The 120th Airlift Wing (120 AW) is a unit of the
Montana Air National Guard
The Montana Air National Guard (MT ANG) is the aerial militia of the State of Montana, United States of America. Along with the Montana Army National Guard it is an element of the Montana National Guard.
As state militia units, the units in the M ...
, stationed at
Great Falls Air National Guard Base
Great Falls International Airport is a public/military airport in city limits three miles southwest of central Great Falls in Cascade County, Montana, United States. The airport has also been called Great Falls Municipal Airport.
The Nat ...
at
Great Falls International Airport
Great Falls International Airport is a public/military airport in city limits three miles southwest of central Great Falls in Cascade County, Montana, United States. The airport has also been called Great Falls Municipal Airport.
The Natio ...
, Montana. If activated to federal service, the Wing is gained by the
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...
Air Mobility Command
Air Mobility Command (AMC) is a major command (MAJCOM) of the U.S. Air Force. It is headquartered at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, east of St. Louis, Missouri.
Air Mobility Command was established on 1 June 1992, and was formed from elements ...
.
Mission
The 120th Airlift Wing, as part of the
Montana Air National Guard
The Montana Air National Guard (MT ANG) is the aerial militia of the State of Montana, United States of America. Along with the Montana Army National Guard it is an element of the Montana National Guard.
As state militia units, the units in the M ...
, serves a dual mission:
* They are both full-time components of the Air Expeditionary Forces mission which participates in the defense of the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
.
*They are also on call for use by the
state Governor
A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political r ...
to use in case of natural disasters to augment state declared emergencies.
Units
The 120th Airlift Wing consists of the following units:
* 120th Operations Group
:
186th Airlift Squadron
* 120th Mission Support Group
* 120th Maintenance Group
* 120th Medical Group
History
On 1 July 1955, the
Montana Air National Guard
The Montana Air National Guard (MT ANG) is the aerial militia of the State of Montana, United States of America. Along with the Montana Army National Guard it is an element of the Montana National Guard.
As state militia units, the units in the M ...
186th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron was authorized to expand to a group level, and the 120th Fighter Group (Air Defense) was established by the
National Guard Bureau
The National Guard Bureau is the federal instrument responsible for the administration of the National Guard established by the United States Congress as a joint bureau of the Department of the Army and the Department of the Air Force. It was cre ...
. The 186th FIS becoming the group's flying squadron. Other squadrons assigned into the group were the 120th Headquarters, 120th Material Squadron (Maintenance), 120th Combat Support Squadron, and the 120th USAF Dispensary. The group was gained by the 29th Air Division, Air Defense Command with a mission for the air defense of the northern tier of the United States. The Group Commander, Col. Rodger D. Young was promoted to Brig. General in 1966 and became Chief of Staff of Air for the 120th until his retirement in 1973.
In 1958, the 120th implemented the ADC Runway Alert Program, in which interceptors of the 186th FIS were committed to a five-minute runway alert, a task that would last for 38 years. The arrival of the
F-102 Delta Dagger in 1966 ushered in the supersonic age. In 1968 Air Defense Command was re-designated as Aerospace Defense Command (ADCOM). In 1972, the unit was redesignated the 120th Fighter-Interceptor Group and assigned the
F-106 Delta Dart
The Convair F-106 Delta Dart was the primary all-weather interceptor aircraft of the United States Air Force from the 1960s through to the 1980s. Designed as the so-called "Ultimate Interceptor", it proved to be the last specialist interceptor i ...
, the first Air National Guard unit to receive this aircraft. With the F-106, the squadron competed in and won its first William Tell, a live-fire missile competition held at
Tyndall AFB
Tyndall Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base located east of Panama City, Florida. The base was named in honor of World War I pilot 1st Lt. Frank Benjamin Tyndall. The base operating unit and host wing is the 325th Fighter Wing (325 ...
, Florida. Performed air defense duties along the northern tier of the United States until 1978 when ADCOM was merged into Tactical Air Command. Continued air defense mission for ADTAC component of TAC with the F-106s, transferring to First Air Force when ADTAC was replaced in 1985.
![F-16s over Kunsan City South Korea](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0c/F-16s_over_Kunsan_City_South_Korea.jpg)
The 186th FS converted from the F-106A to the F-16A/B Fighting Falcon in mid-1987. The conversion happened earlier than was scheduled and the 186th FIS was to be the last squadron to lose its F-106s. The first aircraft were older block 5 and 10 models with some block 15 airframes also being delivered to the squadron. Main task for the unit was air defense, as with many ANG units who were equipped with the F-16. In 1991 the F-16s were brought up to the Air Defense Fighter (ADF) variant. This meant a serious leap in performance and capability of this squadron in their defensive role. This situation was maintained up until 2001 when the squadron started receiving more modern F-16C block 30 aircraft with larger intakes. This conversion replaced the air defense mission with one of general purpose/air-to-ground as part of the Expeditionary Aerospace Force.
With the conversion, unit members felt it was time to consider a change in the aircraft tail markings. The most notable change included the 186th Fighter Squadron's nickname of "Vigilantes". The nickname by the pilots of the 186th is intended to honor the first men in the Montana Territory who organized for the safety and welfare of the people.
The squadron once again found itself on alert status after the terrorism attacks in
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
and
Washington, D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
Base personnel implemented the necessary procedures to establish a secure environment while maintaining a 24-hour alert status for aircraft. During 2002, hundreds of unit personnel were activated and deployed to multiple locations in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and the world.
As a result of the 2005 BRAC decisions the unit converted to the F-15C/D during 2008 and revert to an all-air defense unit. In early December 2007 the first F-16 left Great Falls being transferred to the
158th Fighter Wing, Vermont ANG. By the summer of 2008, eighteen F-15C Eagles had been transferred from the 131st Fighter Wing at St. Louis due to its conversion to the 131st Bomb Wing, flying the B-2 stealth bomber.
Beginning in the summer of 2013, the Wing began the process of transferring its F-15C aircraft to the
144th Fighter Wing of the
California Air National Guard
The California Air National Guard (CA ANG) is one of three components of the California National Guard, a reserve of the United States Air Force, and part of the National Guard of the United States.
As militia units, the units in the California ...
. The final F-15 aircraft departed Great Falls on 24 October 2013. The 120th received their first C-130H from the
19th Airlift Wing on 1 March 2014
Lineage
* Designated 120th Fighter Group (Air Defense), and allotted to Montana ANG, 1955
: Extended federal recognition and activated, 1 July 1955
: Re-designated: 120th Fighter-Interceptor Group, 1 July 1972
: Re-designated: 120th Fighter Group, 15 Mar 1992
: Status changed from Group to Wing, 1 October 1995
: Re-designated: 120th Fighter Wing, 1 October 1995
: Re-designated: 120th Airlift Wing, 1 March 2014
Assignments
*
140th Air Defense Wing
Fourteen or 14 may refer to:
* 14 (number), the natural number following 13 and preceding 15
* one of the years 14 BC, AD 14, 1914, 2014
Music
* 14th (band), a British electronic music duo
* ''14'' (David Garrett album), 2013
*''14'', an unrel ...
, 1 July 1955
*
Montana Air National Guard
The Montana Air National Guard (MT ANG) is the aerial militia of the State of Montana, United States of America. Along with the Montana Army National Guard it is an element of the Montana National Guard.
As state militia units, the units in the M ...
, 1 January 1961
: Gained by:
Great Falls Air Defense Sector
The Great Falls Air Defense Sector (GFADS) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the Air Defense Command 29th Air Division, being stationed at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana. It was inactivated o ...
,
Air Defense Command
Aerospace Defense Command was a major command (military formation), command of the United States Air Force, responsible for continental air defense. It was activated in 1968 and disbanded in 1980. Its predecessor, Air Defense Command, was est ...
: Gained by:
28th Air Division
The 28th Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Tactical Air Command at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma. It was inactivated on 29 May 1992.
History
Established in December 1 ...
,
Air Defense Command
Aerospace Defense Command was a major command (military formation), command of the United States Air Force, responsible for continental air defense. It was activated in 1968 and disbanded in 1980. Its predecessor, Air Defense Command, was est ...
, 1 April 1966
: Gained by:
24th Air Division,
Aerospace Defense Command
Aerospace Defense Command was a major command of the United States Air Force, responsible for continental air defense. It was activated in 1968 and disbanded in 1980. Its predecessor, Air Defense Command, was established in 1946, briefly inac ...
, 1 January 1970
: Gained by:
Air Defense, Tactical Air Command
Air Defense, Tactical Air Command (ADTAC) was a Named Unit of the United States Air Force, and operated at the Numbered Air Force echelon of Tactical Air Command. It was responsible for the air defense of the United States, and was last statione ...
(ADTAC), 1 October 1979
: Gained by:
First Air Force
The First Air Force (Air Forces Northern; 1 AF-AFNORTH) is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command (ACC). It is headquartered at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida. Its primary mission is the air defense of the Co ...
,
Tactical Air Command
Tactical Air Command (TAC) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was a Major Command of the United States Air Force, established on 21 March 1946 and headquartered at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia. It was inactivated on 1 J ...
, 9 December 1985
: Gained by:
Northwest Air Defense Sector
The Western Air Defense Sector (WADS) is a unit of the Washington Air National Guard located at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Tacoma, Washington.
As a state militia unit, the Western Air Defense Sector is not in the normal United States Air Force ch ...
(NWADS), 1 July 1987
: Gained by:
Western Air Defense Sector
The Western Air Defense Sector (WADS) is a unit of the Washington Air National Guard located at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Tacoma, Washington.
As a state militia unit, the Western Air Defense Sector is not in the normal United States Air Force c ...
(WADS), 1 October 1997
: Jointly Gained by:
Air Combat Command
Air Combat Command (ACC) is one of nine Major Commands (MAJCOMs) in the United States Air Force, reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force (HAF) at the Pentagon. It is the primary provider of air combat forces for the Air Force, and i ...
, 1 September 2001
: Jointly Gained by:
Air Mobility Command
Air Mobility Command (AMC) is a major command (MAJCOM) of the U.S. Air Force. It is headquartered at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, east of St. Louis, Missouri.
Air Mobility Command was established on 1 June 1992, and was formed from elements ...
, 1 March 2014
Components
* 120th Operations Group, 1 October 1995 – Present
*
186th Fighter-Interceptor (later Fighter) Squadron, 1 July 1955 – 1 October 1995
: Assigned to 120 OG effective 1 October 1995
Stations
*
Great Falls International Airport
Great Falls International Airport is a public/military airport in city limits three miles southwest of central Great Falls in Cascade County, Montana, United States. The airport has also been called Great Falls Municipal Airport.
The Natio ...
, Montana, 1 July 1955
: Designated:
Great Falls Air National Guard Base
Great Falls International Airport is a public/military airport in city limits three miles southwest of central Great Falls in Cascade County, Montana, United States. The airport has also been called Great Falls Municipal Airport.
The Nat ...
, Montana, 1991 – present
: Detachment 1 operated from Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona (undetermined dates)
Aircraft
*
F-94A Starfire
The Lockheed F-94 Starfire was a first-generation jet powered all-weather, day/night interceptor of the United States Air Force. A twin-seat craft, it was developed from the Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star trainer in the late 1940s. It reached ope ...
, 1955–1956
*
F-89C Scorpion
The Northrop F-89 Scorpion was an American all-weather, twin-engined interceptor aircraft built during the 1950s, the first jet-powered aircraft designed for that role from the outset to enter service. Though its straight wings limited its per ...
, 1956–1958
*
F-89H Scorpion
The Northrop F-89 Scorpion was an American all-weather, twin-engined interceptor aircraft built during the 1950s, the first jet-powered aircraft designed for that role from the outset to enter service. Though its straight wings limited its per ...
, 1958–1960
*
F-89J Scorpion, 1960–1966
*
F-102 Delta Dagger, 1966–1972
*
F-106 Delta Dart
The Convair F-106 Delta Dart was the primary all-weather interceptor aircraft of the United States Air Force from the 1960s through to the 1980s. Designed as the so-called "Ultimate Interceptor", it proved to be the last specialist interceptor i ...
, 1972–1987
*
Block 15 F-16A ADF Fighting Falcon
The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a single-engine multirole fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force (USAF). Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successf ...
, 1987–2001
*
Block 30 F-16C Fighting Falcon
The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a single-engine Multirole combat aircraft, multirole fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force (USAF). Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it ...
, 2001–2008
*
F-15C Eagle
The McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle is an American twin-engine, all-weather tactical fighter aircraft designed by McDonnell Douglas (now part of Boeing). Following reviews of proposals, the United States Air Force selected McDonnell Douglas's ...
, 2008–2014
*
C-130H Hercules
The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is an American four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built by Lockheed (now Lockheed Martin). Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was originally desig ...
, 2014 – present
References
* Rogers, B. (2006). United States Air Force Unit Designations Since 1978.
History of the 120th Fighter Wing Cornett, Lloyd H. and Johnson, Mildred W., ''A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization 1946 – 1980'', Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center, Peterson AFB, CO (1980).
External links
120th Fighter Wing Official Homepage
{{Montana
Wings of the United States Air National Guard
0120
Military units and formations in Montana