US Navy New Ground Test Facility for Aircraft: The US Navy and the Indiana National Guard have opened a new ground-based test facility at Camp Atterbury in Indiana. The site is designed to help the military test aircraft countermeasures before those systems are taken onto real aircraft for flight testing. The new facility was officially unveiled on August 12, 2026. It was developed through a partnership between Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division, or NSWC Crane, and the Indiana National Guard.
NSWC Crane is a US Navy laboratory that works on technologies for strategic missions, electromagnetic warfare and expeditionary warfare. The new Sled Track Facility gives its engineers a way to test airborne expendable countermeasures on the ground at very high speeds.
Indiana Governor Mike Braun said the project is an important part of the state’s defence work. “Indiana continues to lead the nation in defense innovation,” said Gov. Braun. “This partnership between NSWC Crane and the Indiana National Guard at Camp Atterbury is a testament to our state’s commitment to equipping our men and women of uniform with the safest, most advanced technology in the world.”
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Track Can Reach Mach 1
The new system includes a 578-foot, or 176-metre, track with a 402-foot, or 123-metre, opening. It can reach tested speeds of up to Mach 1. That is about 1,235 kilometres per hour or 767 miles per hour.
The track is built with steel pipe and has a graphite interior coating. Special cameras and other imaging systems watch the infrared performance of countermeasures during each test. Engineers can study the results and make changes to the design without needing to use an aircraft for every early test.
The facility can support testing linked to several US military aircraft. These include the F-35 Lightning II, F/A-18 Super Hornet, F-16 Fighting Falcon, MH-60 Seahawk and C-130 Hercules.
Dr. Angela Lewis, Technical Director at NSWC Crane, said the new setup can speed up the work considerably. “This sled track is a game-changer for our engineering teams,” said Dr. Angela Lewis, SES, Technical Director at NSWC Crane. “It allows us to rapidly iterate, optimize designs on the ground, and deliver highly mature, reliable countermeasures to our warfighters in a fraction of the time it previously took.”
Lower Testing Costs and Better Safety
Testing countermeasures on the ground before using manned aircraft is expected to save around $1.7 million every year. It can also reduce problems caused by limited aircraft schedules and help engineers complete development work faster.
Flight tests will still be needed. However, systems should be more developed before they reach that stage. This can lower risks for pilots and other aircrew while also cutting the number of changes that need to be made during aircraft testing.
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The facility will also be used for Lot Acceptance Testing. This checks whether countermeasures from production batches meet the required standards. By using the new track for this work, the Navy expects testing to become faster and more consistent.
The Indiana National Guard said the facility also gives Camp Atterbury a bigger role in helping develop military technology. Maj. Gen. Larry Muennich said, “Warfighter readiness is, and always will be, our top priority at Camp Atterbury – Muscatatuck.” He added that the site can help speed up the delivery of important technology to military personnel.
