The 174th Attack Wing (174 ATKW) is a unit of the
New York Air National Guard
The New York Air National Guard (NY ANG) is the aerial militia of the State of New York, United States of America. It is, along with the New York Army National Guard, an element of the New York National Guard.
As state militia units, the units ...
, stationed at
Hancock Field Air National Guard Base
Hancock Field Air National Guard Base is a United States Air Force base, co-located with Syracuse Hancock International Airport. It is located north-northeast of Syracuse, New York, at 6001 East Molloy Road, Mattydale, NY 13211.
The installatio ...
, Syracuse, New York. The 174th is equipped with the
MQ-9 Reaper
The General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper (sometimes called Predator B) is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) capable of remotely controlled or autonomous flight operations developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) primarily for the Unit ...
. 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 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 ...
.
Overview
The 174th Attack Wing currently operates the
MQ-9 Reaper
The General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper (sometimes called Predator B) is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) capable of remotely controlled or autonomous flight operations developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) primarily for the Unit ...
Remotely Piloted Aircraft
An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), commonly known as a drone, is an aircraft without any human pilot, crew, or passengers on board. UAVs are a component of an unmanned aircraft system (UAS), which includes adding a ground-based controller ...
(RPA). Its mission is to provide qualified airmen and weapon systems engaging in global air, space and cyberspace operations; supporting homeland defense, joint operations and aid to civil authorities at the direction of the Governor.
Units
The 174th Attack Wing consists of the following major units:
*
152nd Air Operations Group
* 174th Operations Group
**
108th Attack Squadron (MQ-9 Reaper)
**
138th Attack Squadron (MQ-9 Reaper)
** 174th Operation Support Squadron
* 174th Maintenance Group
* 174th Mission Support Group
** 174th Security Forces Squadron
* 174th Medical Group
History
Established by the USAF and allotted to New York ANG in 1962 as an expansion of the
138th Tactical Fighter Squadron
The 138th Attack Squadron (138 ATKS) is a unit of the New York Air National Guard's 174th Attack Wing located at Hancock Field Air National Guard Base in Syracuse, New York. The 138th is equipped with the MQ-9 Reaper Remotely Piloted Aircraft (R ...
. Received federal recognition 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 ...
and activated on 1 September 1962 as the 174th Tactical Fighter Group. The group was stationed at
Hancock Field, Syracuse, New York. and allocated to
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 ...
.
Other squadrons assigned into the group were the 174th Headquarters, 174th Material Squadron (Maintenance), 174th Combat Support Squadron, and the 174th USAF Dispensary. The 138th TFS was equipped with the
F-86H Sabre
The North American F-86 Sabre, sometimes called the Sabrejet, is a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as the United States' first swept-wing fighter that could counter the swept-wing ...
.
Vietnam era
The squadron engaged normal peacetime training and exercises. In the summer of 1965, the squadron took part in Exercise Oneida Bear II at
Fort Drum
Fort Drum is a U.S. Army military reservation and a census-designated place (CDP) in Jefferson County, on the northern border of New York, United States. The population of the CDP portion of the base was 12,955 at the 2010 census. It is home t ...
, which involved some 6 500 soldiers of the regular Army, the Army Reserve and the National Guard. 138th TFS aircraft from Syracuse provided close air support to both aggressor and Friendly Forces during the exercise, and were engaged in realistic tactical air strikes. In the exercise, conducted by the First Army, the Second Brigade of the Army's Fifth Infantry was opposed by an aggressor force of selected Army National Guard and Army Reserve Units. The 174th Group's pilots flew 77 sorties for a total of 114 hours without a single abort.
![138th Tactical Fighter Squadron - North American F-86H-10-NH Sabre 53-1519](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/54/138th_Tactical_Fighter_Squadron_-_North_American_F-86H-10-NH_Sabre_53-1519.jpg)
The squadron trained at
Ramey AFB Ramey may refer to:
*Ramey Air Force Base, a former base in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico
*Ramey, Pennsylvania
* Ramey, Puerto Rico, a US sub-orbital launch site
* Ramey House, an historic mansion in Tyler, Texas, USA
People
* Ramey Dawoud, Sudanese Amer ...
, Puerto Rico, in early 1967 in an all service amphibious and airborne exercise. A detachment of unit pilots and support personnel participated (22 officers and 69 airmen). Twelve F-86H aircraft participated with three
C-130 Hercules
The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is an American four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built by Lockheed Corporation, Lockheed (now Lockheed Martin). Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 ...
for equipment and personnel support. All types of tactical air missions were flown. Total sorties were 213 with total hours flown, 308. Special firepowers demonstration was accomplished with 20 sorties delivering 40 (750 lbs) and 2000 rounds of 20 mm fired. Later in 1967, Operation Sentry Post I was held in August. This was a joint Air National Guard – TAC Exercise. Twelve F-86Hs were flown and squadron pilots worked with radar flying air-to-air and air-to-ground gunnery with and without FAC type missions. A total of 204 sorties and 245 hours were flown in this operation.
In 1968, the 174th TFG was federalized and placed on active duty. The Group was alerted for active duty on 11 April 1968, partially mobilized on 13 May and deployed to
Cannon Air Force Base
Cannon Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base, located approximately southwest of Clovis, New Mexico. It is under the jurisdiction of Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC). The host unit at Cannon is the 27th Special Operatio ...
, Clovis, New Mexico. The mission of the 174th was to train Forward Air Controllers (FAC) for service in Vietnam. The FAC flew a light observation aircraft at low altitudes, visually observing enemy installations and movements and providing on-the-spot directions for fighters and bombers. The FAC dictated the type of ordnance to be delivered, observes the strike, and evaluates its effectiveness. The mission of the 174th was to give FACs in training actual experience in fighter aircraft so that they would be fully apprised of the requirements of the men they would be directing in combat in South Vietnam.
On arrival at Cannon AFB along with the
Maryland ANG
The Maryland Air National Guard (MD ANG) is the aerial militia of the State of Maryland, United States of America, and a reserve component of the United States Air Force. It is, along with the Maryland Army National Guard, an element of the Maryl ...
175th Tactical Fighter Squadron, they comprised the
140th Tactical Fighter Wing. Originally based in Denver, Colorado, headquarters of the 140th moved to Cannon AFB with the deployment of the 140th Tactical Fighter Group to active duty in Vietnam. Not all members of the 174th Tactical Fighter Group were mobilized, however. Subsequent to the alert notice, a change directed mobilization of only the Group Headquarters, the 138th Tactical Fighter Squadron, and the 174th Camron. The remaining members of the 174th remained in Syracuse on a drill status during the eight months of mobilized service. The unit was released from active duty as of 20 December 1968, and all members reverted to Air National Guard drill status.
Close air support
![138th Tactical Fighter Squadron - Cessna A-37B Dragonfly 69-6423](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e1/138th_Tactical_Fighter_Squadron_-_Cessna_A-37B_Dragonfly_69-6423.jpg)
In 1970, the 174th began retiring its F-86H Sabres after over a decade of service, the 138th Tactical Fighter Squadron flying the last USAF/ANG Sabre sortie on 30 September. Replacing the Sabre was the Cessna
A-37B Dragonfly and a newly conceived close air support tactical fighter mission in a ground insurgency environment which were gained by combat experience in Vietnam.
After a decade of routine peacetime exercises and training with the A-37, in 1979 the 174th began a transition to the
A-10A Thunderbolt II
The Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II is a single-seat, twin-turbofan, straight-wing, subsonic attack aircraft developed by Fairchild Republic for the United States Air Force (USAF). In service since 1976, it is named for the Republic ...
Close Air Support fighter. With the arrival of the A-10, the 174th was changed in status from a Group to a Wing on 1 July 1979. The wing was one of three Air National Guard units equipped with the A-10 as part of the "Total Force" concept which equipped ANG units with front-line USAF aircraft. In 1980, after the transition to the A-10 was completed, the 138th TFS was deployed to
Savannah Air National Guard Base
Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport is a commercial and military-use airport in Savannah, Georgia, United States. Savannah/Hilton Head International provides travelers with access to Savannah, Georgia, and Hilton Head Island, South Car ...
, Georgia. On arrival, the unit was given sealed orders directing them to a remote, forward operational location and operate combat sorties, fully loaded with live ordnance. Not only was the 174th's combat readiness put to the optimum peacetime test, but the unit's mobility was tested to the fullest. In response, an additional six A-10s were assigned to it, making the 138th TFS the Air National Guard's only "super" squadron, with 24 aircraft.
With the transition complete, the unit deployed eight A-10 aircraft from Syracuse, non-stop to a forward operation location in West Germany. In exercise Cornet Sail, the 138th demonstrated for the first time the ability of an Air National Guard or Air Force Reserve unit to deploy this advanced aircraft in this manner. Combat readiness in West Germany was achieved 12 hours after departing Hancock Field.
With the move of the USAF 21st Air Division to Griffiss AFB in 1984, the 174th TFW became the host unit at Hancock Field. Later that year, the unit deployed to Exercise Air Warrior at the
National Training Center
Fort Irwin National Training Center (Fort Irwin NTC) is a major training area for the United States military in the Mojave Desert in northern San Bernardino County, California. Fort Irwin is at an average elevation of . It is located northeast o ...
,
Fort Irwin
Fort Irwin National Training Center (Fort Irwin NTC) is a major training area for the United States military in the Mojave Desert in northern San Bernardino County, California. Fort Irwin is at an average elevation of . It is located northeast o ...
, California; a three-week deployment to
Lechfeld Air Base
Lechfeld Air Base is a German Air Force (''Luftwaffe'') base located 1 km east of Lagerlechfeld in Bavaria, about 20 km south of Augsburg on the Bundestrasse 17.
It was the home of Training Division A of the School of Management Assist ...
, West Germany and with the NY ANG 107th Fighter-Interceptor Group at
Goose Air Base
Canadian Forces Base Goose Bay , commonly referred to as CFB Goose Bay, is a Canadian Forces Base located in the municipality of Happy Valley-Goose Bay in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It is operated as an air force base by ...
, Labrador.
![138th Tactical Fighter Squadron - Fairchild Republic A-10A Thunderbolt II 78-0670](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/be/138th_Tactical_Fighter_Squadron_-_Fairchild_Republic_A-10A_Thunderbolt_II_78-0670.jpg)
The 174th also was among the first A-10 close support aircraft organizations to provide temporary tactical air defense support from
Howard Air Force Base
Howard Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force base located in Panama. It discontinued military operations on 1 November 1999 as a result of the Torrijos-Carter Treaties, which specified that US military facilities in the former Pa ...
, Panama when the unit deployed to Howard in March 1985 when runway construction precluded the use of the
A-7D Corsair II
The LTV A-7 Corsair II is an American carrier-capable subsonic light attack aircraft designed and manufactured by Ling-Temco-Vought (LTV).
The A-7 was developed during the early 1960s as replacement for the Douglas A-4 Skyhawk. Its design was ...
s that normally fulfilled the tactical air defense duties of the
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal ( es, Canal de Panamá, link=no) is an artificial waterway in Panama that connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean and divides North and South America. The canal cuts across the Isthmus of Panama and is a conduit ...
. Shortly afterward, it deployed to Alaska for the first time. The 138th TFS completed the 2,700-mile flight to
Eielson AFB
Eielson Air Force Base is a United States Air Force (USAF) base located approximately 26 miles (42 km) southeast of Fairbanks, Alaska and just southeast of Moose Creek, Alaska. It was established in 1943 as Mile 26 Satellite Field and redes ...
without external navigation aids.
As in past years, continuing NATO deployments to West Germany in the late 1980s saw the 174th TFW personnel training and living side-by-side with their West German Air Force counterparts as they would in a combat situation. The 174th began 1988 on a high note when the Air Force announced the wing would convert from the A-10 to the specialized
Block 10 F-16A/B Fighting Falcon, also referred to as the F/A-16 due to its close air support configuration. With the Block 10 F-16, the 174th became the first Air Force organization to fly the Fighting Falcon with a Close Air Support mission.
The first F-16 aircraft started arriving in late 1988. These aircraft were passed down from regular USAF units who were upgrading to the F-16C/D model. During 1989, the 138th TFS was chosen as a test unit for a close air support version of the F-16. The aircraft were the only F-16s ever to be equipped with the General Electric GPU-5/A Pave Claw gun pod, which contained a 30mm cannon intended for use against a variety of battlefield targets, including armor. The unit received the USAF's Outstanding Maintenance Squadron Award that year.
Operation Desert Storm
In 1991, the 138th TFS deployed to the
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf ( fa, خلیج فارس, translit=xalij-e fârs, lit=Gulf of Persis, Fars, ), sometimes called the ( ar, اَلْخَلِيْجُ ٱلْعَرَبِيُّ, Al-Khalīj al-ˁArabī), is a Mediterranean sea (oceanography), me ...
with 516 members in support of
Operation Desert Storm
Operation or Operations may refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media
* ''Operation'' (game), a battery-operated board game that challenges dexterity
* Operation (music), a term used in musical set theory
* ''Operations'' (magazine), Multi-Man ...
. The 138th was one of only two
Air National Guard units
The Air National Guard (ANG), also known as the Air Guard, is a federal military reserve force of the United States Air Force, as well as the air militia of each U.S. state, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the ter ...
to fly combat missions during Operation Desert Storm. The Close Air Support project however proved to be a miserable failure. Precision aiming was impossible for several reasons: the pylon mount wasn't as steady as the A-10's rigid mounting; the F-16 flies much faster than an A-10, giving the pilots too little time approaching the target; firing the gun shook the aircraft harshly and made it impossible to control; essential CCIP (continuously computed impact point) software was unavailable. The pilots ended up using the gun as an area effect weapon, spraying multiple targets with ammunition, producing an effect rather like a cluster bomb. It took only a couple of days of this before they gave up, unbolted the gun pods, and went back to dropping real cluster bombs – which did the job more effectively.
The unit received the
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
The Air and Space Outstanding Unit Award (ASOUA) is one of the Awards and decorations of the United States Department of the Air Force, unit awards of the United States Air Force and United States Space Force. It was established in 1954 as the A ...
, with the "V" device for valor, during
Operation Desert Storm
Operation or Operations may refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media
* ''Operation'' (game), a battery-operated board game that challenges dexterity
* Operation (music), a term used in musical set theory
* ''Operations'' (magazine), Multi-Man ...
; the Air Force Association Outstanding Unit Award; and the National Guard Association's Best Family Support Center Award.
Air Combat Command
![138th Tactical Fighter Squadron - General Dynamics F-16A Block 10 Fighting Falcon 79-0352](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e3/138th_Tactical_Fighter_Squadron_-_General_Dynamics_F-16A_Block_10_Fighting_Falcon_79-0352.jpg)
In March 1992, with the end of the
Cold War
The Cold War is a term commonly used to refer to a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc. The term '' cold war'' is used because the ...
, the 174th adopted the Air Force Objective Organization plan, and the unit was re-designated as the 174th Fighter Wing. With the organization change, the 138th Fighter Squadron was assigned to the new 174th Operations Group. In June, Tactical Air Command was inactivated as part of the Air Force reorganization after the end of the Cold War. It was replaced 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 ...
(ACC).
In 1993 the 174th FW started trading in their old Block 10 F-16 A/B models for newer Block 30 F-16C/D aircraft configured for Tactical Air Support. In that process the squadron had the 'honor' of sending the first F-16 to AMARC storage. This happened on 20 July 1993, when an F-16A (#79-0340) was flown to
Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona for flyable storage. Although these aircraft were only 13 years old, they were put into storage due to more modern models becoming available and Block 10 wasn't needed any longer by the USAF. The general mission for the squadron remained unchanged with this transition.
Also in 1993, the 138th TFS became the first US unit to have a female F-16 fighter pilot, Jackie Parker, in 1993 immediately after combat roles were opened to females.
In June 1995, the unit deployed for 30 days rotation to
Incirlik Air Base
Incirlik Air Base ( tr, İncirlik Hava Üssü) is a Turkish air base of slightly more than 3320 ac (1335 ha), located in the İncirlik quarter of the city of Adana, Turkey. The base is within an urban area of 1.7 million people, east of t ...
, Turkey as part of
Operation Provide Comfort
Operation Provide Comfort and Provide Comfort II were military operations initiated by the United States and other Coalition nations of the Persian Gulf War, starting in April 1991, to defend Kurdish refugees fleeing their homes in northern ...
, assisting in the enforcement the No Fly Zone over Northern Iraq.
In mid-1996, the Air Force, in response to budget cuts, and changing world situations, began experimenting with Air Expeditionary organizations. The Air Expeditionary Force (AEF) concept was developed that would mix Active-Duty, Reserve and Air National Guard elements into a combined force. Instead of entire permanent units deploying as "Provisional" as in the 1991 Gulf War, Expeditionary units are composed of "aviation packages" from several wings, including active-duty Air Force, the Air Force Reserve Command and the Air National Guard, would be married together to carry out the assigned deployment rotation.
![138th Fighter Squadron - General Dynamics F-16C Block 30B Fighting Falcon 85-1570](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/58/138th_Fighter_Squadron_-_General_Dynamics_F-16C_Block_30B_Fighting_Falcon_85-1570.jpg)
The 138th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron (138th EFS) was first formed and deployed in August 1996 for
Operation Northern Watch
Operation Northern Watch (ONW), the successor to Operation Provide Comfort, was a Combined Task Force (CTF) charged with enforcing its own no-fly zone above the 36th parallel in Iraq. Its mission began on 1 January 1997.
The coalition partners ...
(ONW). ONW was a
US European Command
The United States European Command (EUCOM) is one of the eleven Unified Combatant Command, unified combatant commands of the United States military, headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany. Its area of focus covers and 51 countries and territorie ...
Combined Task Force (CTF) who was responsible for enforcing the
United Nations
The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and international security, security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be ...
mandated no-fly zone above the 36th parallel in Iraq. This mission was a successor to
Operation Provide Comfort
Operation Provide Comfort and Provide Comfort II were military operations initiated by the United States and other Coalition nations of the Persian Gulf War, starting in April 1991, to defend Kurdish refugees fleeing their homes in northern ...
which also entailed support for the Iraqi Kurds.
In 1997, the 138th Fighter Squadron commemorated its 50th Anniversary in conjunction with 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 ...
by hosting the
United States Air Force Thunderbirds
The USAF Air Demonstration Squadron ("Thunderbirds") is the air demonstration squadron of the United States Air Force The Thunderbirds are assigned to the 57th Wing, and are based at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. Created in 1953, the USAF Th ...
aerobatics team at the Syracuse Air Show.
During 1996–97, the 174th FW deployed to
Andøya Air Station, Norway as part of the "Adventure Express 97" NATO exercise. In 1998, the 174th FW deployed to
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, for the "Combat Archer" exercise and also to the
Dugway Proving Ground
Dugway Proving Ground (DPG) is a U.S. Army facility established in 1942 to test biological and chemical weapons, located about southwest of Salt Lake City, Utah, United States, and south of the Utah Test and Training Range.
Location
Dugway P ...
, Utah, to participate in exercise "Global Patriot 98".
Only six years later, in 1999, the 138th FS changed block types once more, sending its Block 30s to the
Illinois ANG 170th Fighter Squadron and receiving older block 25 F-16s from the
Texas ANG 182d Fighter Squadron
The 182d Fighter Squadron (182 FS) is a unit of the Texas Air National Guard 149th Fighter Wing located at Kelly Field Annex, Joint Base San Antonio, Texas. The 149th is equipped with the F-16C/D Fighting Falcon.
It was first activated in June ...
. This meant changing again from the General Electric engine to the Pratt & Whitney.
An AEF deployment to
Prince Sultan Air Base
Prince Sultan Air Base ( ar, قاعدة الأمير سلطان الجوية) (PSAB) is a military air base located in the closed-city of Al Kharj, Saudi Arabia.
History
There was formerly a large United States presence there during Operat ...
, Saudi Arabia resulted in the formation of the 138th EFS in early 2000.
Operation Southern Watch
Operation Southern Watch was an air-centric military operation conducted by the United States Department of Defense from Summer 1992 to Spring 2003.
United States Central Command's Joint Task Force Southwest Asia (JTF-SWA) had the mission of mon ...
was an operation which was responsible for enforcing the United Nations mandated no-fly zone below the 32d parallel in Iraq. This mission was initiated mainly to cover for attacks of Iraqi forces on the Iraqi Shi’ite Muslims. The squadron returned to the Block 30 Aircraft in 2004, receiving aircraft from the
50th TFW at
Spangdahlem Air Base
Spangdahlem Air Base (IATA: SPM, ICAO: ETAD, former code EDAD) is a NATO air base with the USAF as a tenant constructed between 1951 and 1953 and located near the small German town of Spangdahlem, approximately 30 km NNE of the city of Trier ...
, Germany shifting from engine type once more.
As part of the
Global War on Terrorism
The war on terror, officially the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT), is an ongoing international counterterrorism military campaign initiated by the United States following the September 11 attacks. The main targets of the campaign are militant ...
, the 138th EFS deployed twice to
Balad Air Base
Balad Air Base ( ar, قاعدة بلد الجوية) , is an Iraqi Air Force base located near Balad in the Sunni Triangle north of Baghdad, Iraq.
Built in the early 1980s, it was originally named Al-Bakr Air Base. In 2003 the base was captured ...
, Iraq in 2006 and 2008.
![Yankee Stadium Opening Day Fly Over](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ad/Yankee_Stadium_Opening_Day_Fly_Over.jpg)
In 2008 and 2010 members 174th Fighter Wing Security Forces Squadron deployed to Manas Air Base in Kyrgyzstan. The Security Forces members were attached to the 376th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron where they provided base security.
In 2012 members of the 174th Attack Wings Security Forces Squadron deployed to Bagram Airfield Afghanistan. The Security Forces members were attached to the 455th Expeditionary Security Forces where they provided base security, fly away security, and air base ground defense.
MQ-9 Reaper and Attack Mission
![138th Attack Squadron - General Atomics MQ-9B Reaper 09-4066](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/57/138th_Attack_Squadron_-_General_Atomics_MQ-9B_Reaper_09-4066.jpg)
In 2008 it became apparent that the 138th FS was going to lose its F-16s and that Hancock ANGB would lose its manned aviation after more than 60 years of operations. The squadron was set to fly the
MQ-9 Reaper
The General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper (sometimes called Predator B) is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) capable of remotely controlled or autonomous flight operations developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) primarily for the Unit ...
unmanned aerial vehicle
An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), commonly known as a drone, is an aircraft without any human pilot, crew, or passengers on board. UAVs are a component of an unmanned aircraft system (UAS), which includes adding a ground-based controller ...
(UAV). The unit's transition from flying F-16 fighter jets in theater to operating unmanned aircraft from the suburbs was more than a tactical shift: it assured the future of the base at Hancock Field. In October 2009, the 174th Fighter Wing cut the ribbon on its new MQ-9 Reaper maintenance school, where it trains technicians from across the country, from all military branches. The 174th Fighter Wing converted to the MQ-9 Reaper and began flying 24/7 operations in support of
Operation Enduring Freedom
Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) was the official name used synonymously by the U.S. government for both the War in Afghanistan (2001–2014) and the larger-scale Global War on Terrorism. On 7 October 2001, in response to the September 11 at ...
on 1 December 2009.
On 6 March 2010 the last two F-16s (#85-1561 and #85-1570) departed Hancock Field marking the end of F-16 operations at the base. They made three low passes for the assembled crowd gathered to commemorate the end of manned aviation at the Syracuse ANG base in upstate New York. The 174th Fighter Wing was renamed 174th Attack Wing on 9 September 2012, becoming the first Air National Guard
MQ-9 Reaper
The General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper (sometimes called Predator B) is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) capable of remotely controlled or autonomous flight operations developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) primarily for the Unit ...
Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) unit. The wing's MQ-9 Reaper have flown combat missions in Afghanistan since November 2009, supporting the global war on terror.
Lineage
![174th Fighter Wing Operation Southern Watch - emblem](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fe/174th_Fighter_Wing_Operation_Southern_Watch_-_emblem.png)
* Established as 174th Tactical Fighter Group and allotted to New York ANG in 1962
: Received federal recognition and activated on 1 September 1962
: Status changed from Group to Wing, 1 July 1979
: Re-designated 174th Tactical Fighter Wing, 1 July 1979
: Re-designated 174th Fighter Wing, 16 March 1992
: Re-designated 174th Attack Wing, 9 September 2012
Assignments
*
New York Air National Guard
The New York Air National Guard (NY ANG) is the aerial militia of the State of New York, United States of America. It is, along with the New York Army National Guard, an element of the New York National Guard.
As state militia units, the units ...
, 1 September 1962
: Gained by
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 ...
, ???? – 31 May 1992
: 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 June 1992 – present
Components
* 174th Operations Group, 1 June 1992 – present
*
138th Tactical Fighter (later Fighter, Attack) Squadron, 1 September 1962 – present
Stations
*
Hancock Field, Syracuse, New York, 1 September 1962
: Designated
Hancock Field Air National Guard Base
Hancock Field Air National Guard Base is a United States Air Force base, co-located with Syracuse Hancock International Airport. It is located north-northeast of Syracuse, New York, at 6001 East Molloy Road, Mattydale, NY 13211.
The installatio ...
, 1991 – present
Aircraft
*
F-86H Sabre
The North American F-86 Sabre, sometimes called the Sabrejet, is a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as the United States' first swept-wing fighter that could counter the swept-wing ...
, 1962–70
*
A-37B Dragonfly, 1970–79
*
A-10A Thunderbolt II
The Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II is a single-seat, twin-turbofan, straight-wing, subsonic attack aircraft developed by Fairchild Republic for the United States Air Force (USAF). In service since 1976, it is named for the Republic ...
, 1979–89
*
Block 10 F-16A/B Fighting Falcon (F/A-16), 1989–93
*
Block 30 F-16C/D Fighting Falcon, 1993–99; 2004–10
*
Block 25 F-16C/D 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 ...
, 1999–2004
*
MQ-9 Reaper
The General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper (sometimes called Predator B) is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) capable of remotely controlled or autonomous flight operations developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) primarily for the Unit ...
, 2010 – present
References
Notes
* Rogers, B. (2006). United States Air Force Unit Designations Since 1978.
New York Department of Military Affairs Adjutant General Reports, 1947–1990174th Fighter Wing @syracuse.com
External links
The Upstate NY Coalition to Ground the Drones & End the Wars
{{New York
Wings of the United States Air National Guard
Military units and formations in New York (state)
0174
Military operations in Syracuse, New York