The 192nd Wing (192 WG), also referred to as the 192D Wing, is a unit of the
Virginia Air National Guard
The Virginia Air National Guard (VA ANG) is the aerial militia of the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States of America. It is, along with the Virginia Army National Guard, an element of the Virginia National Guard.
As commonwealth militia uni ...
and 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 ...
, stationed at
Joint Base Langley-Eustis
A joint or articulation (or articular surface) is the connection made between bones, ossicles, or other hard structures in the body which link an animal's skeletal system into a functional whole.Saladin, Ken. Anatomy & Physiology. 7th ed. McGraw- ...
, Virginia. If activated to federal service, the 192 WG is 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 ...
(ACC).
Etymology
''192D Wing'' is the
official
An official is someone who holds an office (function or mandate, regardless whether it carries an actual working space with it) in an organization or government and participates in the exercise of authority, (either their own or that of their ...
military
nomenclature
Nomenclature (, ) is a system of names or terms, or the rules for forming these terms in a particular field of arts or sciences. The principles of naming vary from the relatively informal naming conventions, conventions of everyday speech to the i ...
of the unit and it is commonly referred to as the ''192nd Wing''. It is often interchanged within military writing and speech, either way, without a specific choice of nomenclature. The ''Air Force Instruction Publication'' (Air Force Instruction 38–101), Chapter 5; "Procedures for Naming and Numbering Units", figure 5.1, gives an example of using ''2nd Bomb Wing'', and section 5.4.2; "Unit Kind", gives an example of ''3rd Wing''. Section 5.3.4. – Reserves numbers 101 through 299 for
Air National Guard
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 ...
units giving position for the unit numbering.
Mission
The 192nd WG is an
Air National Guard
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 ...
unit co-located with the active duty
1st Fighter Wing
The 1st Fighter Wing (1 FW) is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Combat Command Fifteenth Air Force. It is stationed at Langley Air Force Base, VA. where it is a tenant unit, being supported by the 633d Air Base Wing.
Its 1 ...
at
Joint Base Langley-Eustis
A joint or articulation (or articular surface) is the connection made between bones, ossicles, or other hard structures in the body which link an animal's skeletal system into a functional whole.Saladin, Ken. Anatomy & Physiology. 7th ed. McGraw- ...
,
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
. The 192nd Wing has a dual mission: the federal mission is to maintain a well-trained, well-equipped unit to be available for prompt mobilization during war and provide assistance during national emergencies (such as natural disasters or civil disturbances); under the state mission, the 192 WG provides protection of life, property and preserves peace, order and public safety. These missions are accomplished through emergency relief support during natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes and forest fires; search and rescue operations; support to civil defense authorities; maintenance of vital public services and counter-drug operations.
Units
The 192nd Wing consists of the following units:
* 192nd Operations Group
**
149th Fighter Squadron
The 149th Fighter Squadron is a unit of the Virginia Air National Guard's 192d Fighter Wing located at Joint Base Langley–Eustis, Virginia. The 149th is the first Air National Guard fighter squadron to fly the F-22 Raptor.
History World Wa ...
**192nd Operations Support Squadron
**192nd Intelligence Squadron
**185th Cyberspace Operations Squadron
**200th Weather Flight
*192nd Maintenance Group
**192nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron
**192nd Maintenance Squadron
*192nd Mission Support Group
**192nd Support Squadron
**192nd Security Forces Squadron
**203rd REDHORSE Squadron
* 192nd Medical Group
**Detachment 1
**Guard Medical Unit
History
![F-16C Virginia ANG at Langley AFB 2003](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8b/F-16C_Virginia_ANG_at_Langley_AFB_2003.JPEG)
On 15 October 1962, the
Virginia Air National Guard
The Virginia Air National Guard (VA ANG) is the aerial militia of the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States of America. It is, along with the Virginia Army National Guard, an element of the Virginia National Guard.
As commonwealth militia uni ...
's
149th Tactical Fighter Squadron (149 TFS) was authorized to expand to a group level organization and the 192nd Tactical Fighter Group (192 TFG) 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 149th TFS becoming the group's flying squadron. Other squadrons assigned into the group were the 192nd Headquarters, 192nd Material Squadron (Maintenance), 192nd Combat Support Squadron, and the 192nd USAF Dispensary.
[ ]
During 1971, the 192nd was assigned the
F-105D Thunderchief
The Republic F-105 Thunderchief is an American supersonic fighter-bomber that served with the United States Air Force from 1958 to 1984. Capable of Mach 2, it conducted the majority of strike bombing missions during the early years of the Viet ...
, a battle-hardened supersonic fighter-bomber that was the backbone of America's fighter element during 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 ...
. The group's special tasks during the next decade included several deployments to
Red Flag live-fire exercises at
Nellis AFB
Nellis Air Force Base ("Nellis" colloq.) is a United States Air Force installation in southern Nevada. Nellis hosts air combat exercises such as Exercise Red Flag and close air support exercises such as Green Flag-West flown in " Military Oper ...
,
Nevada
Nevada ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, Western region of the United States. It is bordered by Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. N ...
and a deployment to
RAF Lakenheath, England
Royal Air Force Lakenheath or RAF Lakenheath is a Royal Air Force station near the village of Lakenheath in Suffolk, England, UK, north-east of Mildenhall and west of Thetford. The base also sits close to Brandon.
Despite being an RAF sta ...
, in 1976.
In 1981, the unit converted to 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 ...
, a subsonic jet designed for close-air support. The decade long A-7 era included several deployments to
Howard AFB
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
Panama ( , ; es, link=no, Panamá ), officially the Republic of Panama ( es, República de Panamá), is a transcontinental country spanning the southern part of North America and the northern part of South America. It is bordered by Cos ...
to aid the defense 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 ...
and two trips to
Norway
Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and t ...
, in 1985 and 1989. Shortly after a deployment to
Ecuador
Ecuador ( ; ; Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecuador, which literally translates as "Republic of the Equator"; Quechua: ''Ikwadur Ripuwlika''; Shuar: ''Eku ...
, the 192nd deployed in September 1985 to Evenes Air Station, Norway; above the Arctic Circle.
A few weeks later, a Virginia ANG contingent competed in
Gunsmoke
''Gunsmoke'' is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston. It centers on Dodge City, Kansas, in the 1870s, during the settlement of the American West. The central character ...
'85, the Air Force's tactical fighter competition, and the 192nd was named the world's "Best A-7 Unit". The 192nd also earned the General Spruance Safety Award and was recognized as having the best operational readiness inspection in the
Ninth Air Force
The Ninth Air Force (Air Forces Central) is a Numbered Air Force of the United States Air Force headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. It is the Air Force Service Component of United States Central Command (USCENTCOM), a joint De ...
during 1985. In 1987, the 192nd earned its first
USAF Outstanding Unit Award.
In 1991, the 192nd became the first Air National Guard unit to receive the Air Force's upgraded
Fighting Falcon—the F-16C/D. The unit was initially assigned 24 single-seat F-16C models and two F-16D models. By early 1994, defense cutbacks reduced the unit's assigned inventory to 18 F-16s, and eventually to 15.
Conversion to the F-16 airframe required the 192nd to build a $2 million "
hush house
A hush house is an enclosed, noise-suppressed facility used for testing aircraft systems, including propulsion, mechanics, electronics, pneumatics, and others. Installed or uninstalled jet engines can be run under actual load conditions.
Testing ...
", a special noise-suppression hangar, to test the jets' engines without bothering neighbors. The 192nd's designation shortened during 1992, from 192nd Tactical Fighter Group to 192nd Fighter Group, reflecting the retirement of former
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 ...
(TAC) and creation of the new multi-role mission Air Combat Command (ACC).
After the 192nd became fully operational with the F-16, it was chosen as the lead unit in a four-state Air National Guard F-16 "rainbow" detachment deployment 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
Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a list of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolia, Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with ...
to support
Operation Provide Comfort II
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 ...
. Between 1 December 1993, and 15 January 1994, ANG pilots patrolled the no-fly zone over northern
Iraq
Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...
to prevent Iraqi forces from inflicting damage on the villages of Kurdish minorities. This marked the first time Air National Guard units were called to active duty in the Middle East, following Iraq's defeat in 1991. The unit returned to Incirlik in February 1996 for another round of patrols over Iraq.
During October 1995, the wing designation was changed to 192nd Fighter Wing. At the direction of the commander of Air Combat Command, in January, the 192nd also became a test regional repair center for F-16 engines. The 18-month assignment called for the 192nd propulsion section to strip and rebuild General Electric F110-GE-100 engines for its own F-16s as well as for active duty F-16s assigned to
Pope AFB
Pope Field is a U.S. military facility located 12 miles (19 km) northwest of the central business district of Fayetteville, in Cumberland County, North Carolina, United States.. Federal Aviation Administration. effective 15 November 2012 ...
, North Carolina.
The Air Force aimed to reduce the number of F-16 maintenance workers, consolidate their training, reduce duplication of resources, and lower maintenance costs per flying hour. The 192 FW was also selected to test the capability of electro-optical "
recce
Recce may refer to:
* Reconnaissance, military scouting
* SEAL Recon Rifle, a rifle used by US Navy SEALs also called the ''Recce Rifle''
* Recce (filmmaking), a pre-shoot reconnaissance of a film location
* South African Special Forces Brigade ...
" pods. After becoming mission capable with the pods in April 1996, the fighter wing deployed to
Aviano AB, Italy Aviano ( fur, Davian; cim, Pleif) is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Pordenone at the foot of the Dolomites mountain range in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, northern Italy.
Aviano is home to the C.R.O. (Oncological Referral Center), a cancer rese ...
, in May 1996 for the first contingency use of the new pods and computerized imaging equipment. For 45 days, the 192 FW flew "recce" missions over
Bosnia
Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of south and southeast Europe, located in the Balkans. Bosnia and He ...
to support international peacekeeping efforts. In December 1996, the wing was awarded its second Air Force Outstanding Unit Award.
In December 2000, 29 members of the 192nd deployed to Southwest Asia in support of
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 ...
. In addition to Turkey and Kuwait, they were deployed 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 ...
(aircraft, pilots and maintainers) and Eskan Village,
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in Western Asia. It covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and has a land area of about , making it the fifth-largest country in Asia, the second-largest in the A ...
(pilots assigned to CAOC duty); Aviano Air Base, Italy; and
Qatar
Qatar (, ; ar, قطر, Qaṭar ; local vernacular pronunciation: ), officially the State of Qatar,) is a country in Western Asia. It occupies the Qatar Peninsula on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in the Middle East; it sh ...
. Also in December, the 192nd deployed on its first Aerospace Expeditionary Force (AEF) assignment. A 130-person detachment went to
Curaçao
Curaçao ( ; ; pap, Kòrsou, ), officially the Country of Curaçao ( nl, Land Curaçao; pap, Pais Kòrsou), is a Lesser Antilles island country in the southern Caribbean Sea and the Dutch Caribbean region, about north of the Venezuela coast ...
in the Netherlands Antilles as part of
Operation Coronet Nighthawk Operation Coronet Nighthawk (1990–2001) was one of many operations that took place in the early 1990s to stop the drugs coming into the United States from Central and South America. The idea of the operation was to have a rotational deployment ope ...
, an effort to stop drug smuggling into the United States.
On 21 September 2000, the 192nd hosted a reunion for the
352nd Fighter Group
The 352nd Fighter Group was a unit of the Eighth Air Force that was located in the European Theater of Operations, United States Army, European Theater of Operations during World War II.
The unit served as bomber escort, counter-air patrols, and ...
, the highly decorated World War II unit to which the 192nd's 149th Fighter Squadron traces its military lineage. More than 100 World War II veterans and nearly 300 of their family members attended.
In the wake of
September 11, 2001
The September 11 attacks, commonly known as 9/11, were four coordinated suicide terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. That morning, nineteen terrorists hijacked four commerc ...
, more than 400 unit members were called to active duty for up to two years, marking a period of prolonged intensity at the
Richmond Air National Guard Base, unmatched since the Berlin call-up of 1961–62. Beginning in mid-September, combat air patrols were flown day and night for 218 consecutive days until mid-April 2002 for a total of 820 operational sorties and 3,515.5 flying hours.
To support 24-hour-a-day operations, the unit installed three alert trailers for F-16 crews, and set up on-base laundry facilities, a mini-
Base Exchange
An exchange is a type of retail store found on United States military installations worldwide. Originally akin to trading posts, they now resemble contemporary department stores or strip malls. Exact terminology varies by armed service; some examp ...
(BX), and a small gymnasium.
In September and October 2003, in support of
Operation Iraqi Freedom
{{Infobox military conflict
, conflict = Iraq War {{Nobold, {{lang, ar, حرب العراق (Arabic) {{Nobold, {{lang, ku, شەڕی عێراق (Kurdish languages, Kurdish)
, partof = the Iraq conflict (2003–present), I ...
, the 192nd Fighter Wing deployed more than 300 personnel to an undisclosed base in Southwest Asia.
In late 2007, pursuant to
BRAC 2005 action, the 192 FW relinquished its F-16C and F-16D aircraft and moved to
Langley AFB
Langley Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located in Hampton, Virginia, adjacent to Newport News. It was one of thirty-two Air Service training camps established after the entry of the United States into World War I in April 19 ...
(now Joint Base Langley-Eustis), to integrate with the Regular Air Force as an associate unit to the
1st Fighter Wing
The 1st Fighter Wing (1 FW) is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Combat Command Fifteenth Air Force. It is stationed at Langley Air Force Base, VA. where it is a tenant unit, being supported by the 633d Air Base Wing.
Its 1 ...
(1 FW) flying the
F-22 Raptor
The Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor is an American single-seat, twin-engine, all-weather stealth tactical fighter aircraft developed for the United States Air Force (USAF). As the result of the USAF's Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) program, th ...
. The former Richmond International Airport Air National Guard Station property was transferred to the Department of the Army in support of
U.S. Army Reserve
The United States Army Reserve (USAR) is a reserve force of the United States Army. Together, the Army Reserve and the Army National Guard constitute the Army element of the reserve components of the United States Armed Forces.
Since July 2020 ...
and Virginia
Army National Guard
The Army National Guard (ARNG), in conjunction with the Air National Guard, is an organized Militia (United States), militia force and a Reserve components of the United States Armed Forces, federal military reserve force of the United States A ...
activities.
On 13 October 2007, the order to reactivate the 192 FW was read by Lieutenant Colonel Dave Kolmer at the activation ceremony held at the 27th Fighter Squadron, Langley AFB. Integration with the active duty 1 FW allows the Air National Guard to be at the forefront of the latest design of fighter aircraft, jointly flying and maintaining F-22 aircraft assigned to the 1st Fighter Wing.
On 1 October 2018, the 192nd Fighter Wing redesignated as the 192nd Wing by order of the Secretary of the Air Force. The wing held a ceremony on 13 October 2018, at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, bringing down the old wing flag for the last time and raising the new one. With 12 distinct mission sets including F-22 fighter jet operations and maintenance, intelligence and cyber operations along with multiple support units, the redesignation reflects the wing's growth and diversity.
Lineage
* Constituted as 192nd Tactical Fighter Group, and allotted to Virginia ANG, 1962
*Extended federal recognition and activated, 15 October 1962
*Re-designated: 192nd Fighter Group, 15 March 1992
*Re-designated: 192nd Fighter Wing, 11 October 1995
*Inactivated: 30 September 2007
*Activated on 13 October 2007
*Re-designated: 192nd Wing, 1 October 2018
Assignments
*
Virginia Air National Guard
The Virginia Air National Guard (VA ANG) is the aerial militia of the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States of America. It is, along with the Virginia Army National Guard, an element of the Virginia National Guard.
As commonwealth militia uni ...
, 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:
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 – 30 September 2007
*
Virginia Air National Guard
The Virginia Air National Guard (VA ANG) is the aerial militia of the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States of America. It is, along with the Virginia Army National Guard, an element of the Virginia National Guard.
As commonwealth militia uni ...
, 13 October 2007
*Became associate unit of
1st Fighter Wing
The 1st Fighter Wing (1 FW) is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Combat Command Fifteenth Air Force. It is stationed at Langley Air Force Base, VA. where it is a tenant unit, being supported by the 633d Air Base Wing.
Its 1 ...
, 13 October 2007
*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 ...
Components
* 192nd Operations Group, 11 October 1995 – 30 September 2007; 13 October 2007 – present
*
149th Tactical Fighter (later Fighter) Squadron, 15 October 1962 – 30 September 2007; 13 October 2007 – present
*192nd Mission Support Group
*192nd Medical Group
*192nd Maintenance Group
Stations
*
Richmond International Airport
Richmond International Airport is a joint civil-military airport in Sandston, Virginia, United States, an unincorporated community (in Henrico County). The airport is about 7 miles (11 km) southeast of downtown Richmond, the capital of t ...
, Virginia, 15 October 1962
*
Langley AFB (later:Joint Base Langley-Eustis), Virginia, 13 October 2007 – present
Aircraft
*
B-26 Invader
The Douglas A-26 Invader (designated B-26 between 1948 and 1965) is an American twin-engined light bomber and ground attack aircraft. Built by Douglas Aircraft Company during World War II, the Invader also saw service during several major Col ...
, 1954–1958
*
F-84F Thunderstreak
The Republic F-84F Thunderstreak was an American swept-wing turbojet fighter-bomber. While an evolutionary development of the straight-wing F-84 Thunderjet, the F-84F was a new design. The RF-84F Thunderflash was a photo reconnaissance version. ...
, 1962–1971
*
F-105D Thunderchief
The Republic F-105 Thunderchief is an American supersonic fighter-bomber that served with the United States Air Force from 1958 to 1984. Capable of Mach 2, it conducted the majority of strike bombing missions during the early years of the Viet ...
, 1971–1982
*
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 ...
, 1982–1992
*
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 ...
, 1992–2007
*
F-22A Raptor
The Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor is an American single-seat, twin-engine, all-weather stealth tactical fighter aircraft developed for the United States Air Force (USAF). As the result of the USAF's Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) program, ...
, 2007–present
References
Further reading
* Rogers, B. (2006). ''United States Air Force Unit Designations Since 1978''.
{{DEFAULTSORT:192nd Wing
Wings of the United States Air National Guard
Military units and formations in Virginia
192