A test bed aircraft is defined as a specialized airplane used for developing, testing and evaluating new technologies, systems, components, or theories related to military or civilian aircrafts in a real-time flight environment. The term “test bed” is used because these aircraft serve as a platform for developments and testing of these forementioned technologies similar to how a ground-based development and testing laboratory provides a controlled environment for testing of these systems.. Simply, a test bed aircraft is essentially a 'bed' where new technologies and systems are “installed” and “tested” in real time flight conditions.

One of main usage of the test bed aircraft is to provide sufficient space (for hardware and engineers), cooling and electrical power to replicate flight conditions which require for those aforementioned systems to be tested under required flight conditions. Basically, a test aircraft provides a real-time environmental (attitude, speed, meteorological conditions etc.) conditions where the developmental systems (radars, avionics, or targeting pods, EW suites or a new operational software etc) can be tested under actual flight conditions. This helps in understanding how the new system/software performs in different flight regions or threat levels or environments such as bad weather, high or low altitude, temperatures etc. Moreover, certain scenarios of the flight testing might require testing of the new systems under specific flight or electromagnetic interference conditions that replicate the enemy’s capabilities. It is crucial to validate the functionality and performance of the new systems in a dynamic environment where a wide range of arial, naval or ground targets are presented from a military perspective. This validation includes checking the system’s operational accuracy, effectiveness or reliability in real time flight conditions. resolution, and ability to track and identify targets.