ecuted in conjunction with NAS Executive Editor mentation Campaign.