The 90th Missile Wing is a component of
Twentieth Air Force
The Twentieth Air Force (Air Forces Strategic) (20th AF) is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC). It is headquartered at Francis E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming.
20 AF's primary mission is Interco ...
, stationed at
Francis E. Warren Air Force Base
Francis E. Warren Air Force Base , shortened as F.E. Warren AFB is a United States Air Force base (AFB) located approximately west of Cheyenne, Wyoming. It is one of three strategic-missile bases in the U.S. It was named in honor of Francis E ...
and equipped with
LGM-30G Minuteman III
The LGM-30 Minuteman is an American land-based intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) in service with the Air Force Global Strike Command. , the LGM-30G Minuteman III version is the only land-based ICBM in service in the United States and ...
Missiles. It has served at Warren as a component of
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 ...
,
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 ...
,
Air Force Space Command
The atmosphere of Earth is the layer of gases, known collectively as air, retained by Earth's gravity that surrounds the planet and forms its planetary atmosphere. The atmosphere of Earth protects life on Earth by creating pressure allowing for ...
and
Air Force Global Strike Command since 1963.
The
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 expres ...
was first organized at
Fairchild Air Force Base
Fairchild Air Force Base (AFB) is a United States Air Force base, located in the northwest United States in eastern Washington, approximately southwest of Spokane.
The host unit at Fairchild is the 92nd Air Refueling Wing (92 ARW) assigned t ...
, Washington as the 90th Bombardment Wing, a
Boeing B-29 Superfortress
The Boeing B-29 Superfortress is an American four-engined propeller-driven heavy bomber, designed by Boeing and flown primarily by the United States during World War II and the Korean War. Named in allusion to its predecessor, the B-17 Fl ...
unit. After moving to
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, it served as a training unit for
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 ...
units and
aircrew
Aircrew, also called flight crew, are personnel who operate an aircraft while in flight. The composition of a flight's crew depends on the type of aircraft, plus the flight's duration and purpose.
Commercial aviation
Flight deck positions ...
s in the B-29. In 1953 it converted to the
strategic reconnaissance
In military operations, reconnaissance or scouting is the exploration of an area by military forces to obtain information about enemy forces, terrain, and other activities.
Examples of reconnaissance include patrolling by troops (skirmishers, ...
mission, upgrading to the
Boeing RB-47 Stratojet
The Boeing B-47 Stratojet (Boeing company designation Model 450) is a retired American long-range, six-engined, turbojet-powered strategic bomber designed to fly at high subsonic speed and at high altitude to avoid enemy interceptor aircraft ...
in 1954. After 1958 it trained reconnaissance crews with the B-47 and continued that mission until it was inactivated in 1960.
The
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 expres ...
operates 150
LGM-30G Minuteman III
The LGM-30 Minuteman is an American land-based intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) in service with the Air Force Global Strike Command. , the LGM-30G Minuteman III version is the only land-based ICBM in service in the United States and ...
intercontinental ballistic missile
An intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) is a ballistic missile with a range greater than , primarily designed for nuclear weapons delivery (delivering one or more thermonuclear warheads). Conventional, chemical, and biological weapons c ...
s on full
alert 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
[ Its missiles are dispersed in hardened silos to protect against attack and connected to underground missile alert facilities through a system of hardened cables.]
Structure
The 90th Missile Wing is made up of a wing staff and five groups:
The 90th Operations Group
The 90th Operations Group is the operational component of the 90th Missile Wing of the United States Air Force. It is stationed at Francis E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming, and is assigned to Twentieth Air Force of Air Force Global Strike Comma ...
is composed of three missile squadrons, an operations support squadron and a standardization and evaluation element. Each missile squadron is responsible for five missile alert facilities and 50 Minuteman III ICBMs. Its units include the 319th, 320th and 321st Missile Squadrons and the 90th Operations Support Squadron.[
The 90th Maintenance Group maintains 150 missiles and associated launch facilities, as well as 15 launch control facilities spread between a three-state, 9,600 square-mile complex. It is composed of the 90th Missile Maintenance Squadron and the 90th Maintenance Operations Squadron and a Maintenance Quality Assurance Section.][
The 90th Mission Support Group provides civil engineering, transportation and logistics, communications, contracting, and personnel and services support to the wing and tenant units. The units of the 90th Mission Support Group include the 90th Civil Engineer Squadron, 90th Logistics Readiness Squadron, 90th Communications Squadron, 90th Contracting Squadron, and the 90th Force Support Squadron.][
The 90th Security Forces Group is composed of five squadrons. The 790th Missile Security Forces Squadron provides security for convoys and missile maintenance operations. The 90th Ground Combat Training Squadron is located at ]Camp Guernsey
Camp may refer to:
Outdoor accommodation and recreation
* Campsite or campground, a recreational outdoor sleeping and eating site
* a temporary settlement for nomads
* Camp, a term used in New England, Northern Ontario and New Brunswick to descri ...
in Guernsey, Wyoming
Guernsey is a town in Platte County, Wyoming, United States. The population was 1,147 at the 2010 census.
The town was named for C. A. Guernsey, a cattle rancher.
Geography
Guernsey is located at (42.267251, −104.743187).
According to the U ...
, and provides security, pre-deployment, and antiterrorism/force protection
Force protection (FP) refers to the concept of protecting military personnel, family members, civilians, facilities, equipment and operations from threats or hazards in order to preserve operational effectiveness and contribute to mission succes ...
training for USAF personnel. The 90th Missile Security Forces Squadron provides security for 15 missile alert facilities and 150 launch facilities. The 90th Security Forces Squadron provides installation and weapons storage area security; police services; pass and registration functions; and reports and analysis duties. The 90th Security Support Squadron provides command and control for the missile field and access control for all missile field forces as well as all security forces training and equipment support.[
The 90th Medical Group is responsible for medical and dental care for more than 17,000 beneficiaries throughout Wyoming, Nebraska and northern Colorado. The group's mission is to maximize personnel health, fitness and readiness through emphasizing health promotion and preventive medicine. The units of the 90th Medical Group include the 90th Operational Medical Readiness Squadron and the 90th Healthcare Operations Squadron.][
]
History
Superfortress operations
The wing was first organized at Fairchild Air Force Base
Fairchild Air Force Base (AFB) is a United States Air Force base, located in the northwest United States in eastern Washington, approximately southwest of Spokane.
The host unit at Fairchild is the 92nd Air Refueling Wing (92 ARW) assigned t ...
, Washington in January 1951 as the 90th Bombardment Wing and equipped with the Boeing B-29 Superfortress
The Boeing B-29 Superfortress is an American four-engined propeller-driven heavy bomber, designed by Boeing and flown primarily by the United States during World War II and the Korean War. Named in allusion to its predecessor, the B-17 Fl ...
. While organizing, it was attached to the 92d Bombardment Wing
9 (nine) is the natural number following and preceding .
Evolution of the Arabic digit
In the Brahmi numerals, beginning, various Indians wrote a digit 9 similar in shape to the modern closing question mark without the bottom dot. The Kshat ...
, whose commander also served as the commander of the 90th Wing. In February, as part of a reorganization of 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 ...
wings, the 90th Wing's 90th Bombardment Group was reduced to paper status and its squadrons were attached to the wing for operational control. In June 1952, this organization, which was designed to permit the wing commander to focus on the wing's combat units and the maintenance necessary to support combat aircraft, was formalized as the Dual Deputy Organization and the group
A group is a number of persons or things that are located, gathered, or classed together.
Groups of people
* Cultural group, a group whose members share the same cultural identity
* Ethnic group, a group whose members share the same ethnic ide ...
was inactivated and its squadrons were assigned to the wing.
In March 1951, the wing moved to 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 ...
, where it served primarily as a training unit. In May, it began serving as an Operational Training Unit for B-29 aircrew
Aircrew, also called flight crew, are personnel who operate an aircraft while in flight. The composition of a flight's crew depends on the type of aircraft, plus the flight's duration and purpose.
Commercial aviation
Flight deck positions ...
s and mechanics of newly-activating units. The 376th Bombardment Wing was the first new Superfortress wing trained by the 90th, activating on 1 June 1951. In October, it was combat ready and moved to Barksdale Air Force Base
Barksdale Air Force Base (Barksdale AFB) is a United States Air Force (USAF) base in northwest Louisiana, United States, in Bossier Parish. It is contiguous to Bossier City, Louisiana, along the base's western and northwestern edge. Barksdale AFB ...
, Louisiana, its permanent base. The day the 376th Wing departed, the 308th Bombardment Wing was activated and began its training, which lasted until it moved to Hunter Air Force Base
Hunting is the human practice of seeking, pursuing, capturing, or killing wildlife or feral animals. The most common reasons for humans to hunt are to harvest food (i.e. meat) and useful animal products (fur/ hide, bone/tusks, horn/ antler, ...
, Georgia in April 1952. The 310th Bombardment Wing was the last B-29 unit trained at Forbes. With its departure for Schilling Air Force Base
Salina Regional Airport , formerly Salina Municipal Airport, is three miles southwest of Salina, Kansas, United States. The airport is owned by the Salina Airport Authority. It is used for general aviation, with service by one passenger airline, ...
, Kansas in September 1952, the B-29 operational training mission ended.[
In June, the wing added duty as a Replacement Training Unit, primarily providing individual training for aircrew being assigned to existing ]Far East Air Forces
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 (fo ...
B-29 units during the Korean War
, date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...
.[Replacement Training Units trained individuals to fill positions in existing units. ''See'' Goss, p. xxxvi] In November 1952 it also began training replacement crews for the RB-29 reconnaissance
In military operations, reconnaissance or scouting is the exploration of an area by military forces to obtain information about enemy forces, terrain, and other activities.
Examples of reconnaissance include patrolling by troops (skirmisher ...
model of the Superfortress and SHORAN
SHORAN is an acronym for SHOrt RAnge Navigation, a type of electronic navigation and bombing system using a precision radar beacon. It was developed during World War II and the first stations were set up in Europe as the war was ending, and was op ...
personnel for 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 ...
(SAC). These training activities continued through November 1953.[
]
Strategic reconnaissance
The wing began to fly strategic reconnaissance missions in September 1953.[ The following year, it replaced its RB-29s with the jet ]Boeing RB-47 Stratojet
The Boeing B-47 Stratojet (Boeing company designation Model 450) is a retired American long-range, six-engined, turbojet-powered strategic bomber designed to fly at high subsonic speed and at high altitude to avoid enemy interceptor aircraft ...
, with the first B-47E arriving on 25 June, although crews had begun training in March. One year later, the wing deployed as a unit to Eielson Air Force Base
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 ...
, Alaska from 5 May until 31 August 1955, where it performed the final mapping of Alaska.[ With the assignment of the ]90th Air Refueling Squadron
The 90th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron is a provisional United States Air Force unit. Until March 2013, it was assigned to the 385th Air Expeditionary Group at Incirlik Air Base, Turkey. It then departed for an undisclosed location in ...
in 1955, the wing began to fly air refueling
Aerial refueling, also referred to as air refueling, in-flight refueling (IFR), air-to-air refueling (AAR), and tanking, is the process of transferring aviation fuel from one aircraft (the tanker) to another (the receiver) while both aircraft ...
missions as well as reconnaissance flights. In May 1958, the wing returned to the training mission serving as a combat crew training wing for RB-47 aircrews until it was inactivated on 20 June 1960.[ The wing's personnel and equipment were transferred to the 40th Bombardment Wing, which moved to Forbes on paper from ]Schilling Air Force Base
Salina Regional Airport , formerly Salina Municipal Airport, is three miles southwest of Salina, Kansas, United States. The airport is owned by the Salina Airport Authority. It is used for general aviation, with service by one passenger airline, ...
, Kansas the same day. The 90th Air Refueling Squadron was reassigned to the 40th Wing upon that wing's arrival at Forbes.
Strategic missiles
The wing was again organized in July 1963 at Francis E. Warren Air Force Base
Francis E. Warren Air Force Base , shortened as F.E. Warren AFB is a United States Air Force base (AFB) located approximately west of Cheyenne, Wyoming. It is one of three strategic-missile bases in the U.S. It was named in honor of Francis E ...
, Wyoming as the 90th Strategic Missile Wing. The LGM-30B Minuteman I
The LGM-30 Minuteman is an American land-based intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) in service with the Air Force Global Strike Command. , the LGM-30G Minuteman III version is the only land-based ICBM in service in the United States and ...
missiles of the wing would replace the SM-65 Atlas
The SM-65 Atlas was the first operational intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) developed by the United States and the first member of the Atlas rocket family. It was built for the U.S. Air Force by the Convair Division of General Dyna ...
missiles of the inactivating 389th Strategic Missile Wing. The replacement Minutemen would be more widely displaced and hardened than the Atlases they replaced.[
Initially, the wing supervised missile facility construction until July 1964, with its individual squadrons activating between October 1963 and July 1964 as missile launch facilities became operational.][ The wing was initially equipped with 200 ]LGM-30B Minuteman I
The LGM-30 Minuteman is an American land-based intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) in service with the Air Force Global Strike Command. , the LGM-30G Minuteman III version is the only land-based ICBM in service in the United States and ...
, equipped with a single reentry vehicle.[ Beginning in June 1973, the Minuteman I missiles began to be replaced by LGM-30G Minuteman IIIs, which could carry up to three reentry vehicles, with the 400th Strategic Missile Squadron becoming the first Minuteman III squadron in the wing.][ The changeout was completed by October 1974.][ However, in 2001 and in compliance with the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, these missiles were limited to a single reentry vehicle][
The wing supervised ]LGM-118 Peacekeeper
The LGM-118 Peacekeeper, originally known as the MX for "Missile, Experimental", was a MIRV-capable intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) produced and deployed by the United States from 1985 to 2005. The missile could carry up to twelve Mark ...
personnel training and facility preparation beginning Jun 1985. The Peacekeeper, which could carry ten independently targeted reentry vehicles,[ was fully operational with the wing's 400th Strategic Missile Squadron on 30 December 1986. The Peacekeeper system continued in operation in addition to the wing's Minuteman missiles until September 2005, when it was retired and the 400th Squadron inactivated.][
Although it remained a component of ]Twentieth Air Force
The Twentieth Air Force (Air Forces Strategic) (20th AF) is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC). It is headquartered at Francis E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming.
20 AF's primary mission is Interco ...
, starting in 1992, the wing was reassigned under three different major commands over the next twenty years. When SAC was inactivated on 1 June 1992, the wing, along with its other combat missile units, became part of 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 ...
.[ On 1 July 1993, after being redesignated as the 90th Space Wing, and with the idea to take advantage of the similarities between the missile and other space missions, the wing became part of ]Air Force Space Command
The atmosphere of Earth is the layer of gases, known collectively as air, retained by Earth's gravity that surrounds the planet and forms its planetary atmosphere. The atmosphere of Earth protects life on Earth by creating pressure allowing for ...
. On 1 December 2009, the wing and other missile wings were reunited with the global bomber force under Air Force Global Strike Command.[
]
Lineage
* Established as the 90th Bombardment Wing, Medium on 20 December 1950
: Activated on 2 January 1951
: Redesignated 90 Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, Medium on 16 June 1952[In an apparent repeated typo, both Ravenstein and Robertson give this date as 1956. Ravenstein, p. 123, Robertson, Factsheet, 90 Missile Wing. However, compare Maurer, ''Combat Squadrons'', pp. 390, 392, 394 (redesignation of 319th, 320th and 321st Strategic Reconnaissance Squadrons in 1952).]
* Discontinued on 20 June 1960
* Redesignated 90 Strategic Missile Wing (ICBM-Minuteman) on 21 February 1963
: Organized on 1 July 1963
: Redesignated 90 Missile Wing on 1 September 1991
: Redesignated 90 Space Wing on 1 October 1992
: Redesignated 90 Missile Wing on 1 July 2008[
]
Assignments
* Fifteenth Air Force, 2 January 1951 (attached to 92d Bombardment Wing until 31 January 1951)
* 21st Air Division, 14 March 1951 – 20 June 1960
* 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 ...
, 21 February 1963 (not organized)
* 13th Strategic Missile Division, 1 July 1963
* 821st Strategic Aerospace Division, 2 July 1966
* 4th Strategic Missile Division (later 4th Air Division), 30 Jun 1971
* Fifteenth Air Force, 23 August 1988
* Twentieth Air Force, 1 September 1991 – present[
]
Operational components
; Groups
* 90th Bombardment Group (later 90 Operations Group): 2 January 1951 – 16 June 1952, 1 September 1991 – present[
; Squadrons.
* 90th Air Refueling Squadron: 5 August 1955 – 20 June 1960
* 319th Bombardment Squadron (later 319th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron, 319th Strategic Missile Squadron): attached 16 February 1951 – 15 June 1952, assigned 16 June 1952 – 20 June 1960, 1 October 1963 – 1 September 1991
* 320th Bombardment Squadron (later 320th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron, 320th Strategic Missile Squadron): attached 16 February 1951 – 15 June 1952, assigned 16 June 1952 – 20 June 1960, 8 January 1964 – 1 September 1991
* 321st Bombardment Squadron (later 321st Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron, 321st Strategic Missile Squadron): attached 16 February 1951 – 15 June 1952, assigned 16 June 1952 – 20 June 1960, 9 April 1964 – 1 September 1991
* 400th Strategic Missile Squadron: 1 July 1964 – 1 September 1991][
]
Stations
* Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington, 2 January 1951
* Forbes Air Force Base, Kansas, 14 March 1951 – 20 June 1960
* Francis E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming 1 July 1963 – present[
]
Aircraft and Missiles
* Boeing B-29 Superfortress, 1951–1954
* Boeing RB-29 Superfortress, 1951, 1952–1954
* Boeing TB-29 Superfortress, 1951–1952
* Boeing KB-29 Superfortress, 1953–1954
* Boeing RB-47 Stratojet, 1954–1960
* Boeing KC-97 Stratofreighter
The Boeing KC-97 Stratofreighter is a four-engined, piston-powered United States strategic tanker aircraft based on the Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter. It replaced the KB-29 and was succeeded by the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker.
Design and developm ...
, 1955–1960
* LGM-30B Minuteman I, 1964–1974
* LGM-30G Minuteman III, 1973–present
* LGM-118 Peacekeeper, 1986–2005[Aircraft and missiles in Robertson, Factsheet, 90 Missile Wing except as noted]
* Bell UH-1 Huey
The Bell UH-1 Iroquois (nicknamed "Huey") is a utility military helicopter designed and produced by the American aerospace company Bell Helicopter. It is the first member of the prolific Huey family, as well as the first turbine-powered helico ...
, 1993–2015
Awards and campaigns
The wing won the SAC missile combat competition and the Blanchard Trophy in 1973 and 1984 and in 2010 and 2011 as the best missile wing in Air Force Global Strike Command. It was awarded the Omaha Trophy
The Omaha Trophy, which is sponsored by the United States Strategic Command (STRATCOM) and the STRATCOM Consultation Committee, is awarded each year to U.S. military units with intercontinental ballistic missiles, strategic aircraft, strategic spa ...
as the most outstanding wing in SAC in 1983 and in 2007 as the best missile wing in United States Strategic Command
United States Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM) is one of the eleven unified combatant commands in the United States Department of Defense. Headquartered at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, USSTRATCOM is responsible for strategic nuclear deterr ...
.[90th Missile Wing Heritage Pamphlet, p. 6] The unit won the Col Lowell F. McAdoo trophy for best missile wing operations in SAC and the Lee R. Williams trophy as the most outstanding missile wing in 1988.[ In 1989, the wing's maintenance complex won the Chadwell Trophy as the best missile maintenance unit in SAC and repeated in 1992 as the best in Air Combat Command.] Individual squadrons of the wing have won other command competition awards, including two additional awards of the Blanchard Trophy.[90th Missile Wing Heritage Pamphlet, pp. 3–10]
See also
* List of USAF Strategic Missile Wings assigned to Strategic Air Command
* List of USAF Reconnaissance Wings assigned to Strategic Air Command
*
* List of B-29 Superfortress operators
This is a list of B-29 Superfortress units consisting of nations, their air forces, and the unit assignments that used the B-29 during World War II, Korean War, and post war periods, including variants and other historical information
Delivery ...
* List of B-47 units of the United States Air Force
* 90th Missile Wing LGM-30 Minuteman Missile Launch Sites
This is a list of the LGM-30 Minuteman missile alert and launch facilities of the 90th Missile Wing, 20th Air Force, assigned to Francis E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming.
Overview
The 90th Strategic Missile Wing (SMW) was the fifth United S ...
References
Notes
Citations
Bibliography
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Further reading
*
External links
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{{Strategic Air Command
Military units and formations in Wyoming
Missile wings of the United States Air Force
Military units and formations of the United States in the Cold War
Military units and formations established in 1963