556th Test and Evaluation Squadron

The 556th Test and Evaluation Squadron is the Air Force's first operational test squadron for unmanned aircraft. It provides support to UAS operations worldwide, through force development evaluations, the development of training, tactics and procedures, systems expertise and meeting warfighters' urgent need requests. ==History==

The 556th designation was reactivated by Air Combat Command for its current mission due to its lineage and long history of surveillance and intelligence-gathering. ==Lineage==

; 15th Reconnaissance Squadron • Constituted as the 15th Photographic Mapping Squadron on 9 June 1942 : Activated on 20 June 1942 : Redesignated: 15th Photographic Squadron (Heavy) on 6 February 1943 : Redesignated: 15th Combat Mapping Squadron on 21 January 1944 : Redesignated: 15th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron on 31 August 1944 : Inactivated on 28 October 1945 • Redesignated 15th Reconnaissance Squadron (Photographic) on 29 April 1947 : Activated on 19 May 1947 : Inactivated on 3 December 1947 • Disbanded on 8 October 1948 • Consolidated with the 556th Reconnaissance Squadron on 19 September 1985 ; 556th Test and Evaluation Squadron • Constituted as the 556th Reconnaissance Squadron and activated on 15 May 1968 (not organized) : Organized on 1 July 1968 : Inactivated on 30 June 1972 • Consolidated with the 15th Reconnaissance Squadron on 19 September 1985 • Consolidated unit designated 556th Tactical Intelligence Squadron but remained inactive • Redesignated 556th Test and Evaluation Squadron on 16 January 2008 : Activated on 15 February 2008. Assignments • 3d Photographic Group (later 3d Photographic Reconnaissance and Mapping Group, 3d Photographic Group), 20 June 1942 : Attached to 5th Photographic Group from 21 November 1943 • 5th Photographic (later Reconnaissance) Group, 21 January 1944 – 28 October 1945 • 67th Reconnaissance Group, 19 May 1947 • 10th Reconnaissance Group, 24 July – 3 December 1947 • 347th Tactical Fighter Wing, 1 July 1968 • 6100st Air Base Wing, 15 May 1971 • 475th Air Base Wing, 1 November 1971 – 30 June 1972 • 53d Test and Evaluation Group, 15 February 2008 – present Stations • Colorado Springs Army Air Base, Colorado, 20 June – 13 August 1942 • RAF Membury (AAF-466), England, 7 September 1942 • RAF Steeple Morden (AAF-122), England, 27 October – 21 November 1942 • Oran Es Sénia Airport, Algeria, 6 December 1942 : A flight of air echelon arrived at Oran Tafraoui Airport, Algeria, 18 November 1942, and moved to Maison Blanche Airport, Algeria, 27 November 1942 : B and C flights of air echelon at Colorado Springs Army Air Base until 12 October 1943 and afterward at Will Rogers Field, Oklahoma, until 21 January 1944 • Maison Blanche Airport, Algeria, 25 December 1942 • Constantine Airfield, Algeria, 5 June 1943 • La Marsa Airfield, Tunisia, 28 June 1943 : Detachment operated from Constantine Airfield, Algeria, until 14 July 1943 : Detachment operated from Grottaglie Airfield, Italy, after 4 October 1943 • Grottaglie Airfield, Italy, November 1943 • Bari Airfield, Italy, 28 December 1943 – October 1945 • Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, 26–28 October 1945 • Langley Field, Virginia, 19 May 1947 • Lawson Field, Georgia, 8 September 1947; 8 September 1947 • Pope Field, North Carolina, 1 October – 3 December 1947. • Yokota Air BAW, Japan, 1 July 1968 – 30 June 1972 : Continued operations from Bien Hoa Air Base, South Vietnam until 30 October 1971 : Operated from undisclosed locations until 30 June 1972 • Creech Air Force Base, Nevada, 15 February 2008 – present Aircraft • B-17 Flying Fortress, 1942–1944 • P-38/F-4 Lightning, 1942–1943 • P-38/F-5 Lightning, 1943–1945 • Potez 540 (Captured from Vichy French Air Force), 1943 • B-25 Mitchell, 1943–1944 • P-51D/F-6D Mustang, 1947. • C-130B-II Hercules, 1968–1972 • GC-130A, MC-130A, DC-130A and DC-130E Hercules, 1968–1972 • AQM-34, 1968–1972 • RB-57F Canberra, 1968–1972 == References==