White Sands Missile Range has officially shut down the White Sands Test Center as a standalone unit and pulled its mission directly under the range’s command, a structural shake-up Army leaders say is meant to cut red tape and speed test results. The move was marked with a formal "Casing of Colors" ceremony and a ceremonial handoff of command.
The June 9 ceremony at White Sands saw the Test Center’s colors cased to signify its deactivation, while Col. Matthew Johnson formally relinquished command. Johnson is now headed to his next assignment at the Pentagon, according to KTSM.
Army consolidates test operations
The U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command has merged White Sands Missile Range and the White Sands Test Center into a single organization, a consolidation officials say is designed to tighten up operations and streamline who answers to whom. "This restructuring is a key step in our continued efforts to modernize and streamline how we support the Army’s rapid transformation," Maj. Gen. Patrick Gaydon said at the ceremony, as reported by DVIDS.
Testing legacy and capability
Before its deactivation, the Test Center handled developmental testing for air and missile defense systems, long-range fires, nuclear-effects work, and directed-energy projects, capabilities listed as core to the Army Test and Evaluation Command’s mission. In his farewell remarks, Col. Johnson pointed to that legacy, citing Patriot, THAAD, the Standard Missile family, and the GBU-57 as systems with testing ties to White Sands, information reflected by ATEC.
Local impact and continuity
Range leaders stressed that the reorganization is largely administrative and will not disrupt ongoing or scheduled tests, including work for commercial clients and allied partners. White Sands reports that it supports about 3,000 tests each year and generates roughly $10.3 million in daily economic activity for Las Cruces and the surrounding borderland communities, according to the White Sands Missile Range public site. Brig. Gen. Andrew Morgan thanked Col. Johnson for his leadership and assured those at the ceremony that the team will keep the mission tempo high and maintain customer support, per White Sands Missile Range.
