Address
TEDT-RT-TTA
Advanced Technology Office
Redstone Arsenal, AL 35898
United StatesDescription
The origins of the U.S. Army Redstone Technical Test Center (RTTC) can be traced back to 1956, when the Army Ballistic Missile Agency was established at the arsenal with a military mission to field the Army's first intermediate range ballistic missile. The missile flight test ranges and rocket motor static test stands formed the core of the Test and Evaluation Directorate under the predecessor organization, U.S. Army Missile Command, Missile Research, Development and Engineering Center. In October 1990, the directorate was assigned to the former U.S. Army Developmental Test Command and became known as the Redstone Technical Test Center. With the movement of the Aviation and Troop Command to the arsenal, the establishment of PEO Aviation opened up a new and challenging venue for aircraft test work, which the Center readily met and integrated into its capabilities.
The origin of the U.S. Army Aviation Technical Test Center (ATTC) can be traced back to November 1959, when the Transportation Material Command's Liaison Office was activated at Edwards AFB, California. The office was transferred, in 1963, under TECOM and was designated as the U.S. Army Aviation Materiel Command (AVCOM). In 1968, AVCOM was designated the U.S. Army Aviation Systems Test Activity (USAASTA). In 1974, the name was changed to AEFA. In Alabama, the Transportation Aircraft Test and Support Activity (TATSA) was activated July 1, 1956, and the Signal Aviation Test and Support Activity (SATSA) was activated in the fall of the same year-they shared the mission of performing logistical testing of all standard and nonstandard avionics equipment. The Continental Army Command (CONARM) Board Number 6 was originated on January 1, 1957, and was renamed the U.S. Army Aviation Board. The TATSA, the SATSA, and the Aviation Board were consolidated as the U.S. Army Aviation Test Board under TECOM. The Board was deactivated on July 28, 1976, and ADTA was formed on June 6, 1979.
In October 1999, a new era in modern military testing began as Army developmental and operational testing consolidated under one command and formed the U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command (ATEC). In August 2009, both the Aviation Technical Test Center from Fort Rucker and the Redstone Technical Test Center from Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, consolidated, forming the Redstone Test Center.
The combined history and accomplishments of the genesis test organizations and the consolidated organizations that evolved over time have provided RTC with a proud past on which to build. The center's core values provide the framework on which its culture is founded. Values, honesty, industry and organizational loyalty are the baseline of all of RTC's operations. The concept of customer focus and technical expertise are the building blocks that anchor success.
The origin of the U.S. Army Aviation Technical Test Center (ATTC) can be traced back to November 1959, when the Transportation Material Command's Liaison Office was activated at Edwards AFB, California. The office was transferred, in 1963, under TECOM and was designated as the U.S. Army Aviation Materiel Command (AVCOM). In 1968, AVCOM was designated the U.S. Army Aviation Systems Test Activity (USAASTA). In 1974, the name was changed to AEFA. In Alabama, the Transportation Aircraft Test and Support Activity (TATSA) was activated July 1, 1956, and the Signal Aviation Test and Support Activity (SATSA) was activated in the fall of the same year-they shared the mission of performing logistical testing of all standard and nonstandard avionics equipment. The Continental Army Command (CONARM) Board Number 6 was originated on January 1, 1957, and was renamed the U.S. Army Aviation Board. The TATSA, the SATSA, and the Aviation Board were consolidated as the U.S. Army Aviation Test Board under TECOM. The Board was deactivated on July 28, 1976, and ADTA was formed on June 6, 1979.
In October 1999, a new era in modern military testing began as Army developmental and operational testing consolidated under one command and formed the U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command (ATEC). In August 2009, both the Aviation Technical Test Center from Fort Rucker and the Redstone Technical Test Center from Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, consolidated, forming the Redstone Test Center.
The combined history and accomplishments of the genesis test organizations and the consolidated organizations that evolved over time have provided RTC with a proud past on which to build. The center's core values provide the framework on which its culture is founded. Values, honesty, industry and organizational loyalty are the baseline of all of RTC's operations. The concept of customer focus and technical expertise are the building blocks that anchor success.
Mission
Provide technical expertise and state-of-the-art facilities and capabilities to plan, conduct, analyze, and report the results of tests on missile, aviation, and sensor systems, subsystems and components.
Technology Disciplines
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9
Aviation Flight Test
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Redstone Test Center provides an expert workforce and technologically advanced test equipment to conduct the rigorous testing necessary for U.S. Army acquisition and airworthiness decision makers to equip our soldiers with mission-effective and safe aviation equipment. Our Aviation testers are comprised of diverse and multi-disciplined pilots, engineers, and technical personnel who work with a fleet of aircraft to provide government and commercial customers complete developmental flight test and test support services. To support the fleet of aircraft and more than 5,000 hours of flight testing performed each year, RTC maintains a maintenance and logistics capability, over 140 thousand square feet of hangar space, a flight operations center and a flight test control center. While much of RTC aviation flight test operations are conducted at Redstone Arsenal, on many occasions test activities are executed at remote locations throughout the United States to include Yuma Proving Grounds, Ariz.; Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.; and Duluth, Minn. when specific capabilities or climatic conditions are required.
Aviation Flight Test Instrumentation
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RTC provides support in the design, development, installation, integration and operation of aviation flight test instrumentation. Our engineers design, fabricate, install, integrate and calibrate various types of instrumentation systems. We provide collection and processing of real-time and post-mission airframe and systems flight test data at any location across CONUS. RTC electrical and mechanical engineers support the integration and installation of non-standard systems and subsystems into existing Army aircraft platforms. We provide airworthiness release data that supports airworthiness approval from RTC and AED flight releases. A key capability is the state-of-the-art flight test control center which provides real-time display of flight test data and flight test data storage. We also utilize wireless rotating instrumentation package to collect structures data on rotating components. The wireless rotating instrumentation package eliminates the need for legacy slip ring technology. Our capabilities encompass flight test instrumenting, data acquisition and recording, attitude measurement collection, global positioning system collection and processing, video recording and playback, flight test control, instrument systems calibration, instrumentation cockpit display, telemetry decommutation and display, open air environment data collection and ground station digital communication testing.
Aviation Systems Test and Integration Lab (AvSTIL)
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The Aviation Systems Test and Integration Laboratory offers an innovative approach to aviation system and subsystem testing by fully immersing aviation platforms in a controllable, repeatable and simulated testing environment, allowing engineers the ability to fine-tune scenarios, produce more precise test and evaluation results, thereby reducing overall program risk to project managers prior to flight test. The AvSTIL serves as the only U.S. Army installed test facility capable of testing tactical hardware as installed onto aircraft, thus eliminating some of the uncertainties commonly attributed to bench level component testing. The AvSTIL is capable of simulating all current aircraft survivability equipment, aircraft 1553 bus traffic (to include EGI), as well as pilot static and radar altimeter information. The AvSTIL houses a test control center equipped with all necessary instrumentation to plan, execute and report on advanced flight tests and is collocated with a suite of Army aircraft to include the AH-64D/E, CH-47D/F, UH-60A/L/M, OH-58D and RQ-7 Shadow UAS.
Distributed Tests and Modeling & Simulation
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RTC's distributed testing and modeling & simulation capability is centered around the Distributed Test Control Center located in building 4500 on Redstone Arsenal. The DTCC is RTC's central point for integration in connecting distributed systems. For test events both internal to RTC and with outside organizations, it serves as the RTC command and control, communication, data acquisition, and visualization center. The DTCC operates globally at various classification levels on multiple distributed test networks. This state of the art facility serves as the hub connecting all RTC ranges and labs through reliable, robust and high capacity connectivity. It is the central access point to and from RTC assets and other organizations around the world. DTCC engineers and computer scientists provide subject matter expertise for networks and simulation architecture as well as for RTC's High Performance Computer asset which resides in the DTCC and provides computational power for the center.
Hardware-in-the-Loop Testing
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RTC has a suite of Hardware-in-the Loop facilities that include three operational facilities that provide performance assessment and production acceptance testing of millimeter wave, IR and SAL missile seekers and all-up rounds. These facilities are supported by subject matter expertise in combining T&E with M&S to support simulation based acquisition. The HWILs include: The Longbow Simulation Test and Acceptance Facility that is used to provide non destructive test of allup-round Longbow missiles for production and stockpile reliability; the Electro-Optical System Flight Evaluation Lab which is used to test seekers, control sections, command launch units and other components (adaptable to test semi-active laser seekers); and the Advanced Multispectral Simulation, Test and Acceptance Resource which provides a performance test bay for tri-mode seekers that utilize any combination of mid-wave IR, SAL and KA band millimeter wave seeker technologies. HWIL capabilities also include ad-hoc and component test capabilities such as FLIR HWIL and dynamic fin loading.
Insensitive Munitions Testing
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Insensitive Munitions Testing at RTC is conducted (IAW MILSTD-2105) at Test Area 4. Our engineers and technicians obtain data for hazards classification and safety assessments of rocket motors and explosive components. Insensitive munition testing includes multiple caliber bullet impact testing, fragment impact, live munitions drop testing, slow and fast cook-off tests, warhead arena tests, sympathetic detonation, shaped charge jet and spall impact, and vulnerability and survivability tests. Five test pads are remotely located in the test area supported by an equipped blockhouse with high speed digital control and data acquisition systems. Test pads are configured to ensure maximum safety for tests.
Missile Flight Testing
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RTC's missile flight test capabilities center around Test Area 1, a fullyinstrumented, 8km long range, located on 8,000 square feet with smaller, satellite ranges customized for R&D testing of new weapon system technologies, as well as project-managed systems at the system, subsystem and component level throughout the system's lifecycle. Flight test capabilities are designed for remote or man-fired testing of tactical guided missiles, rockets, and machine guns from ground and aviation platforms against stationary or moving targets. Test capabilities are also available for aviation weapons systems integration & testing that combines gun, rocket, laser, and sensor testing from various Army aviation platforms. Target tracking capability includes time space positioning information and velocity data collection through optical, acoustic, and radar systems such as Weibel doppler radar, Oehler acoustic arrays, Mobile Optical Tracking System, and the Mobile Multi-sensor TSPI System. The ranges include state-of-the-art, high speed digital imaging used for launch, target, and warhead data collection, as well as data reduction and other imaging and documentation capabilities. All instrumentation is enabled by complete instrumentation infrastructure including fiber optic or wireless instrumentation needs for data collection.
Missile/Aviation Propulsion Testing
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RTC provides the Army's largest static test facility staffed with experienced engineers and technicians with unique specialized, certified skills for testing of liquid, solid and hybrid rocket and missile propulsion systems. This test capability includes five static test stands with nine test positions for both horizontal and vertical testing. These stands have thrust test capabilities up to 10,000,000 lbs of force, up to 250,000 lbs. of propellant and include unique capabilities to test with hypergolic fuels and oxidizers. Test capabilities allow for exhaust plume attenuation and signature testing. The test area also includes a recently updated and renovated control facility and fully instrumented blockhouse along with capabilities for ammunition storage. In addition to static test firing, our engineers and technicians are certified for rocket motor dissection up to 50,000 lbs. of propellant. Our static test facilities provide a "cradle to grave" test capability for propulsion testing from early concept development through recycle and demilitarization operations. In addition to missile propulsion testing, we offer environmental testing for the conduct of explosive atmosphere, altitude and rapid decompressions testing of developmental and fielded DoD and commercial assets. Finally, we have the Redstone Air Propulsion Test and Research (RAPTR) facility that houses three bays for testing helicopter engines and various other aircraft components. See capability highlights below for additional RAPTR information.
Sensor Testing in Open Air Range
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RTC provides testing for sensors on Redstone Arsenal open air ranges and with safari test capabilities worldwide. Primary test mission areas include ground and airborne testing of seeker and sensor systems in an open air field environment. RTC performs Sensor and Seeker field tests in the following areas: • Captive Carry Testing such as Stabilized Electro-Optical Airborne Instrumentation Platform (SEAIP) • Ground based sensor testing • Spectral characterization of targets and environments • Testing of detection, acquisition and recognition systems • GPS tracking tests such as Low-Cost, All-purpose, Instrumentation Tracking System (LOCAITS) • Ground and aerial target support Test areas at Redstone Arsenal provide an open air instrumented range environment that serves as the primary range for field sensor test operations. The range encompasses more than 2,000 acres, with elevated pads ranging in height. Test Area 6 offers integration facilities and limited fabrication and machining capabilities. The Hatton Mountain Sensor Test Facility provides a 8.7 Km line-of-sight to the end of Test Area 3. Also RTC has an inventory of over 15 types of obscurants & countermeasures that are available for field sensor and seeker testing, signature measurement, etc.