AFOTEC detachment inactivates

  • Published
  • By Katherine Gandara
  • AFOTEC Public Affairs
Kirtland Air Force Base, NM --  The commander of the Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center inactivated Detachment 3 in an April 5 ceremony.

AFOTEC activated Detachment 3 on October 1, 1998. Over the years, seven different commanders led the detachment in executing the operational test and evaluation of 27 major command, control, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance warfighting capability programs. The many C4ISR systems tested included the Airborne Warning and Control System upgrades, the Integrated Strategic Planning and Analysis Network, and the Department of Defense National Airspace System.

"Inactivating Detachment 3 and moving the personnel and programs to other AFOTEC detachments enables us to be even more effective and efficient in our drive to help the Air Force recapture acquisition excellence," said Maj. Gen. Stephen T. Sargeant, AFOTEC commander.

"AFOTEC has codified our early influence activities and integrated developmental test and operational test activities and events. These two major changes led to a review of where we station our testers and resulted in moving the billets and programs to other AFOTEC detachments across the country. Those detachments are more closely aligned with the developers and developmental testers so we can more effectively execute early influence and IDT/OT," he said.

"The hard work of the men and women of Detachment 3 was crucial to the Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors and Marines standing in harm's way today and in the future. Those warfighters trusted them to ensure the weapon system capabilities they needed were ready for action when fielded and they never let them down," said the general.

"The teamwork and attention to detail shown by Detachment 3 personnel during the transition since July 2009 is a testament to their professionalism, as well as the leadership of the Detachment 3 commander, Lt. Col. Christopher A. Hawes. They did an amazing job completing several major tests and transferring a multitude of programs to other detachments. I deeply appreciate their outstanding service to AFOTEC and the Air Force," said General Sargeant.