The 53d Wing serves as the focal point for the combat air forces in electronic warfare, armament and avionics, chemical defense, reconnaissance, and aircrew training devices.

The wing is also responsible for operational testing and evaluation (OT&E) of new equipment and systems proposed for use by these air forces.

[9] The AAF found that standard military units, based on relatively inflexible tables of organization were proving less well adapted to the training mission.

[15][16][17][18] In the fall of 1957 both of the group's squadrons upgraded their Sabres to F-86L models with data link for interception control through the Semi-Automatic Ground Environment system.

In 1977 the center began an annual series of Air Force-wide exercises to improve command, control, communications, and intelligence (C3I) techniques.

[1] Around the same time it embarked on the electronic warfare evaluation program, and continued OT&E of aviation weapon systems for TAC and later Air Combat Command, the Department of Defense, and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency