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The Aircraft & Systems Testing Establishment (ASTE) is a unit of the Indian Air Force (IAF) that evaluates aircraft and systems for induction into user organisations. Most new aircraft types and major airborne systems must have ASTE's stamp of approval to be considered fit for service in India. While many countries have testing facilities of one kind or the other, training of flight test personnel is not often imparted in them. ASTE's Air Force Test Pilots School (AFTPS) is only the fifth such institution in the world. == History == Since India's independence, the IAF has been actively involved in defending territorial boundaries. In 1948, the IAF acquired its first jet fighter type, the de Havilland Vampire, and the Aircraft Testing Unit (ATU) was raised under the command of Wg Cdr H Moolgavkar to accept and test these aircraft. By the early 1950s, IAF felt the need to expand its aircraft holdings. The ageing fleet of Vampires, Toofanis and Mysteres were required to be upgraded and eventually replaced, to meet fresh challenges. Indian aviation industry, in the form of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), was already being provided highly skilled pilots by IAF for flight test duties. Anticipating the need for an indigenous flight-testing capability, and to launch flight testing in India on a formal footing, IAF sent two pilots to the Empire Test Pilots' School in October 1949. These pilots were followed by several others in succeeding years and they formed the core group in the establishment of the Aircraft and Armament Testing Unit (A&ATU) Kanpur, a precursor to ASTE. On 9 December 1970, keeping pace with its expanding field of activity, the Commanding Officer's post at A&ATU was further upgraded to Group Captain, and Group Captain Kapil Bhargava VM was appointed to fill this prestigious slot. The next two years saw an increase in avionics systems trials like IFF, V/UHF sets, gun sights, FR cameras etc., in addition to armament and airframe testing. The unit's role was growing and on 23 August 1972, A&ATU was reorganised as Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment (ASTE). In 1984, two officers of ASTE, Wg Cdr Ravish Malhotra and Sqn Ldr Rakesh Sharma achieved celebrity status, when they were selected to undergo training for the Indo-Soviet joint space venture. On 3 Apr 1984, Sqn Ldr Rakesh Sharma was launched into space in a SOYUZ T -11 along with his Soviet counterparts. His Excellency Dr A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, the President of India, presented the 'Presidential Standard' to ASTE on 21 Nov 2005. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Indian Air Force Test Pilot School」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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