The 552d Air Control Wing is an operational
wing
A wing is a type of fin that produces lift while moving through air or some other fluid. Accordingly, wings have streamlined cross-sections that are subject to aerodynamic forces and act as airfoils. A wing's aerodynamic efficiency is e ...
of the
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Aerial warfare, air military branch, 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 ...
. It has been based at
Tinker Air Force Base
Tinker Air Force Base is a major United States Air Force base, with tenant U.S. Navy and other Department of Defense missions, located in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, surrounded by Del City, Oklahoma City, and Midwest City.
The base, origina ...
, Oklahoma since July 1976, operating the
Boeing E-3 Sentry. It includes the
552d Operations Group, 552d Maintenance Group, 552d Training Group, and 552d Air Control Group.
The wing is responsible to the commander of
Air Combat Command for the operation, maintenance, logistics, training, and combat support of
E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft and Control and Reporting Centers (CRCs). The wing provides combat-ready theater battle management forces and mobile command control, and communications radar element at the direction of the
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. It deploys, operates and supports these forces worldwide ensuring combat capability for all peacetime and contingency operations.
From 1955 through 1976, it was located at
McClellan Air Force Base
McClellan Air Force Base (1935–2001) is a former United States Air Force base located in the North Highlands area of Sacramento County, northeast of Sacramento, California.
History
For the vast majority of its operational lifetime, McClell ...
, California, where it operated the
Lockheed EC-121 Warning Star
The Lockheed EC-121 Warning Star was an American airborne early warning and control radar surveillance aircraft operational in the 1950s in both the United States Navy (USN) and United States Air Force (USAF).
The military version of the Loc ...
aircraft providing radar coverage off the Pacific coast of the United States.
Units
*552nd Operations Group
:
960th Airborne Air Control Squadron
The 960th Airborne Air Control Squadron is part of the 552d Air Control Wing at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma. It operates the E-3 Sentry aircraft conducting airborne command and control missions.
The first predecessor of the squadron was ...
-
E-3B/C/G Sentry
:
963rd Airborne Air Control Squadron - E-3G Sentry
:
964th Airborne Air Control Squadron
The 964th Airborne Air Control Squadron (964 AACS) is assigned to the 552d Operations Group, 552d Air Control Wing at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma. It operates the E-3 Sentry (AWACS) aircraft conducting airborne command and control missions.
...
- E-3G Sentry
:
965th Airborne Air Control Squadron - E-3G Sentry
*552nd Maintenance Group
:552nd Maintenance Operations Squadron
:552nd Equipment Maintenance Squadron
:552nd Component Maintenance Squadron
:552nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron
*552nd Training Group
:552nd Training Squadron
:
436th Training Squadron
:
966th Airborne Air Control Squadron - E-3G Sentry
*552nd Air Control Group
:552nd Air Control Networks Squadron
:726th Air Control Squadron
:
729th Air Control Squadron
:752d Operations Support Squadron
History
Air Defense Command warning and control
The 552d Airborne Early Warning and Control Wing was activated on 8 July 1955 at
McClellan Air Force Base
McClellan Air Force Base (1935–2001) is a former United States Air Force base located in the North Highlands area of Sacramento County, northeast of Sacramento, California.
History
For the vast majority of its operational lifetime, McClell ...
, California, when it assumed command of the
963d and
964th Airborne Air Control Squadron
The 964th Airborne Air Control Squadron (964 AACS) is assigned to the 552d Operations Group, 552d Air Control Wing at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma. It operates the E-3 Sentry (AWACS) aircraft conducting airborne command and control missions.
...
s, which had been activated that March.The wing's third operational squadron, the
965th Airborne Early Warning and Control Squadron was activated the next month.
The wing replaced the Airborne Early Warning and Control Wing, Provisional, which had been organized at McClellan on 1 January.
Initially, the wing was assigned to the
8th Air Division
The 8th Air Division (8th AD) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Command, being stationed at McClellan Air Force Base, California. It was inactivated on 1 July 1957.
History
The 8th ...
, which also controlled the
551st Airborne Early Warning and Control Wing at
Otis Air Force Base
Otis may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Characters
* Otis (Superman), in the films ''Superman'' and ''Superman II'' and related DC Comics media
** Otis Graves, in the TV series ''Supergirl''
* Otis (''The Walking Dead''), in the Image Comics ...
, Massachusetts, which performed the same mission off the Atlantic seaboard. In July 1957,
Air Defense Command (ADC) inactivated the 8th Division and the wing was assigned to
Western Air Defense Force
The Western Air Defense Force (WADF) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Command being stationed at Hamilton Air Force Base, California. It was inactivated on July 1, 1960.
History
WADF ...
. In July 1963, the
966th Airborne Early Warning and Control Squadron
The 966th Airborne Air Control Squadron is an active United States Air Force unit is assigned to the 552d Training Group, 552d Air Control Wing at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma. It operates the E-3 Sentry (AWACS) aircraft conducting airborne ...
at
McCoy Air Force Base
McCoy AFB (1940–1947, 1951–1975) is a former U.S. Air Force installation located 10 miles (16 km) southeast of Orlando, Florida. It was a training base during World War II. From 1951 to 1975, it was a front line Strategic Air Command ...
, Florida was transferred from the 551st Wing. The 966th's mission was to provide expanded coverage off the Florida coastline, which included possible intrusions into American airspace from Cuba. This assignment continued with a brief interruption until the 966th was inactivated in December 1969. At the end of 1969, with the inactivation of the 551st Wing, the 552d assumed the responsibility for deploying EC-121s to Icerland.
[
In 1962, the wing began to support ]Project Mercury
Project Mercury was the first human spaceflight program of the United States, running from 1958 through 1963. An early highlight of the Space Race, its goal was to put a man into Earth orbit and return him safely, ideally before the Soviet Un ...
, and in April 1963, it participated in the recovery of ''Faith 7
Mercury-Atlas 9 was the final crewed space mission of the U.S. Mercury program, launched on May 15, 1963, from Launch Complex 14 at Cape Canaveral, Florida. The spacecraft, named ''Faith 7'', completed 22 Earth orbits before splashing down in ...
'', and astronaut Gordon Cooper
Leroy Gordon "Gordo" Cooper Jr. (March 6, 1927 – October 4, 2004) was an American aerospace engineer, test pilot, United States Air Force pilot, and the youngest of the seven original astronauts in Project Mercury, the first human spa ...
.[
]
The wing deployed aircraft to Florida during the Cuban Missile Crisis and its aftermath. It maintained Detachment 1 in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (also known by 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 Vietnam a ...
between 1965 and 1970. Detachment 1 returned to Southeast Asia in 1971 to support Operation Linebacker
Operation Linebacker was the codename of a U.S. Seventh Air Force and U.S. Navy Task Force 77 air interdiction campaign conducted against North Vietnam from 9 May to 23 October 1972, during the Vietnam War.
Its purpose was to halt or slow the ...
and Operation Linebacker II
Operation Linebacker II was an aerial bombing campaign conducted by U.S. Seventh Air Force, Strategic Air Command and U.S. Navy Task Force 77 against targets in the Democratic Republic of Vietnam ( North Vietnam) during the final period of ...
operations. On 15 August 1973, Detachment 1 EC-121s flew their final combat mission, and on 1 June 1974, the EC-121 was permanently withdrawn from Southeast Asia. Between 1965 and 1973 the EC-121s flew 13,921 combat missions; more than 98,000 accident-free flying hours; assisted in the shoot-down of 25 MiGs; and supported the rescue of 80 downed flyers. No aircraft were lost.
The wing's operational squadrons began to be reduced starting in 1969, and on 1 July 1974, with only a single flying squadron assigned, the Air Force redesignated the wing as the 552d Airborne Warning and Control Group. It was inactivated on 30 April 1976.[
]
Reactivation at Tinker
Its inactive status lasted less than a week however, as the Air Force reactivated the unit on 5 May 1976, and redesignated it as the 552d Airborne Warning and Control Wing (AWACW). On 1 July 1976, the 552 AWACW relocated to Tinker AFB, Oklahoma. The 552 AWACW reported directly to Headquarters, Tactical Air Command (TAC).
On 1 October 1983, the 552 AWACW's missions and composition expanded so dramatically that the Air Force elevated the unit to division status and redesignating it as the 552d Airborne Warning and Control Division.
On 1 April 1985, TAC again redesignated the 552d Airborne Warning and Control Division and returned it to Wing status.
In October 1991, Tactical Air Command once more redesignated the 552d Airborne Warning and Control Wing, this time naming it the 552d Air Control Wing (ACW).
In the mid-1990s, an Air Force Reserve associate unit, the 513th Air Control Group (513 ACG), was activated, also at Tinker AFB, to provide extra crews for the wing.
Operational accomplishments
In early 1979, the wing assumed a commitment to support the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD). Today wing crews still stand ready to fly daily on short notice to the borders of the United States and Canada providing additional radar coverage required in defense of the North American continent.
In September 1980, the wing deployed E-3s, aircrew and support personnel to Saudi Arabia in support of Operation "ELF One" (European Liaison Force One) to provide "around-the-clock" airborne radar coverage, and to enhance Saudi Arabian air defenses during the dispute between Iran and Iraq. Support of "ELF One" continued for 8.5 years.
Throughout the remainder of the 1980s, E-3, aircrew, and support personnel deployed to Ramstein Air Base, Germany to participate in joint training w/elements of the NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two No ...
air defense network in December 1980. Personnel deployed to Egypt following the assassination of Egyptian President Anwar Sadat
Muhammad Anwar el-Sadat, (25 December 1918 – 6 October 1981) was an Egyptian politician and military officer who served as the third president of Egypt, from 15 October 1970 until his assassination by fundamentalist army officers on 6 ...
in October 1981, and to Grenada in November 1983 to support Operation Urgent Fury. The wing supported Operation Just Cause
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-Ma ...
, the ouster of Manuel Noriega
Manuel Antonio Noriega Moreno (; February 11, 1934 – May 29, 2017) was a Panamanian dictator, politician and military officer who was the ''de facto'' ruler of Panama from 1983 to 1989. An authoritarian ruler who amassed a personal f ...
in December 1989.
Also in accordance with President Ronald Reagan's National Security Decision Directive in 1986 to further expand its counter narcotic operations, the wing marked the beginning of its anti-drug commitment. Within six months, the wing had assisted in 13 arrests and the seizure of 3,200 pounds of illegal drugs. In January 1990, the wing deployed personnel and several E-3s to Naval Station Roosevelt Roads
Roosevelt Roads Naval Station is a former United States Navy base in the town of Ceiba, Puerto Rico. The site operates today as José Aponte de la Torre Airport, a public use airport.
History
In 1919, future US President Franklin D. Roose ...
, Puerto Rico. This deployment, known as Agate Path, established a forward operating base for counter narcotic operations in the Central American region.
Other milestones during the 1980s included delivery of the wing's 25th E-3 in December 1981, which brought a new updated version of the Airborne Warning and Control System, called the U.S./NATO standard, and the wing's redesignation to the 552d Airborne Warning and Control Division in October 1983. The division was again redesignated a wing, becoming a subordinate unit of the newly activated 28th Air Division in April 1985.
In August 1990, following the invasion of Kuwait by Iraqi forces, the wing deployed E-3s and personnel to Saudi Arabia and Turkey 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 Operation Proven Force, respectively. On 16 January 1991, E-3 support packages of the 552d Airborne Warning and Control Wing executed airborne control over several of the initial strikes on Iraq in Operation Desert Storm. Beginning on 17 January 1991, both deployed forces played a prominent role in f Operation Desert Storm. The E-3 aircraft and aircrews flew a total of 7,314.7 combat hours during Desert Storm and controlled 20,401 air refueling sorties with tankers off-loading more than of gas to 60,543 receivers. After the Gulf War, the wing remained in the Persian Gulf region. Wing personnel and aircraft in Southwest Asia continued a post-war surveillance role, while wing assets in Turkey continued to provide surveillance support for Operation Provide Comfort, the protection of Kurdish refugees.
During 1993, the 552d Air Control Wing continued its worldwide force protection mission in support of Operations Provide Comfort and Southern Watch in Southwest Asia. In January, a 552d Air Control Wing E-3 flying a Southern Watch mission over the Persian Gulf region, guided an air strike against Iraqi ground targets in response to Iraqi violations of United Nations resolutions. Four days later, a wing E-3 guided a United States Air Force General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon in the interception and destruction of an Iraqi MiG-29. This attack sequence followed a violation of the United Nations' imposed no-fly zone over Northern Iraq.
In September 1994, the wing flew 23 missions over Haiti in support of Operation Uphold Democracy from forward operating locations and Tinker AFB. This operation, directed by President Bill Clinton
William Jefferson Clinton ( né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. He previously served as governor of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 and agai ...
, ousted military leaders to return the duly-elected leader, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, into power.
In October 1995, the first E-3 AWACS aircraft (tail number 80-137) to receive the Block 30/35 upgrade rolled out at Tinker Air Force Base. The Block 30/35 comprised the single largest upgrade to the E-3 aircraft ever accomplished. Block 30/35 affected four major subsystems aboard the E-3 aircraft including integration of Joint Tactical Information Distribution Systems, Global Position System, Electronic Support Measures System, and Data Analysis Program Group.
In July 1996, the Air Force Reserve activated the 513th Air Control Group. The group worked in conjunction with the 552d Wing and the host reserve unit at Tinker, the 507th Air Refueling Wing
The 507th Air Refueling Wing is a reserve component flying unit of the United States Air Force. It is assigned to Fourth Air Force of Air Force Reserve Command, stationed at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma with elements at Altus Air Force Base, ...
. This activation would have a significant impact on the wing's ability to support its mission and improve quality of life for the members of the wing, by reducing the number of temporary duty days the members would endure each year. The 513th's mission would parallel that of the 552d Wing. The 552d Air Control Wing maintained ownershipof the E-3 aircraft, but would allow the reservists to assist in the maintenance of the aircraft and fly missions with the E-3s.
In February 1998, the wing deployed more than 100 additional personnel in response to a buildup in Southwest Asia. Four months later, troops returned as a result of the reduction of forces directed by President Bill Clinton.
In mid-November 1998, wing members deployed to Southwest Asia in support of Operation Desert Thunder. This operation was in response to United Nations weapons inspectors being expelled from Iraq. One month later, members of the wing once again deployed to Southwest Asia in support of Operation Desert Fox which was also in response to United Nations weapons inspectors being expelled from Iraq, as well as the increase in no-fly zone violations.
In March 1999, the commander of the European Command requested that the 552d Air Control Wing adjust forces in the European theater in support of Operation Allied Force
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) carried out an aerial bombing campaign against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia during the Kosovo War. The air strikes lasted from 24 March 1999 to 10 June 1999. The bombings continued until an a ...
, NATO's response to the crisis in Kosovo. Again in April, the wing received a request for additional crews and aircraft in support of Operation Allied Force.
Also during the spring of 1999, the wing began to see the results of the Radar System Improvement Program (RSIP); the first AWACS E-3 aircraft to go through RSIP rolled out of the hangar. RSIP is a joint U.S./NATO development program involving a major hardware and software intensive modification to the existing radar system. Installation of RSIP enhances the operational capability of the E-3 radar electronic counter-countermeasures, and dramatically improves system reliability, maintainability, and availability.
In February 2001, the 552d Air Control Wing saw the final flight of an E-3 Airborne Warning and Control System's Block 20/25 aircraft (tail #75-57). In September 2001, the wing saw completion of the Block 30/35 upgrade when that same aircraft rolled out of depot maintenance.
During March 2001, in an effort to bring the 552d Air Control Wing in alignment with the needs of the Expeditionary Aerospace Force, the 960th Airborne Warning and Control Squadron was reactivated and redesignated as the 960th Airborne Air Control Squadron.
On 14 June 2001, the RSIP program reached a major milestone. After more than 10 years and the efforts of hundreds of people to develop, test, produce and field the RSIP capability, Gen. John P. Jumper, Air Combat Command commander, approved the designation of Initial Operational Capability of the program.
Another major development in the history of AWACS occurred on 11 September 2001, with the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. The 552d was one of the first units to be tasked by the North American Aerospace Defense Command
North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD ), known until March 1981 as the North American Air Defense Command, is a combined organization of the United States and Canada that provides aerospace warning, air sovereignty, and protection ...
to protect the airspace over North America as part of Operation Noble Eagle
Operation Noble Eagle (ONE) is the United States and Canadian military operation related to homeland security and support to federal, state, and local agencies. The operation began 11 September 2001, in response to the September 11 attacks..
...
. Within hours, AWACS was patrolling the skies over North America in homeland defense. Round-the-clock patrols continued until the Spring of 2002. By late September, the wing was also supporting the war on terrorism. On 27 September 2001, E-3 aircraft and AWACS personnel were deployed to a forward location in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Also by late September, in addition to AWACS' worldwide taskings increasing, its number of people increased with the activation of 231 members of the 513th Air Control Group, the E-3 associate reserve unit. Both aircrew and support personnel in the 513th seamlessly integrated into operations.
In October 2001, NATO sent 5 of their E-3s and 180 of their personnel to Tinker in support of Operation Eagle Assist. This was the first time in the 52-year history of the organization that it had been used to defend the United States. This action was one of eight measures taken by NATO in its first execution of Article 5 of the 1949 Washington Treaty that created NATO. Article 5 states that an attack on one member is an attack on all.
By the following May, U.S. AWACS had flown more than 590 Noble Eagle missions, totaling nearly 7,100 flying hours in support of homeland defense operations. NATO AWACS had also flown approximately 380 ONE missions, totaling nearly 4,300 flying hours in support of Operation Eagle Assist, NATO's support of Operation Noble Eagle. 16 May 2002 marked the end of Operation Eagle Assist, NATO's support of Operation Noble Eagle. NATO E-3s and personnel returned to their home station; however, the 552d Air Control Wing still supports ONE.
Thanksgiving of 2002 brought another first as a single Airborne Air Control Squadron deployed to Thumrait Air Base, Oman as the sole AACS supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. In January 2003, 5 E-3s, aircrew, and associated support personnel and equipment redeployed from Thumrait, Oman to Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia to join the largest deployment of AWACS aircraft, personnel and equipment in preparation for Operation Iraqi Freedom.
April 2003 marked the beginning of the return of the wing from Prince Sultan Air Base and by June all 552d Air Control Wing aircraft, personnel, and equipment were at home station. This marked the first-ever period of reconstitution for the wing. After almost 18 months of being at home, the wing re-entered the war on drugs with a deployment of aircraft, personnel and equipment to Manta, Ecuador.
In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the wing flew 16 contingency management missions totaling over 158 hours in 8 days. The wing again performed in a humanitarian aid capacity following Hurricane Rita, flying 14 missions totaling over 117 hours.
In March 2007 the wing returned to the Middle East flying missions in support of Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom.
Major accidents
On 9 December 1983, the morning tanker mission for the ELF-1 orbiting E-3 protecting the Arabian oilfields from attack, took off from Riyadh Military airport along with seven Navy and Marine Corps officer observers, members of the Navy's Strategic Studies Group from Newport, RI. There were 12 souls on board, however, no additional parachutes were loaded aboard for these observers' use, if necessary. The E-3 Aircraft Commander and the crew were into their 7th hour of a normal 14-hour mission. The refueling was uneventful, but rather than the normal post-A/R vertical separation maneuver, the E-3 commander asked if it would be OK to join the tanker off the right wing so the passengers could get some good pictures. Contributing to the accident was the tanker pilot flying was in the left seat and the E-3 pilot flying was in the right seat. After several minutes on a collision course the E-3 contacted the tanker's right wing with its left wing. The E-3 wing outside of the number one engine broke off after cutting into the tanker's skin and severing the throttle cables. The wing pieces embedded themselves into the tanker fuselage, causing a rapid decompression. A break-away maneuver was conducted, and the aircraft were able to complete control checks. The tanker landed at Riyadh Military airport with two engines out on one side, while the E-3 had to dump all the fuel it just received before it was able to land there as well. The missing wing pieces that did not strike the tanker were never found, and appeared to cause no damage on the ground. The investigating board recommended that both Rated E-3 pilots and the enlisted flight engineer be permanently assigned duties other than flying, and that cameras not be allowed on the flight-deck without Wing approval.
On 14 April 1994, two USAF McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagles controlled by a 552d E-3 aircraft and aircrew accidentally shot down two US Army Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk
The Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk is a four-blade, twin-engine, medium-lift utility military helicopter manufactured by Sikorsky Aircraft. Sikorsky submitted the S-70 design for the United States Army's Utility Tactical Transport Aircraft System ( ...
helicopters while they passed through the northern Iraq no-fly zone. The F-15s had mistaken the two aircraft for Soviet built Mil Mi-24
The Mil Mi-24 (russian: Миль Ми-24; NATO reporting name: Hind) is a large helicopter gunship, attack helicopter and low-capacity troop transport with room for eight passengers. It is produced by Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant and has been ...
helicopters. This friendly fire incident led to the deaths of 26 people and galvanized national interest in E-3 activities. This accident also provided the genesis for a massive recertification process for all 1,300 airborne warning and control aircrew members. A senior member of the mission crew received a court-martial for dereliction of duty for this incident, but was acquitted. The helicopter victims all received purple hearts, when the medal expanded eligibility to include friendly-fire wounds or death.
On 29 August 2009 an E-3 aircraft (83-0008) was written off following a hard landing at Nellis Air Force Base
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 ...
, Nevada. The landing broke the jet's nose landing gear, causing the plane to slide 4,500 feet down the runway before stopping. The aircraft's crew suffered only minor injuries. A subsequent Air Force investigation blamed the mishap on co-pilot error (as he had control of the aircraft during the landing procedure), saying that the aircraft's pilots lost track of plane's altitude and rate of descent and reacted too late before the aircraft hit the runway. Neither pilot had more than a few hundred hours flying time in the aircraft.
Lineage
* Established as 552d Airborne Early Warning and Control Wing on 30 March 1955
: Activated on 8 July 1955
: Redesignated 552d Airborne Early Warning and Control Group on 1 July 1974
: Inactivated on 30 April 1976
* Redesignated 552d Airborne Warning and Control Wing on 5 May 1976
: Activated on 1 July 1976[Lineage, including assignments through 1977 in Ravenstein, pp. 286-287]
: Redesignated: 552d Airborne Warning and Control Division on 1 October 1983
: Redesignated: 552d Airborne Warning and Control Wing on 1 April 1985
: Redesignated: 552d Air Control Wing on 1 October 1991
Assignments
* 8th Air Division, 8 July 1955
* Western Air Defense Force, 1 July 1957
* 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 July 1960
* Fourth Air Force
The Fourth Air Force (4 AF) is a numbered air force of the Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC). It is headquartered at March Air Reserve Base, California.
4 AF directs the activities and supervises the training of more than 30,000 Air Force Res ...
, 1 April 1966
* Tenth Air Force
The Tenth Air Force (10 AF) is a unit of the U.S. Air Force, specifically a numbered air force of the Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC). 10 AF is headquartered at Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base/Carswell Field (formerly Carswel ...
, 15 September 1969
* 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 ina ...
, 15 November 1969 – 30 April 1976
* Tactical Air Command, 1 July 1976[
* 28th Air Division, 1 April 1985
* Tactical Air Command, 29 May 1992
* Air Combat Command, 1 June 1992
* ]Second Air Force
The Second Air Force (2 AF; ''2d Air Force'' in 1942) is a USAF numbered air force responsible for conducting basic military and technical training for Air Force enlisted members and non-flying officers. In World War II the CONUS unit defende ...
, 1 October 1992
* Twelfth Air Force
The Twelfth Air Force (12 AF; Air Forces Southern, (AFSOUTH)) is a Numbered Air Force of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command (ACC). It is headquartered at Davis–Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona.
The command is the air component to ...
, 1 July 1993
* Eighth Air Force, 1 October 2002
* Twelfth Air Force, 1 November 2009 – present
Components
; Groups
* 552d Operations Group: 29 May 1992 – present
* 552d Air Control Group: 1 May 2008 – present
; Squadrons
* 3d Airborne Command and Control Squadron: 1 August – 1 November 1986
* 7th Airborne Command and Control Squadron
The 7th Expeditionary Airborne Command and Control Squadron is part of the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar. It operates the E-8 Joint STARS aircraft, conducting airborne command and control missions. The squadron has ...
: 1 October 1976 – 1 April 1995
* 8th Tactical Deployment Control Squadron
The 8th Weapons Squadron is a non-flying United States Air Force unit, assigned to the USAF Weapons School at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada.
The squadron inherited the lineage of the 8th Airborne Command and Control Squadron. The 8th’s history ...
: 1 January 1978 – 1 March 1986
* 41st Electronic Combat Squadron
The 41st Electronic Combat Squadron is a United States Air Force unit. Its current assignment is with the 55th Electronic Combat Group at Davis–Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona as a geographically separated unit from its parent wing, the 55 ...
: 1 July 1980 – 1 April 1985
* 960th Airborne Warning and Control Support Squadron
The 960th Airborne Air Control Squadron is part of the 552d Air Control Wing at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma. It operates the E-3 Sentry aircraft conducting airborne command and control missions.
The first predecessor of the squadron was ...
(later 960th Airborne Warning and Control Squadron): 1 September 1979 – 1 April 1985; 1 Mar 2001 – present
* 961st Airborne Warning and Control Support Squadron
The 961st Airborne Air Control Squadron (961 AACS) is part of the 18th Wing at Kadena Air Base, Japan. It operates the E-3 Sentry aircraft conducting airborne command and control missions.
Mission
Provide airborne command and control, long-rang ...
(later 961st Airborne Warning and Control Squadron): 1 October 1979 – 1 April 1985 (Reactivated and reassigned to 18th Wing
The United States Air Force's 18th Wing is the host wing for Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Japan and is the Air Force's largest combat wing. It is the largest and principal organization in the Pacific Air Forces Fifth Air Force.
The Wing's 18th ...
, PACAF
Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) is a Major Command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force and is also the air component command of the United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM). PACAF is headquartered at Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam (f ...
, in 1991)
* 963d Airborne Early Warning and Control Squadron (later 963d Airborne Warning and Control Squadron): 8 July 1955 – 30 April 1976;[ 1 July 1976 – present
* 964th Airborne Early Warning and Control Squadron (later 964th Airborne Warning and Control Squadron): 8 July 1955 – 30 June 1974;][ 1 July 1977 – present
* 965th Airborne Early Warning and Control Squadron (later 965th Airborne Warning and Control Squadron): 8 August 1955 – 30 June 1971;][ 1 July 1978 – present
* ]966th Airborne Early Warning and Control Squadron
The 966th Airborne Air Control Squadron is an active United States Air Force unit is assigned to the 552d Training Group, 552d Air Control Wing at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma. It operates the E-3 Sentry (AWACS) aircraft conducting airborne ...
(later 966th Airborne Warning and Control Training Squadron): 1 May 1963 – 1 July 1969; 15 November – 31 December 1969;[ 1 July 1976 – present.
]
Stations
* McClellan Air Force Base
McClellan Air Force Base (1935–2001) is a former United States Air Force base located in the North Highlands area of Sacramento County, northeast of Sacramento, California.
History
For the vast majority of its operational lifetime, McClell ...
, California, 8 July 1955 – 30 April 1976
* Tinker Air Force Base
Tinker Air Force Base is a major United States Air Force base, with tenant U.S. Navy and other Department of Defense missions, located in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, surrounded by Del City, Oklahoma City, and Midwest City.
The base, origina ...
, Oklahoma, 1 July 1976 – present[
]
References
; Notes
; Citations
Bibliography
*
*
*
*
External links
*
*
*
*
{{Aerospace Defense Command
Military units and formations in Oklahoma
552