Combined Test Force helping to streamline work at AEDC wind tunnel facilities Published March 24, 2015 By Deidre Ortiz AEDC/PA ARNOLD AIR FORCE BASE, TENN. -- A total of five Combined Test Forces (CTF) have been established to improve testing at Arnold Engineering Development Complex (AEDC). The Flight CTF, which includes the Propulsion Wind Tunnel and von Kármán Gas Dynamics facilities, makes up one of these CTF groups. The others include the Propulsion CTF and the Space and Missiles CTF, as well as the Tunnel 9 CTF in White Oak, Md., and the National Full Scale Aerodynamics Complex (NFAC) CTF at Moffett Field, Calif. According to Wayne Hawkins, technical director of the AEDC Propulsion Wind Tunnel Test Branch, the wind tunnel facilities were operated under a similar structure years ago when they were operated as separate directorates. "We're functionally structured now," he said. "All our assets are combined and we have everything needed to support the work we do." According to Hawkins, the base had moved toward using matrix-type organizations because at that time the workload was lower. Now that workload has significantly increased and many of the AEDC facilities are at or over capacity for testing through the next several years, Hawkins said the switch to CTF is a much more "integrated and streamlined" way of conducting business. "Working as a CTF is more efficient and we will have the manpower to be able to do more productivity," he said. "It also gives us leeway to decide priorities on maintenance and operation and with fewer conflicts with the workforce on priorities." Hawkins explained because there is more autonomy with a CTF, it makes wind tunnel operations "run much smoother."