ARNOLD AIR FORCE BASE, Tenn. -- To coincide with the celebration of its original dedication, Arnold Engineering Development Complex was rededicated June 27 during the AEDC 75th anniversary open house event at the Complex’s Arnold Air Force Base headquarters.
Outgoing AEDC Commander Col. Grant Mizell was joined by Air Force Test Center Commander and former AEDC commander Maj. Gen. Scott Cain in unveiling a plaque to commemorate the rededication of the Complex.
“For 75 years, this complex has been the premier facility for aerospace ground testing, shaping the future of flight and space exploration,” the plaque reads in part. “May this site forever inspire the pursuit of aerospace excellence and the securing of our nation’s skies.”
Mizell said that for 75 years the men and women of the Complex have “pushed the boundaries of speed, temperature and technology” to accelerate war-winning capabilities for the nation.
“This plaque will serve as a daily reminder of our oath to push the envelope of aerospace ground testing,” Mizell said.
Prior to the unveiling, AEDC Historian Ken Sloat discussed the history of AEDC leading up to its original June 25, 1951, dedication by then-President Harry S. Truman.
Sloat said that, prior to the end of World War II, Gen. Henry “Hap” Arnold, commanding general of the Army Air Forces, realized the U.S. needed to possess world-class aerospace development capabilities to dominate future conflicts. Arnold partnered with eminent aerodynamicist Theodore von Kármán to help accomplish his objective.
Together, Arnold and von Kármán formed the Scientific Advisory Group to provide recommendations on the future direction of national aviation research.
Several years later, construction began in southern middle Tennessee on the Air Engineering Development Center to conduct this research. Gen. Arnold passed away in January 1950, so he did not get to see his vision come to fruition. However, Truman visited the site on June 25, 1951, to dedicate it as the Arnold Engineering Development Center in honor of the late general on what would have been his 65th birthday.
“That was an affirmation of Gen. Arnold’s vision for aerospace excellence, a vision that lives on here every day,” Sloat said.
Arnold Engineering Development Center was redesignated as Arnold Engineering Development Complex in 2012.
Cain added that, since it was first dedicated 75 years ago, AEDC has continued to accomplish its mission and evolve its test capabilities as new aerospace demands arise.
“Every major aerospace advancement from breaking the sound barrier to testing fifth-generation fighters, space vehicles and advanced hypersonics has been tested here,” Cain said. “The strategic advantage we hold globally exists because of the team here and how they continue to turn the impossible into the measurable.”
However, Cain said the recognition of the AEDC’s 75th anniversary was not merely a “victory lap” for past and present successes but also a “firm, unwavering” bridge to the future.
“The strategic landscape is shifting rapidly. The race for technological preeminence in the air, in space and in the hypersonic domain demands that we accelerate our capabilities faster than ever before,” Cain said. “The insight of Gen. Hap Arnold and Theodore von Kármán are more relevant today than they were eight decades ago. As Gen. Arnold famously asserted, ‘the first essential of airpower is preeminence in research.’
“We do not just maintain that preeminence, we rededicate ourselves to it today. We pledge that this complex will remain the crucible where tomorrow’s deterrents are forged, tested and proven.”
Prior to the unveiling of the rededication plaque, distinguished visitors present for the open house spoke on the history of AEDC and its importance to national defense. U.S. Rep. Scott DesJarlais has represented the congressional district in which Arnold AFB is located for more than a decade.
“This year, America celebrates 250 years as a country,” he said. “It’s important to remember that this would not be possible without the men and women who work here every single day to defend and deter threats to our homeland.”
DesJarlais added AEDC will continue to play a significant role in national defense as new adversarial threats emerge.
“It’s imperative that the U.S. develop the appropriate weaponry, tracking capabilities and other means of deterrence,” DesJarlais said. “AEDC is known as the premier test ground and has become renown within the [Department of War] for its dependability. Whatever task you take on here, we can always rely on you guys to get the job done.”
Jay Strobino, field representative for U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, read a letter written by Blackburn to congratulate the Complex on its milestone anniversary. The letter read, in part:
“It is an honor to recognize this facility’s 75th anniversary. As we mark 250 years of the United States and 230 of the great state of Tennessee, it is especially fitting to recognize the historic contributions made by this facility to our nation’s defense, including our aerospace, satellite and strategic deterrence and strike capabilities.
“As we look into the future, I am certain AEDC’s heritage of excellence will continue for many years.”