The 190th Air Refueling Wing (190 ARW) is a unit of the
Kansas Air National Guard
The Kansas Air National Guard (KS ANG) is the aerial militia of the Kansas, State of Kansas, United States, United States of America. It is, along with the Kansas Army National Guard, an element of the Kansas National Guard.
As state militia un ...
, stationed at
Forbes Field Air National Guard Base
Topeka Regional Airport , formerly known as Forbes Field, is a joint civil-military public airport owned by the Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority in Shawnee County, Kansas, seven miles south of downtown Topeka, the capital city of Kansas. The ...
, Topeka, Kansas. 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 ...
.
Overview
The 190th Air Refueling Wing (ARW) provides in-flight refueling of fighters, bombers and other aircraft using
Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker
The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is an American military aerial refueling aircraft that was developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype, alongside the Boeing 707 airliner. It is the predominant variant of the C-135 Stratolifter family of transpor ...
s.
Units
The 190th ARW comprises four main organizations as well as the Wing Headquarters:
* 190th Operations Group
:
117th Air Refueling Squadron
* 190th Maintenance Support Group
* 190th Mission Support Group
* 190th Medical Group
History
On 15 October 1962, the
Kansas Air National Guard
The Kansas Air National Guard (KS ANG) is the aerial militia of the Kansas, State of Kansas, United States, United States of America. It is, along with the Kansas Army National Guard, an element of the Kansas National Guard.
As state militia un ...
117th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron was authorized to expand to a group level, and the 190th Tactical Reconnaissance Group 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 117th TRS becoming the group's flying squadron. Other squadrons assigned into the group were the 190th Headquarters, 190th Material Squadron (Maintenance), 190th Combat Support Squadron, and the 190th USAF Dispensary.
The unit continued to operate its RB-57A/B Canberra photo-reconnaissance aircraft at Hutchinson ANGB until 1967, when the 190th TRG and its personnel, aircraft and equipment permanently relocated to
Forbes AFB
Topeka Regional Airport , formerly known as Forbes Field, is a joint civil-military public airport owned by the Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority in Shawnee County, Kansas, seven miles south of downtown Topeka, the capital city of Kansas. The ...
, near Topeka after
Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command (SAC) was both a United States Department of Defense Specified Command and a United States Air Force (USAF) Major Command responsible for command and control of the strategic bomber and intercontinental ballistic missile ...
vacated its facilities and transferred Forbes AFB to the
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 ...
. The 117th continued to operate the RB-57s until 1972 when the aged aircraft were retired and sent to AMARC at
Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona.
In return the 190th began to receive the Martin B-57G variant that were modified as night intruders for use in the
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...
under a project known as Tropic Moon. B-57Bs were modified with a low light level television camera plus a forward-looking infrared (FLIR) set and a laser guidance system. The laser guidance system now made it possible to carry four 500-lb "smart bombs" on the underwing pylons. With the receipt of the B-57Gs from their combat service in Thailand, the unit was redesignated as the 190th Tactical Bombardment Group on 12 June 1972. The service of the B-57Gs was short, as operation of these B-57Gs proved to be expensive, and the aircraft were hard to maintain in the field. They served until 1974, when they were consigned to storage at Davis Monthan AFB.
Forbes AFB was ordered closed by the Department of Defense as part of a post-Vietnam reduction in force on 17 April 1973. Most of the facility was turned over for civilian use, however the 190th TBG retained a small portion of the base, being renamed Forbes Field Air National Guard Base.
In April 1974, the unit converted to EB-57B Canberra electronic countermeasures aircraft and became the 190th Defense Systems Evaluation Group. The 190th deployed aircraft to bases throughout the US, Canada, and Europe providing Electronic Counter-Measure (ECM) training and evaluation services to the various Aircraft Control and Warning (Radar) Squadrons. The 117th also used the EB-57 as faker target aircraft against
F-102 Delta Dagger and
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 ...
interceptors. The 190th operated the aircraft until 1978 when they were retired as part of the draw-down of
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 ...
.
Air refueling
In 1978, the 190th was transferred to
Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command (SAC) was both a United States Department of Defense Specified Command and a United States Air Force (USAF) Major Command responsible for command and control of the strategic bomber and intercontinental ballistic missile ...
, being equipped with the KC-135A Stratotanker and began an air refueling mission; one it retains to the present day. In 1984 the 117th was upgraded to the KC-135E and in 1990, the 190th was the first unit to arrive in Saudi Arabia in August 1990 for service during the
1991 Gulf Crisis, being assigned to the 1709th Air Refueling Wing (Provisional) at
King Abdul Aziz Air Base
King Abdulaziz Air Base () , also known as Dhahran Air Base and formerly Dhahran International Airport, Dhahran Airport and Dhahran Airfield, is a Royal Saudi Air Force base located in Dhahran in the Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia. Located west ...
, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The 117th flew air refueling missions in support of
Operation Desert Shield
The Gulf War was a 1990–1991 armed campaign waged by a Coalition of the Gulf War, 35-country military coalition in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Spearheaded by the United States, the coalition's efforts against Ba'athist Iraq, ...
and later
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 ...
; remaining in the middle east until returning to Forbes AGB in March 1991.
The 190th gaining command shifted to the
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 ...
(AMC) with the disestablishment of SAC in 1992, and in 1995 the Group's status was expanded to a Wing. During 1999, the 190th deployed twice 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, in support of
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 ...
, refueling Allied aircraft over the northern No-Fly Zone in Iraq.
In its 2005 BRAC Recommendations, DoD recommended to realign McConnell Air National Guard (ANG) Base by relocating the
184th Air Refueling Wing (ANG) nine KC-135R aircraft to the 190th Air Refueling Wing at Forbes Field AGS, which would retire its eight assigned KC-135E aircraft. The 184th Air Refueling Wing's operations and maintenance manpower would transfer with the aircraft to Forbes. Realigning ANG KC-135R aircraft from McConnell to Forbes would replace the 190th's aging, higher maintenance KC-135E aircraft with newer models while retaining the experienced personnel from one of the highest-ranking reserve component tanker bases.
In June 2007, the 190 ARW gained custody of all KC-135R aircraft from the 184th ARW. This action consolidated all of the Kansas ANG's KC-135R assets into a single wing located at Forbes Field. The 184 ARW was subsequently redesignated as the
184th Intelligence Wing (184 IW), a non-flying unit at
McConnell AFB
McConnell Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located four miles (6 km) southeast of the central business district of Wichita, a city in Sedgwick County, Kansas, United States., effective 2007-12-20 The airbase was named in ...
.
Lineage
* Designated 190th Tactical Reconnaissance Group, and allotted to Kansas ANG, 1962
: Extended federal recognition and activated, 15 Oct 1962
: Redesignated: 190th Bombardment Group (Tactical), 12 Jun 1972
: Redesignated: 190th Defense Systems Evaluation Group, 6 Apr 1974
: Redesignated: 190th Air Refueling Group, 1 Apr 1978
: Status changed from Group to Wing, 8 July 1978
: Redesignated: 190th Air Refueling Wing, 8 July 1978
Assignments
*
Kansas Air National Guard
The Kansas Air National Guard (KS ANG) is the aerial militia of the Kansas, State of Kansas, United States, United States of America. It is, along with the Kansas Army National Guard, an element of the Kansas National Guard.
As state militia un ...
, 15 October 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 ...
: 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 ...
, 6 April 1974
: Gained by:
26th Air Division
The 26th Air Division (26th AD) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Tactical Air Command, assigned to First Air Force, being stationed at March Air Force Base, California. It was inacti ...
,
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 October 1977
: Gained by:
Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command (SAC) was both a United States Department of Defense Specified Command and a United States Air Force (USAF) Major Command responsible for command and control of the strategic bomber and intercontinental ballistic missile ...
, 1 April 1978
: 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
: 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 June 1993 – Present
Components
* 190th Operations Group, 11 October 1995 – present
*
117th Tactical Reconnaissance (Later Bombardment, Defense Systems Evaluation, Air Refueling) Squadron, 15 October 1962 – present
Stations
*
Hutchinson Air National Guard Base Hutchinson may refer to:
Places United States
* Hutchinson, Kansas
* South Hutchinson, Kansas
* Hutchinson, Minnesota
* Hutchinson, Pennsylvania
* Hutchinson, West Virginia, in Logan County
* Hutchinson, Marion County, West Virginia
* Hutchins ...
, Kansas, 18 October 1962
*
Forbes Air Force Base
''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine owned by Integrated Whale Media Investments and the Forbes family. Published eight times a year, it features articles on finance, industry, investing, and marketing topics. ''Forbes'' also rep ...
, Kansas, 11 Aug 1967
*
Forbes Field Air National Guard Base
Topeka Regional Airport , formerly known as Forbes Field, is a joint civil-military public airport owned by the Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority in Shawnee County, Kansas, seven miles south of downtown Topeka, the capital city of Kansas. The ...
, Kansas, 17 April 1973 – present
Aircraft
*
RB-57A/B Canberra, 1958–1972
*
B-57G Canberra, 1972–1973
*
RB-57B/E Canberra, 1973–1978
* KC-135A Stratotanker, 1978–1984
* KC-135E Stratotanker, 1984–2006
* KC-135R Stratotanker, 2006–present
Decorations
*
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 ...
Air Force Personnel Center Awards Search (Post-1991)
References
External links
{{Kansas
Air refueling wings of the United States Air Force, 0190
Military units and formations in Kansas
Wings of the United States Air National Guard
Military units and formations established in 1962
1962 establishments in Kansas