The school's mission is to produce experimental test pilots, flight test engineers, and flight test navigators to lead and conduct test and evaluation of aerospace weapon systems.

Pavel Kazakov found Stoica to be a hardworking, singleminded, almost fanatical Russian patriot who thought of his efforts to design a high-tech aerospace weapon system to be an honor rather than just a job.

An industry sector critical to America's defense needs is the aerospace investment casting industry which primarily produces complex titanium and super-alloy castings used in structures and rotating components of current and future aerospace weapon systems.

As part of the Aeronautical Systems Center, the 303d designs, develops and delivers dominant aerospace weapon systems and capabilities for U.S. Air Force, other U.S. military, allied and coalition-partner warfighters, in support of Air Force leadership priorities.