U.S. Air Force Warfare Center

The U. S. Air Force Warfare Center at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., reports directly to the Air Combat Command. The Center was founded Sept. 1, 1966, as the U.S. Air Force Tactical Fighter Weapons Center. It was renamed the U.S. Air Force Warfare Center (USAFWC) in October 2005.

 

The Mission: The USAFWC conducts warfighter-centric live and virtual operational test and evaluation, tactics development, and advanced training to optimize Air Force capabilities and prepare Airmen for joint, all domain combat operations.

 

The Focus -- All-Domain Air Force Warfighters: As the Air Force Warfare Center, our staff and units work for all MAJCOM and Air Component Commanders, as well as all USAF warfighters, on behalf of the CSAF. USAFWC engagement to shape and improve Operational Training and Test Infrastructure is particularly important at this time.

 

The Global Situation - Great Power Competition: Today, all elements of USAFWC work must be viewed through the lens of great power competition as defined by the 2022 National Defense Strategy (NDS). “The NDS sets out how the Department of Defense (DoD) will contribute to advancing and safeguarding vital U.S. national interests – protecting the American people, expanding America’s prosperity, and realizing and defending our democratic values. DoD will advance our goals through three primary ways: integrated deterrence, campaigning, and actions that build enduring advantages.” On 18 September 1947, the USAF was established to provide a corps of professionals dedicated to the control and exploitation of the air domain to secure our nation’s interests. Our five USAF core missions remain: Air Superiority, Global Strike, ISR, Mobility, and the Command & Control (C2) required to execute the first four. The USAFWC ensures our warfighters have the tools, training, and expertise required to successfully execute these missions in any combat situation against any adversary.

 

The Method - Collaborate and Integrate to Dominate: The USAFWC organization is unique, and it fulfills several roles. The staff functions as a NAF to assist subordinate Wings and organizations with assigned missions. Collectively, the staff and subordinate Wings serve as the USAF’s weapons & tactics shop, providing integrated tactical and operational solutions to warfighters, MAJCOMs, and COCOMs. These solutions are inclusive, synchronized, and integrated with, or complementary to, joint, interagency, allied, and partner capabilities.

 

Organizations

To execute its mission, the USAFWC oversees the operations of five wings and two named units: the 57th Wing, 99th Air Base Wing, the Nevada Test and Training Range, and the Air Force Joint Test Program Office at Nellis AFB, NV.; the 53rd Wing and the 350th Spectrum Warfare Wing at Eglin AFB, FL.; and the 505th Command and Control Wing at Hurlburt Field, FL. The USAFWC is comprised of approximately 13,000 personnel, active duty, guard, reserve, DoD civilians and DoD contractors, located in 21 states. The USAFWC also includes its own Inspector General, Staff Judge Advocate, Safety Office, Protocol Office, Financial Manager and Historian.

(Current as of Oct 2022)