4477th Test and Evaluation Squadron

Common card · No. 421353

The 4477th Test and Evaluation Squadron (4477 TES), known as the "Red Eagles", was a squadron in the United States Air Force that operated MiG-17s, MiG-21s and MiG-23s between 1977 and 1988. The mission of the squadron, operating under project Constant Peg, was to expose the tactical air forces of the United States to the flight characteristics of fighter aircraft used by the Soviet Union and other adversary nations during the Cold War. During the course of its existence the squadron exposed approximately 6,000 aircrew of the United States Air Force, United States Navy, and United States Marine Corps to these aircraft types in a controlled training environment. The last training sorties of the squadron were flown in 1988, however the declassified history of the squadron shows that it was not formally disbanded until July 1990. While the squadron is currently inactive, operation of Soviet- and Russian-built aircraft types by the US continues, and aircrew have been observed wearing Red Eagles...

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