Hurlburt Field, Fla. -- Members from the 18th Flight Test Squadron recently received one of the Air Force Association's top awards for their work on the AC-130W Dragon Spear.
"I cannot place a value on the experience that Air Force Special Operations Command operators bring to problem solving," said Lt. Col. Duke Pope, 18 FTS and AFSOC test division chief.
The Howard W. Leaf Test Team of the Year Award was presented to the Dragon Spear Operational Test Team at the AFA conference in September.
The data collected by the team resulted in the state-of-the-art Dragon Spear, a roll-on, roll-off Precision Strike Package used on the MAC-130W aircraft in AFSOC's inventory. This capability allows aircrew to provide precision strike weaponry on the battlefield, as well as dual high-definition Intelligence, Reconnaissance and Surveillance targeting sensors, multiple video uplinks, downlinks and communications advancements.
"We created an operational playground and recorded the data so leaders can make the informed decisions," Pope said.
According to the AFA website, the award is given "for outstanding achievement by an United States Air Force test team engaged in test and evaluation of a defense acquisition program."
The achievement stretches far beyond the doors of the 18 FTS building.
"The award exemplifies how this squadron reached out with the help of others to tackle new technology, expand the tactics of the MC-130W and work in the joint community," said Karen Torraca, 18th FTS test execution director.
Others included the 413th Flight Test Squadron developmental testers, the 27 Special Operations Wing maintainers, the 73rd Special Operations Squadron aircrew and the Joint Acquisition Task Force.
Recognition at the highest level excited team members because of the rapid development of the program.
"I was impressed with the speed and cost savings in terms of acquisitions [of Dragon Spear]," said Master Sgt. Shane Rainwater, Fires Flight chief with 18 years of AC-130 experience. "[It took] 18 months from inception to the field."
Deployed since November 2010, the MC-130W is operated by the 73rd SOS, assigned to Cannon Air Force Base, N.M. They have provided daily Dragon Spear combat capability to deployed units with highly effective ISR and armed over watch capability.