About Naval Air Station Patuxent River - DCMilitary.com

10
Air Test and
Evaluation
Squadron One
The principal mission of Air Test and
Evaluation Squadron One is to test and
evaluate airborne anti-submarine
warfare (ASW) and maritime antisurface
warfare (SUW) weapon
systems, airborne strategic weapon
systems, as well as support systems,
equipment and materials in an operational
environment. The squadron also
develops, reviews, and disseminates
new ASW/SUW tactics and procedures
for fleet use, serving as the model manager
for all such tactical publications.
Because of the squadron’s unique position
as the interfacing unit between the
development of new weapon and
mission systems and subsequent introduction
to the fleet, VX-1 is considered
the squadron that “Does it First.”
A variety of operational aircraft are
assigned to VX-1 including the P-3C
Orion, MH-60R, MH-60S and SH-60F
Seahawk. Additionally, VX-1 provides
Partners in Excellence
Partners in Excellence
test and evaluation support for such
diverse programs as the EP-3 Aries II,
E-6B Mercury, KC-130J Hercules, E-2C
Hawkeye, Global Hawk Maritime
Demonstration Unmanned Aerial
Vehicle, and P-8A Multi Mission
Maritime Aircraft (MMA). As antisurface
and anti-submarine warfare
operations evolve to defeat emerging
threats to national security, so too does
the nature of projects assigned for evaluation.
The squadron has numerous
projects assigned, from complete
airframe upgrades to weapon system
evaluation of electronic, acoustic and
optic methods of ship and submarine
detection, classification, and attack.
VX-1, in its role as the Navy’s air
ASW/ASUW operational evaluator,
meets regularly with our allies to share
tactical knowledge and advancement.
VX-1 also shares ideas through daily
contact with Canadian, British Royal
Navy and Royal Air Force liaison officers
assigned to the squadron. With
ASW continuing as a vital multi-national
mission, these contacts have been
invaluable to tactical development.
In VX-1, Sailors are the highest priority.
Over the years, the squadron and
its evaluation crews have received
numerous awards which include the
Navy Unit Commendation, Navy
Expeditionary Medal, three Meritorious
Unit Commendations, nine CNO Safety
Awards, 10 Silver Anchor Awards, 10
Golden Anchor Awards for retention,
and a variety of additional citations and
commendations. VX-1 has also
received the Bronze Hammer Award
for self-help, the first Secretary of the
Navy Energy Conservation Award, and,
most recently, the Armed Forces
Service Medal for participation in the
Hurricane Katrina relief efforts in 2005.
Scientific
Development
Squadron One
(VXS-1)
The Naval Research Laboratory
Flight Support Detachment was transformed
into one of the Navy’s newest