AEDC's 718th Test Squadron settles into new home

  • Published
  • By Philip Lorenz
  • AEDC/PA
Arnold Air Force Base, Tenn. --  Arnold Engineering Development Center (AEDC) Commander Col. Art Huber, 718th Test Squadron's leadership and staff celebrated the space and missile systems squadron's move to Building 1088, formerly known as the DECADE Facility, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony June 30. 

"Moving to Building 1088 was an outstanding idea because it's not only the home now for the 718th Test Squadron, but it's also the future home of the 718th's newest capability, which is the Space Threat Assessment Testbed (STAT)," said Col. James Jolliffe, commander of the 704th Test Group. "Additionally, it's in closer proximity to the arc heaters and the space environments capabilities, so there is synergy provided by having this office space located where it is." 

DECADE, which was built in the 1990s, was originally a test facility designed for nuclear weapons effects testing. Test systems within this facility were dismantled early in 2008. 

Lt. Col. James Colebank, the 718th Test Squadron commander, who gave Colonel Huber and Britt Covington, AEDC's executive director, a quick tour of the facility after the ribbon-cutting ceremony, said the formal celebration caps off a yearlong team effort. 

"This is a big day because it represents some fantastic AEDC teamwork in getting us to this point, from the test group that provided the resources to the civil engineering and communication squadrons that put us in the DECADE Building," Colonel Colebank said. 

"As the second squadron commander of the 718th Test Squadron, what I find really intriguing is that for many years this organization didn't have a home of its own, a symbol of its own identity."

He also spoke about what lies ahead for the 718th as most of the test squadron's staff gets settled into their new headquarters. 

"What's rewarding about this is that we're also part of one of the newest test capabilities now to enter the center and that's the Space Threat Assessment Test bed," he said. 

Colonel Jolliffe also emphasized the teamwork that made the move into Building 1088 a smooth transition. 

"We're very excited and happy with the outstanding support that CE [civil engineering] and ATA [Aerospace Testing Alliance] provided to make sure this is a reality and a first-class location to bring our space and missile test customers," he said. "There were some very small modifications to fit the management offices. A few walls were moved, [but] everything else was pretty much in place. It's one of the newest buildings on the base and it was a smart decision to utilize this to house the squadron." 

Regarding any future nuclear effects testing in the facility, he said, "At this point, we don't see that mission returning to the base, but certainly threats and missions change and we would certainly meet that concern if need be in the future." 

The 718th Test Squadron manages test and evaluation of space and missile systems and serves as the primary customer interface and center planning and execution agent in performing their mission.