605th TES continues to help modernize the force

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Christopher Callaway
  • 1st Special Operations Wing Public Affairs
HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. --  The 1st Special Operations Wing employs more than 8,500 military members and close to 2,000 civilian Air Commandos. Additionally, the wing hosts 34 partner units from six different major commands.
One of these partner units continues to help modernize command and control, communications and computer (C4) capabilities, as well as, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems used by joint and coalition warfighters.

The 605th Test and Evaluation Squadron, an Air Combat Command unit, traces its lineage to the 605th Tactical Operations Squadron, which operated during the Korean and Vietnam conflicts. It has been conducting operational tests and evaluations of C4 and ISR systems for more than 20 years.

“It makes me proud to know what kind of impact we have on both Air Force and Department of Defense warfighters,” said Lt. Col. Michael Hesse, commander with the 605th TES. “We work on equipment that spans the command and control spectrum from the Joint Force Air Component Commander down to the joint terminal attack controller. In total, we are talking about tens of thousands of warfighters that benefit from our test and evaluation.”

The 605th TES primarily tests upgrades to systems that are already in use, however, it is capable of testing new acquisitions. The unit is also frequently tasked to test for other major commands and services.

“When there is a major upgrade or decision to be made regarding a system, it is the job of the 605th [TES] to evaluate the system and provide data for the decision makers,” said Rich Whittington, a test project manager with the 605th TES. “It is important that we either replace obsolete systems or keep them updated in this constantly changing world.”

The 605th TES has 2 detachments – Detachment 1, located in Seattle, focuses on airborne warning and control system tests and evaluations and Detachment 2, located at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, focuses on joint surveillance target attack radar system tests and evaluations.

Currently, the 605th TES at Hurlburt has five flights consisting of 10 elements that focus on their own C4 and ISR specialty. One element within the squadron focuses solely on command, control and communications (C3) systems and is currently working on five projects for various commands, including the Air Force Space Command and Air Force Global Strike Command.

The DOD has a requirement to replace legacy secure voice cryptographic devices. In the case of the cryptographic modernization program, the DOD chose to combine the capabilities of five legacy cryptography communication devices into one National Security Agency certified common, modern module. This module enables military platforms to transition from legacy equipment to modern devices and future enhancements.

Prompted by Air Force Space Command, the C3 Systems element within the 605th TES is currently testing the new cryptographic devices, part of the Cryptographic Modernization Initiative Program, coordinated by the NSA.

The new cryptographic devices are approaching a full-rate production decision and will be used to communicate between various government agencies across the executive branch of government. In total, the DOD will acquire approximately 44,000 devices.

“I find it incredibly rewarding to go out and observe the professionalism of the people that work here,” Hesse said. “There is no school for teaching people how to test and evaluate systems, so it is amazing to watch people arrive here as subject matter experts, and in short time, leading the tests and making a huge difference.”

Operational environments used by the 605th TES to test the new cryptographic devices included naval ships, ground vehicles, aircraft such as the E-4B National Airborne Operations Center (NAOC), the EA-6B Prowler and other joint platforms. These environments allowed the 605th TES to appropriately evaluate these communication devices and determine operational effectiveness and suitability.

“The government has invested so much into these programs,” Whittington said. “With our independent nature and wealth of experience we’re able to produce honest and thorough reports giving decision makers the best possible business intelligence to make the tough decisions.”

In addition to the cryptographic modernization program, the 605th TES is involved in the early testing of a new radio device, the Handheld Link 16 (HHL-16). The new device gives ground forces the same networked communication system that aircraft use to communicate and exchange digital messages.

“Our biggest job is to put these devices through real-time operational testing in a simulated battlefield,” said Staff Sgt. Chris Young, a joint terminal attack controller and program manager with the 605th TES. “After the training mission, we go through and determine all the problems with the device and propose solutions, that way, when it is in the hands of the warfighters in the battlefield they will not encounter any issues.”

The key feature of the HHL-16 is its significant decrease in size, as well as, the ability to immediately connect with ground, surface and air assets, when in the same location.

When this device began testing, the goal was to decrease the time it took for ground forces to communicate their location and the enemy’s location. The aircraft will be able to automatically connect with the ground forces’ HHL-16 and identify their location.

“This device is expected to be safer, more reliable and will give us a new way to communicate while on the battlefield,” Young said. “In my opinion, it will be the biggest improvement in the past 15 years in the close-air-support realm.”

Since 1945, the 605th TES has been an intricate part of mission success that the U.S. Air Force and joint partners have had. They have been a leader in the modernization and sustainment of the greatest airpower in the world.