▁Air ▁Force ▁systems . ▁▁ ▁The ▁ 3 1 st ▁is ▁staff ed ▁with ▁a ▁mixture ▁of ▁operations , ▁maintenance ▁and ▁engineering ▁exper ts ▁who ▁plan ▁and ▁conduct ▁tests , ▁evaluate ▁effect iveness ▁and ▁suit ability , ▁and ▁influence ▁system ▁design . ▁The ▁squad ron ' s ▁personnel ▁are ▁integrated ▁into ▁the ▁B - 1 , ▁B - 2 , ▁B - 5 2 , ▁Global ▁Haw k , ▁M Q - 9 ▁and ▁F - 3 5 ▁J oint ▁St rike ▁F ighter ▁programs . ▁Their ▁results ▁and ▁conclus ions ▁support ▁Department ▁of ▁Def ense ▁ac quisition , ▁deployment ▁and ▁employ ment ▁dec isions . ▁ ▁Air ▁Force ▁Oper ational ▁Test ▁and ▁E valu ation ▁Center , ▁Det achment ▁ 1 . ▁ ▁An ▁Air ▁Force ▁M ater iel ▁Command ▁named ▁unit ▁assigned ▁to ▁K irt land ▁A FB , ▁New ▁Mexico , ▁AF OT EC ▁Det achment ▁ 1 ▁is ▁responsible ▁for ▁accomplish ing ▁Block ▁ 2 ▁and ▁ 3 ▁Initial ▁Oper ational ▁Test ▁and ▁E valu ation ▁of ▁the ▁F - 3 5 ▁Light ning ▁II ▁for ▁the ▁US ▁Air ▁Force , ▁United ▁States ▁Navy , ▁United ▁States ▁Marine ▁Corps , ▁United ▁Kingdom ▁Ministry ▁of ▁Def ense , ▁and ▁the ▁Royal ▁Netherlands ▁Air ▁Force . ▁ ▁Air ▁Force ▁Oper ational ▁Test ▁and ▁E valu ation ▁Center , ▁Det achment ▁ 5 . ** ▁▁ ▁AF OT EC ▁Det achment ▁ 5 ▁is ▁responsible ▁for ▁conduct ing ▁the ▁oper ational ▁test ▁and ▁evaluation ▁of ▁US AF ▁aircraft ▁and ▁av ion ics