NUTCRACKERS Electronic Warfare EW Area 51 / Groom Lake Test Site Air Force Challenge Coin / 413th Flight Test Squadron

This coin is 1 3/4 inches in diameter.  The coin is in good shape with wears and surface marks from handling.

NUTCRACKER = Alter ego of the EW.

Flight testing

The 6513th Flight Test Squadron (known as the "Red Hats") was activated at Edwards Air Force Base, California on 1 December 1977 as part of the USAF Flight Test Center. The squadron was assigned to Edwards, although it operated from Tonopah Test Range Airport, Nevada to perform technical evaluations of acquired Soviet Aircraft. A similar organization, the 4477th Test and Evaluation Squadron ("Red Eagles") performed clandestine flight testing of the aircraft. In October 1992 at the end of the Cold War, the squadrons were inactivated with the 6513th being consolidated with the 413th Test Squadron which was reactivated. The Red Hats, however, possibly continued to conduct FME projects, apparently as an unnumbered squadron at an undisclosed location in Nevada.^[6][7]

The 413th performed flight testing of electronic warfare assets at Edwards. Inactivated in March 2004 as part of a consolidation and realignment of EW assets, remaining personnel and assets were transferred to Electronic Warfare Directorate North Base.^[6]

Reactivated at Hurlburt Field, Florida in February 2005, providing flight testing of special operations aircraft and helicopters under the 46th Test Wing. Moved to Duke Field in 2012 due to budget reductions and rreassigned to 96th Test Wing in July 2012.^[8]

(REF: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/413th_Flight_Test_Squadron)