Air Force Calibration Programs

Known as the Air Force Calibration Programs is focused on developing, testing, and evaluating national and Air Force measurement standards and calibration equipment. This program supports all Air Force programs and activities, including Precision Measurement Equipment Laboratories (PMELs) worldwide. The specific objectives include the development of technology to support systems in all phases of development and acquisition, as well as research and development of measurement standards and calibration equipment to ensure modern weapon systems meet Air Force readiness objectives. The program addresses various metrology disciplines such as laser, infrared, microwave, optical, physical, mechanical, electrical, electronic, and ionizing radiation measurements.

The program's goals include ensuring the integrity of tests through calibration and traceability assurance schemes to support military system development, quality assurance, hardware conformance testing, and system readiness tests. Additionally, it aims to keep pace with rapidly changing technology by developing new measurement capability to avoid time delays, excessive costs, and increased risk due to unreliable test results in all phases of development, production, deployment, and operation. The program is managed by the Air Force Materiel Command's Agile Combat Support Directorate's Air Force Metrology Division (WNM) under Budget Activity 7: Operational System Development. The program primarily accomplishes its objectives through intergovernmental transfer between the Department of Defense and other Federal Departments.