46th Test Group

The 46th Test Group was a United States Air Force group active from 1992 to 2012. It was last active with 46th Test Wing, at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. The 46th Test Group was stationed as a tenant unit at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, throughout its existence. It was inactivated on 18 July 2012, being replaced by the 96th Test Group in an administrative reorganization.
History.
The Group served as the Air Force’s liaison with the United States Army White Sands Missile Range (WSMR), liaising with the U.S. Army and Test Center organizations. The group provided test sponsorship for all Air Force programs testing on WSMR, assisted test program customers in preparing the documentation necessary to execute tests as well as obtaining logistic and test support resources. The group also scheduled airspace for all Air Force tests and Air Force tactical training on WSMR.
On August 1, 1970, per Air Force Systems Command Special Order G-94, the Air Force Missile Development Center at Holloman AFB was inactivated and the Tactical Air Command assumed host responsibilities for the facility. Associate units and programs transferred to other locations within Air Force Systems Command. The inactivation resulted in the loss of more than 450 military and 570 civilian positions.
The Test & Evaluation activities that remained were the Central Inertial Guidance Test Facility (CIGTF), the High Speed Test Track, the Radar Target Scatter Facility (RATSCAT), and the Target Drone Facility. These organizations were combined to form the nucleus of a Holloman AFB tenant organization, the 6585th Test Group
In 1976, AFSWC was disestablished, and the 6585th Test Group at Holloman became part of the 3246th Test Wing, Armament Development and Test Center (ADTC) at Eglin AFB, FL. The Group was inactivated on 30 September 1992 as part of a reorganization, with personnel and equipment being assigned to the new 46th Test Group at Holloman, upon activation it was transferred the 6585th's personnel, equipment and mission.
It was inactivated as a result of an organizational realignment at Eglin AFB, being replaced at Holloman by the new 96th Test Group.