![RQ-4 Global Hawk](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/29/RQ-4_Global_Hawk.jpg)
The 9th Reconnaissance Wing (9 RW) is a
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 ...
unit assigned to the
Air Combat Command and
Sixteenth Air Force
The Sixteenth Air Force (Air Forces Cyber) (16 AF) is a United States Air Force (USAF) organization responsible for information warfare, which encompasses intelligence gathering and analysis, surveillance, reconnaissance, cyber warfare and ele ...
. It is stationed at
Beale Air Force Base
Beale Air Force Base (AFB) is a United States Air Force base located approximately east of Marysville, California. It is located outside Linda, about east of the towns of Marysville and Yuba City, and about north of Sacramento.
The host ...
,
California
California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
. The wing is also the host unit at Beale.
Its mission is to organize, train and equip the Air Force's fleet of
U-2R Dragon Lady
The Lockheed U-2, nicknamed "''Dragon Lady''", is an American single-jet engine, high altitude reconnaissance aircraft operated by the United States Air Force (USAF) and previously flown by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). It provides day ...
,
RQ-4 Global Hawk
The Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk is a high-altitude, remotely-piloted surveillance aircraft of the 1990s–2020s. It was initially designed by Ryan Aeronautical (now part of Northrop Grumman), and known as Tier II+ during development. The ...
aircraft for peacetime intelligence gathering, contingency operations, conventional war fighting and Emergency War Order support. It is also assigned
T-38 Talons for U-2 pilots to maintain flight hours.
Its
9th Operations Group is a descendant organization of the 9th Group (Observation), one of the 13 original combat air groups formed by the Army before
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
.
During
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
, the 9th Bombardment Group (Very Heavy) was an air combat unit of the
United States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...
. Active for over 60 years, the 9th RW was a component wing of
Strategic Air Command's deterrent force throughout the
Cold War, performing strategic reconnaissance on a worldwide basis.
History
: ''For additional history and lineage, see
9th Operations Group''
Fairfield-Suisun Air Force Base
: ''see also:
Robert F. Travis''
On 1 May 1949 the 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing was activated at
Fairfield-Suisun Air Force Base
Travis Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base under the operational control of the Air Mobility Command (AMC), located three miles (5 km) east of the central business district of the city of Fairfield, in Solano County, Californ ...
,
California
California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
, renamed
Travis Air Force Base
Travis Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base under the operational control of the Air Mobility Command (AMC), located three miles (5 km) east of the central business district of the city of Fairfield, in Solano County, California ...
in 1951. The Air Force also activated the re-designated 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Group and the 1st, 5th, and 99th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadrons.
The 9th SRW's mission was to obtain complete data through visual, photographic, electronic, and weather reconnaissance operations. To carry out this mission, the wing flew
RB-29 Superfortress
The Boeing B-29 Superfortress is a WWII era long range, strategic heavy bomber that was produced in many experimental and production models.
XB-29
: ''Section source: Baugher''
The XB-29, Boeing Model 345, was the first accepted prototype or e ...
es and a few
RB-36 Peacemaker
The Convair B-36 "Peacemaker" is a strategic bomber that was built by Convair and operated by the United States Air Force (USAF) from 1949 to 1959. The B-36 is the largest mass-produced piston-engined aircraft ever built. It had the longest wi ...
s. The 9th Reconnaissance Technical Squadron also joined the 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing on 1 May 1949. It also performed its mission with components of
5th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, from November 1949 – February 1951. The reconnaissance mission continued for only eleven months.
![B-29 in flight](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d3/B-29_in_flight.jpg)
On 1 April 1950, the Air Force redesignated the 9th SRW as the 9th Bombardment Wing, Heavy, with similar redesignations of the 9th Group and the 1st, 5th, and 99th Squadrons. Seven months later, on 2 November, the wing and subordinate units were again re-designated to Bombardment, Medium with the transfer of the RB-36s, leaving the wing at B-29 Superfortress unit. In early February 1951, the Air Force realigned its flying operation and placed the flying squadrons directly under control of the wings. The Air Force, therefore, placed the 9th Bombardment Group in Records Unit status, then inactivated the group on 16 June 1952. On 4 January 1955, the Air Force bestowed upon the 9th Wing the honors of the inactive 9th Group, the operational headquarters unit before and during World War II.
Mountain Home Air Force Base
![Wing 0009th Bomb (B-36 Era)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b9/Wing_0009th_Bomb_%28B-36_Era%29.png)
The 9th Bombardment Wing remained at Fairfield-Suisun AFB flying B-29s until 1 May 1953. On 1 May, the Strategic Air Command assumed jurisdiction of
Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, from the
Military Air Transport Service and transferred the 9th Bomb Wing to the base. Developed for bomber training during the war, Mountain Home AFB had recently been an
Air Resupply And Communications Service special operations base for MATS, and had phased down its operations. MATS wanted to use Fairfield-Suisun as a West Coast aerial port. SAC could expand Mountain Home for a large bomber base and its relative isolation was also desirable away from the inherent problems of stationing jet bombers in the urban areas halfway between
Sacramento
)
, image_map = Sacramento County California Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Sacramento Highlighted.svg
, mapsize = 250x200px
, map_caption = Location within Sacramento ...
and
San Francisco
San Francisco (; Spanish for " Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the fourth most populous in California and 17th ...
, California.
Although some personnel began arriving at Mountain Home early in April, the Wing and its B-29s moved in May. Simultaneously, the
2d Air Refueling Squadron
The 2nd Air Refueling Squadron, sometimes written as 2d Air Refueling Squadron, is a unit of the United States Air Force. It is part of the 305th Air Mobility Wing at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey. The 2nd Air Refueling Squadron ...
at
Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona, became the
9th Air Refueling Squadron
The 9th Air Refueling Squadron is an active United States Air Force unit, stationed at Travis Air Force Base, California, where it operates the McDonnell Douglas KC-10 Extender as part of the 60th Operations Group.
The squadron was first act ...
and transferred to the 9th Bombardment Wing at Mountain Home AFB.
With the arrival of the 9th Bomb Wing at Mountain Home, the base planned a vast construction program not only to accommodate the wing's personnel and offices, but also in anticipation of the acquisition of
B-47
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 aircr ...
s to replace the World War II-era obsolete B‑29s. On 15 September 1954, Colonel William C. Kingsbury, commander of the 9th Bomb Wing, landed at Mountain Home in the wing's first B-47 "Stratojet", The remainder of the planes arrived over the next few months. By June 1955, the 9th BW was ready for a mobility test. Early that month, bombers and crews spanned the continent and the Atlantic Ocean for a 60-day temporary duty assignment to a REFLEX base in
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
to test the wing's mobility training concept.
In November 1955, the 9th Bomb Wing's B-47Es flew from MHAFB to
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
, a distance of , nonstop with the aid of aerial refueling. This was the longest point-to-point flight for any Strategic Air Command aircraft or unit up to that time.
In the decade after World War II, the development of faster aircraft and missiles steadily reduced reaction time. With the arrival of the missile age, SAC had to be ready to launch its armada of nuclear bombers within 15 minutes for a retaliatory strike. After almost two years of planning, SAC developed a new organization. Nicknamed FRESH APPROACH and designed to ensure a 15-minute response time, the new organization required extensive testing for practicality, mobility, and economy before command leaders were willing to discard the proven structure. On 1 July 1957, the 9th Bomb Wing was one of three SAC units to begin "service-testing" the new deputy commander system of management.
From July through December 1957, the 9th Wing implemented FRESH APPROACH and worked out the "kinks" of the new organization. The test came during a large SAC mobility and overseas deployment exercise. The 9th BW was the only participating unit with the deputy-commander organizational structure. Between October 1957 and January 1958, elements of the 9th Bombardment Wing and 9th Air Refueling Squadron scattered from
Elmendorf AFB
Elmendorf Air Force Base is a United States Air Force (USAF) facility in Anchorage, Alaska. Originally known as Elmendorf Field, it became Elmendorf Air Force Base after World War II.
It is the home of the Headquarters, Alaskan Air Command (AL ...
,
Alaska
Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S. ...
to
Andersen AFB,
Guam
Guam (; ch, Guåhan ) is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States in the Micronesia subregion of the western Pacific Ocean. It is the westernmost point and territory of the United States (reckoned from the geographic cent ...
. Although some problems occurred during the overseas mobility test, the 9th Wing Commander firmly supported the new concept. When the wing redeployed to Mountain Home AFB in mid-January 1958, it remained in the FRESH APPROACH organizational structure.
![Titan 1 ICBM](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9a/Titan_1_ICBM.jpg)
On 1 October 1958, the Air Force officially adopted the deputy-commander concept and the 9th Bomb Wing became the first unit to officially convert to the new organizational structure. The change made it possible for the Air Force to launch an immediate retaliatory strike in response to nuclear attack on the United States. Massive retaliation became a cornerstone of national policy and an effective deterrent to perceived threats. For its meritorious service in testing and refining the reorganization, the 9th Bombardment Wing received the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award.
To reflect its expanding role as a bomber-missile unit, the 9th Bombardment Wing became the 9th Strategic Aerospace Wing on 1 April 1962. On 13 April the wing received its first
HGM-25A Titan I
The Martin Marietta SM-68A/HGM-25A Titan I was the United States' first multistage intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), in use from 1959 until 1962. Though the SM-68A was operational for only three years, it spawned numerous follow-on mo ...
multistage
intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). The Wing continued to fulfill its nuclear deterrence role until 1966.
Between 1962 and 1965, the 9th Bomb Wing operated several EB-47E Stratojets, a classified program which were electronics countermeasure conversions of the standard B-47E. These was equipped with what was known as the Phase IV (or Blue Cradle) ECM package, consisting of 16 AN/ALT-6B electronic jammers mounted on a cradle inside the bomb bay. Some of the EB-47ss carried a pressurized capsule inside the bomb bay that carried two electronics warfare officers that operated a suite of up to 13 different jammers that could focus on specific threats.
On 8 November 1965, SAC and
Tactical Air Command completed a transfer agreement assigning Mountain Home to TAC effective 1 January 1966. The 9th Air Refueling Squadron, inactivated on 15 December 1965. On 1 January 1966 the 9th Strategic Aerospace Wing became a tenant unit and was declared non-operational It began final phase‑out at Mountain Home AFB. The last B-47E departed on 10 February and the personnel followed soon after.
Beale Air Force Base
![Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird (modified)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4a/Lockheed_SR-71_Blackbird_%28modified%29.jpg)
In July 1964, President
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson (; August 27, 1908January 22, 1973), often referred to by his initials LBJ, was an American politician who served as the 36th president of the United States from 1963 to 1969. He had previously served as the 37th vice ...
announced the development of the
Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird strategic reconnaissance aircraft. This new and advanced aircraft would give SAC a reconnaissance capability that far exceeded any then available in terms of speed, altitude, and increased area coverage. In December 1964, the Department of Defense announced that the 4200th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing would activate at
Beale Air Force Base
Beale Air Force Base (AFB) is a United States Air Force base located approximately east of Marysville, California. It is located outside Linda, about east of the towns of Marysville and Yuba City, and about north of Sacramento.
The host ...
, California on 1 January 1965 as the parent unit of the SR‑71. To prepare Beale AFB for its new mission, contractors lengthened the runway, remodeled the former
Air Defense Command Semi-Automatic Ground Environment
The Semi-Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE) was a system of large computers and associated networking equipment that coordinated data from many radar sites and processed it to produce a single unified image of the airspace over a wide area. S ...
building, and constructed several new facilities, including 337 additional housing units. The wing was assigned to the
14th Strategic Aerospace Division and consisted of the 4201st Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron, three maintenance squadrons and the 4203d Reconnaissance Technical Squadron.
[Mueller, p. 27]
In January 1966, the first SR-71 touched down on the Beale runway. The first
T-38 Talon
The Northrop T-38 Talon is a two-seat, twinjet supersonic jet trainer. It was the world's first, and the most produced, supersonic trainer. The T-38 remains in service in several air forces.
The United States Air Force (USAF) operates the most ...
, a
Northrop-built aircraft to be used as a trainer and chase plane for the SR-71, had arrived six months earlier. In October 1965,
Fifteenth Air Force suggested the 9th Bombardment Wing be redesignated as the 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing to continue the history of the 9th. The Air Force accepted the suggestion and on 25 June 1966, the 4200th wing and its components were discontinued and the 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing transferred to Beale to take its place. The Air Force also activated the 9th Reconnaissance Technical Squadron to replace the 4203d Reconnaissance Technical Squadron. Both the 1st and 99th squadrons moved with the 9th, while the 5th inactivated.
For the remainder of 1966, the 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing developed the organization and infrastructure necessary for SR-71 operations. The wing included a Director of Intelligence and a Director of Tests, who monitored the exhaustive testing program in the primary stages. The wing also needed its own supply squadron to handle the specialized supplies and equipment this unique aircraft would need. When the 9th SRW passed the Maintenance Standardization and Evaluation Team (MSET) inspection in March 1967, with the highest rating ever given a SAC wing, wing leaders knew their unit was ready.
Vietnam War
The SR-71 quickly became an important information source for U.S. commanders engaged in 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 ...
. Until the end of the war in 1975, the 9th SRW gathered photographic and electronic intelligence data on the Southeast Asian nations involved in the conflict. Despite the SR-71's speed and operating altitude, crews risked their lives daily to obtain the latest and best reconnaissance data. Rescuers used SR-71 photos of
North Vietnam
North Vietnam, officially the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRV; vi, Việt Nam Dân chủ Cộng hòa), was a socialist state supported by the Soviet Union (USSR) and the People's Republic of China (PRC) in Southeast Asia that existed f ...
to plan the 1970 raid on the
Son Tay prisoner-of-war camp to free American
Prisoners of war.
Post-Vietnam era
![9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing - Emblem](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/db/9th_Strategic_Reconnaissance_Wing_-_Emblem.png)
Following the end of American involvement in Vietnam, the 9th SRW turned to more peaceful accomplishments. The most spectacular of these were the SR-71 speed runs from
New York to
London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
and from London to
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...
. On 1 September 1974, Major James Sullivan and his RSO, Major Noel Widdefield, flew their SR-71 from New York to London in one hour, 55 minutes, 42 seconds, an average speed of . A
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) an ...
F‑4M Phantom II had set the old record of four hours, 46 minutes in 1969. A few days later, on 13 September, Captain Harold "Buck" Adams, with Major William Machorek as RSO, established another record, flying the from London to Los Angeles in three hours, 48 minutes.
The wing's assault on speed records continued in 1976. On 27 July, Major Adolphus Bledsoe, pilot, and Major John Fuller, RSO, flew the SR-71 over the 1,000-kilometer closed-course at , beating the Soviet
MiG-25
The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25 (russian: Микоян и Гуревич МиГ-25; NATO reporting name: Foxbat) is a supersonic interceptor and reconnaissance aircraft that is among the fastest military aircraft to enter service. Designed by th ...
"Foxbat's" record of by more than . The next day, Captain Eldon Joersz, with Major George T. Morgan as RSO, broke the YF-12A's record of 2,070 for the 15–25 kilometer straight course by flying . Also, on 28 July, Captain Robert Helt and his RSO, Major Larry Elliot, broke the YF‑12A's altitude record for horizontal flight flying at a sustained altitude of .
On 1 July 1976, the
99th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron
The 99th Reconnaissance Squadron is a squadron of the United States Air Force. It is assigned to the 9th Operations Group, Air Combat Command, stationed at Beale Air Force Base, California. The squadron is equipped with the Lockheed U-2 Dragon ...
rejoined the 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing as part of a realignment of SAC strategic reconnaissance units. The Lockheed
U-2R-equipped
100th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing
The 100th Air Refueling Wing (100th ARW), nicknamed ''the Bloody Hundredth'', is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Third Air Force, United States Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa. It is stationed at RAF Mildenhall, Suff ...
at
Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona, one of the oldest SAC strategic reconnaissance wing, The 99th SRS was reactivated at U-Tapao RTAFB in Thailand OL-UA in November 1972 and there till 1976 under the 100th SRW, rejoined the 9th Strategic Reconnaissance wing again after they had inactivated at Beale AFB on 1 April 1971.( AF fact sheet) Also the 100th SRW became the 100th Air Refueling Wing. The 349th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron whose pilots flew the U-2 and 350th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron that flew C-130s(releasing) and CH-53(recovering) the flying AQM-34 Firebee drones in SEA became Air refueling Squadrons were activated under the 100th Air Refueling Wing. The consolidation smoothed the reconnaissance tasking and response process. The consolidation of the 9th and 100th Strategic Reconnaissance Wings provided SAC with the following composite organization:
* 1st Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron (SR-71 Blackbird)
* 99th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron (Lockheed U-2R)
* 349th Air Refueling Squadron (KC-135 Stratotanker)
* 350th Air Refueling Squadron (KC-135 Stratotanker)
![Lockheed U-2 TR-1B](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bf/Lockheed_U-2_TR-1B.jpg)
The U-2R, an improved version of the 1955 vintage U-2A, could spend more time "on-station" and cover longer distances without refueling than the SR-71. It was also less expensive to operate. The 9th SRW continued to evolve as the Air Force's first
TR‑1 U-2 variant arrived at Beale AFB on 1 August 1981 and the first production model was assigned six weeks later. Later, the Air Force would drop the TR-1 designation and this aircraft series would also be called U-2s.
With the new aircraft's arrival, the Air Force activated the 4029th Strategic Reconnaissance Training Squadron on 1 August 1981 to train all TR-1 and U-2 pilots. The TR-1s were transferred to the newly activated
17th Reconnaissance Wing
17 (seventeen) is the natural number following 16 and preceding 18. It is a prime number.
Seventeen is the sum of the first four prime numbers.
In mathematics
17 is the seventh prime number, which makes seventeen the fourth super-prime, as s ...
in October 1982. A descendant of the U-2, the Lockheed-built TR-1 would gather tactical reconnaissance data at
RAF Alconbury
Royal Air Force Alconbury or more simply RAF Alconbury is an active Royal Air Force station near Huntingdon, England. The airfield is in the civil parish of The Stukeleys, close to the villages of Great Stukeley, Little Stukeley, and Alconbur ...
, United Kingdom for
USAFE.
In 1986 the Air Force changed the 4029th SRTS designation to the 5th Strategic Reconnaissance Training Squadron, renewing the 5th Squadron's longtime association with the 9th Wing. In February 1986 a devastating flood swept through the neighboring towns of Linda and Olivehurst. The wing welcomed 4,502 people forced from their homes by the flood. The base set up several centers to shelter and feed the evacuees until the water level dropped and they could return to their homes.
As the importance of intelligence collection increased in the 1980s, the wing operated detachments (permanent units) and operating locations (temporary sites) around the world. The British government publicly announced, on 5 April 1982, the stationing of the SR-71 at Detachment 4,
RAF Mildenhall
Royal Air Force Mildenhall or RAF Mildenhall is a Royal Air Force (RAF) station located near Mildenhall in Suffolk, England. Despite its status as a Royal Air Force station, it primarily supports United States Air Force (USAF) operations, ...
, United Kingdom. The wing also established the U-2 at Operating Location OLYMPIC FLAME (OL-OF), in Turkey. becoming Det. 5.
As world events dictate the need for accurate and timely reconnaissance data, the 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing has operated OL's and detachments around the globe, including
South Korea
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korean Peninsula and sharing a land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed by the Yellow Sea, while its eas ...
,
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 Co ...
,
Okinawa
is a prefecture of Japan. Okinawa Prefecture is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan, has a population of 1,457,162 (as of 2 February 2020) and a geographic area of 2,281 km2 (880 sq mi).
Naha is the capital and largest city ...
,
Cyprus
Cyprus ; tr, Kıbrıs (), officially the Republic of Cyprus,, , lit: Republic of Cyprus is an island country located south of the Anatolian Peninsula in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Its continental position is disputed; while it is ge ...
, and
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 ...
. An Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (7th oak leaf cluster) for 1 July 1981 to 30 June 1982 confirmed the excellence with which the 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing performed its expanded mission.
In July 1989 the wing flew several missions over
Ethiopia
Ethiopia, , om, Itiyoophiyaa, so, Itoobiya, ti, ኢትዮጵያ, Ítiyop'iya, aa, Itiyoppiya officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country in the Horn of Africa. It shares borders with Eritrea to the ...
, searching for an airplane carrying Congressman
Mickey Leland
George Thomas "Mickey" Leland III (November 27, 1944 – August 7, 1989) was an anti-poverty activist who later became a congressman from the Texas 18th District and chair of the Congressional Black Caucus. He was a Democrat.
Early years
Leland ...
. Later, in October 1989, at the request of the
Federal Emergency Management Agency
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS), initially created under President Jimmy Carter by Presidential Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1978 and implemented by two Ex ...
, the wing flew U-2 photo missions over the
San Francisco
San Francisco (; Spanish for " Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the fourth most populous in California and 17th ...
and
Oakland areas after the strong
Loma Prieta earthquake.
A unique chapter of the 9th's history ended on 1 January 1990 when the SR-71 retired. High maintainability and operating costs and the availability of similar intelligence from other sources convinced Air Force officials the aircraft was no longer vital to the national defense. But the Blackbird went out with gusto. On 28 March 1990 Major Don Watkins and his RSO, Major Bob Fowlkes, flew the last SR-71 flight from
Beale AFB
Beale Air Force Base (AFB) is a United States Air Force base located approximately east of Marysville, California. It is located outside Linda, about east of the towns of Marysville and Yuba City, and about north of Sacramento.
The ho ...
to the
United States Air Force Museum at
Wright Patterson AFB, Ohio. Later 3 SR-71 were reactivated in the mid 90s as Det. 2 at Edwards AFB, Ca. under the 9th Operation Group (OG) and canceled again in 1999.
In the last month of operations from Beale AFB, the SR-71 set the following speed records:
* West Coast to East Coast of USA
: (National Record-Speed Over a Recognized Course): Coast to Coast Distance: 2,404.05 statute miles, Time: 1 hr 07 min 53.69 secs, Average Speed: 2,124.51 mph
*
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...
To
Washington D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, Na ...
: (World Record): Distance: 2,299.67 statute miles, Time: 1 hr 04 min 19.89 secs, Average Speed:
*
St Louis
St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...
To
Cincinnati
Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line wit ...
: (World Record): Distance: 311.44 statute miles, Time: 8 mins 31.97 secs, Average Speed:
*
Kansas City To
Washington D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, Na ...
: (World Record): Distance: 942.08 statute miles, Time: 25 mins 58.53 secs, Average Speed:
The above records were confirmed on 15 March 1990 after the initial release on 6 March 1990, in the same corresponding order of 212.62 mph, 2153.24 mph, 2205.48 mph and 2242.48 mph
Gulf War
The wing's most notable intelligence operation took place from August 1990 to March 1991 in
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
Desert Storm
The Gulf War was a 1990–1991 armed campaign waged by a 35-country military coalition in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Spearheaded by the United States, the coalition's efforts against Iraq were carried out in two key phases: ...
. In the largest U-2 deployment ever, the wing flew more than 800 missions over the
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf ( fa, خلیج فارس, translit=xalij-e fârs, lit=Gulf of Fars, ), sometimes called the ( ar, اَلْخَلِيْجُ ٱلْعَرَبِيُّ, Al-Khalīj al-ˁArabī), is a mediterranean sea in Western Asia. The bod ...
region. U‑2s tracked Iraqi troop and armor buildups, assessed bomb damage, and monitored a massive oil spill in the Persian Gulf. U-2 pilots even alerted the anti-missile network of inbound
Scud missiles. When the ground war ended and most troops returned home, 9th Wing personnel and the U-2s remained in the region to help the United Nations verify Iraqi compliance with the terms of the cease‑fire agreement.
The wing's KC-135Q tankers also contributed during the 1991 Gulf War. Carrying U-2 support people and equipment, the tankers allowed the wing to deploy immediately and begin flying reconnaissance missions over the region. During this initial deployment, the tankers escorted
F-117A stealth fighters to the war zone, then served as the F-117's primary refuelers during the war.
Post Cold War
When the Air Force inactivated Strategic Air Command on 1 June 1992 the 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing was redesignated 9th Wing. This action also activated the
9th Operations Group, the linear descendant of the 9th Bombardment Group of the Second World War, the 9th Support Group, the 9th Logistics Group, and the 9th Medical Group. These new groups would streamline and consolidate wing operations. Part of the changes meant that the 1883d Communications Squadron, part of
Air Force Communications Command, was effectively replaced by a new 9th Communications Squadron, part of the 9th Support Group and activated on 1 September 1991. The reorganization also strengthened the wing's chain of command by replacing deputy commanders with group commanders.
Further Air Force reorganization moved the KC‑135 tankers from
Air Combat Command to
Air Mobility Command in 1994, therefore, on 1 October 1994, the wing's designation changed again to the 9th Reconnaissance Wing to reflect a more specialized mission.
Another step in the wing's restructuring, the 9th and 609th Organizational Maintenance Squadrons inactivated and the flightline maintenance people moved to the flying squadrons. Several former OMS elements (tanker phase, U-2 periodic inspections, aero repair, and the wheel and tire shop) transferred to the 9th Field Maintenance Squadron, which was re-designated the 9th Maintenance Squadron.
In 1994 Congress allocated $100 million to reactivate three SR-71s. The Senate Appropriations Committee acknowledged that SR-71 had a unique operational capability that no other system could match. Committee members believed the reasons for the aircraft's 1990 retirement were no longer valid. The Wing activated Detachment 2 at
Edwards AFB
Edwards Air Force Base (AFB) is a United States Air Force installation in California. Most of the base sits in Kern County, but its eastern end is in San Bernardino County and a southern arm is in Los Angeles County. The hub of the base is E ...
, California to support SR-71 operations. The Air Force accepted the first renovated Blackbird on 28 June 1995. The SR-71 was again operational with a mission-ready crew on 29 August 1995.
In the early 1990s the wing's personnel and aircraft provided reconnaissance coverage during the
Croatian War of Independence and the
Bosnia-Hercegovina. Later, wing U-2s verified compliance with the
Dayton Peace Accords
The General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina, also known as the Dayton Agreement or the Dayton Accords ( Croatian: ''Daytonski sporazum'', Serbian and Bosnian: ''Dejtonski mirovni sporazum'' / Дејтонски миро ...
that ended the immediate crisis. Then, when Serbia began the "ethnic cleansing" of Albanians in
Kosovo
Kosovo ( sq, Kosova or ; sr-Cyrl, Косово ), officially the Republic of Kosovo ( sq, Republika e Kosovës, links=no; sr, Република Косово, Republika Kosovo, links=no), is a partially recognised state in Southeast Euro ...
, NATO responded with the bombing campaign
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 ...
. During Operation Allied Force, 9th Reconnaissance Wing U-2s provided over 80% of the targeting intelligence for
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 ...
forces. NATO leadership credited the U-2 with the destruction of 39 surface-to-air missile sites and 28
Serbian Armed Forces
The Serbian Armed Forces ( sr, Војска Србије, Vojska Srbije) is the military of Serbia.
The President of Serbia acts as commander-in-chief of the armed forces, while administration and defence policy is carried out by the Government ...
aircraft.
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 ...
exercised his line-item veto power at the time, however, and eliminated the Congressionally approved $39 million allocated to the SR-71 program in the fiscal year (FY) 1998 budget. Detachment 2 immediately ceased operations. The
United States Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all U.S. federal court cases, and over state court cases that involve a point o ...
later declared presidential line-item veto authority unconstitutional. The future of the SR-71 program remained uncertain. Congress did not include funding for the program in its FY 1999 budget. On 7 April 1998,
Air Combat Command received a message from the Office of the
Secretary of the Air Force
A secretary, administrative professional, administrative assistant, executive assistant, administrative officer, administrative support specialist, clerk, military assistant, management assistant, office secretary, or personal assistant is a wh ...
ordering cessation of SR-71 operations and disposal of all related assets. The last member of Detachment 2 left Edwards AFB, CA on 10 January 1999. Upon transfer of the two remaining airframes to
Air Force Materiel Command, Air Combat Command declared the SR-71 retirement complete as of 15 July 1999. Air Combat Command inactivated Detachment 2, 9th Operations Group, Edwards AFB, CA on 1 August 1999.
2010s
The 9 RW is responsible for providing national and theater command authorities with timely, reliable, high-quality, high-altitude reconnaissance products. To accomplish this mission, the wing is equipped with the nation's fleet of U-2 and RQ-4 reconnaissance aircraft and associated support equipment. The wing also maintains a high state of readiness in its expeditionary combat support forces for potential deployment in response to theater contingencies.
The wing is composed of more than 6,500 personnel in four groups at Beale and multiple overseas operating locations.
The 9th Reconnaissance Wing is the "single-point manager" for the
RQ-4 Global Hawk
The Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk is a high-altitude, remotely-piloted surveillance aircraft of the 1990s–2020s. It was initially designed by Ryan Aeronautical (now part of Northrop Grumman), and known as Tier II+ during development. The ...
high-altitude reconnaissance fleet.
On 11 October 2019, the wing was reassigned from the
Twenty-Fifth Air Force
Twenty-Fifth Air Force (25 AF), also known as Air Force Intelligence, was a numbered air force (NAF) within the United States Air Force (USAF), and served as the Air Force's premier military intelligence organization. 25 AF was established on ...
to the newly re-activated
Sixteenth Air Force
The Sixteenth Air Force (Air Forces Cyber) (16 AF) is a United States Air Force (USAF) organization responsible for information warfare, which encompasses intelligence gathering and analysis, surveillance, reconnaissance, cyber warfare and ele ...
, also known as Air Forces Cyber. The Sixteenth Air Force specialises in global intelligence,
surveillance and
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 ...
, cyber,
electronic warfare
Electronic warfare (EW) is any action involving the use of the electromagnetic spectrum (EM spectrum) or directed energy to control the spectrum, attack an enemy, or impede enemy assaults. The purpose of electronic warfare is to deny the opponen ...
and information operations.
Component units
Unless otherwise indicated, units are based at
Beale AFB
Beale Air Force Base (AFB) is a United States Air Force base located approximately east of Marysville, California. It is located outside Linda, about east of the towns of Marysville and Yuba City, and about north of Sacramento.
The ho ...
, California.
9th Wing Staff
* 9th Comptroller Squadron
9th Operations Group
*
1st Reconnaissance Squadron
The 1st Reconnaissance Squadron is a United States Air Force squadron, assigned to the 9th Operations Group, Beale Air Force Base, California.
The 1st Reconnaissance Squadron is the United States military's oldest flying unit, first establish ...
–
U-2S Dragon Lady,
RQ-4 Global Hawk
The Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk is a high-altitude, remotely-piloted surveillance aircraft of the 1990s–2020s. It was initially designed by Ryan Aeronautical (now part of Northrop Grumman), and known as Tier II+ during development. The ...
and
T-38A Talon
*
5th Reconnaissance Squadron
The 5th Reconnaissance Squadron is part of the 9th Reconnaissance Wing, assigned to Beale Air Force Base, California. It is stationed at Osan Air Base, South Korea as a Geographically Separated Unit (GSU). The squadron is the fifth oldest ...
– U-2S Dragon Lady (
Osan AB
Hanja:)
, partof =
, location =
, nearest_town = Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province
, country = South Korea
, image = Osan Air Base 51 FW F-16 A-10 Flyby.jpg
, alt = US Air Force F-16C Fighting Falcon and A-1 ...
, South Korea)
* 9th Operations Support Squadron
*
99th Reconnaissance Squadron – U-2S Dragon Lady
*
427th Reconnaissance Squadron
The 427th Reconnaissance Squadron is an active United States Air Force (USAF) unit assigned to Beale Air Force Base, California.
The squadron's roots go back to World War I, when it was organized as the 38th Aero Squadron, a training unit that ...
–
RQ-180
* Detachment 1 – U-2S Dragon Lady (
RAF Akrotiri
RAF Akrotiri ( el, Βασιλική Πολεμική Αεροπορία Ακρωτηρίου) is a large Royal Air Force base on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus. It is located in the Western Sovereign Base Area, one of two areas which compr ...
,
Cyprus
Cyprus ; tr, Kıbrıs (), officially the Republic of Cyprus,, , lit: Republic of Cyprus is an island country located south of the Anatolian Peninsula in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Its continental position is disputed; while it is ge ...
)
* Detachment 2 – U-2S Dragon Lady (Osan AB, S.Korea)
* Detachment 3 – U-2S Dragon Lady
* Detachment 4 – U-2S Dragon Lady (
Andersen AFB, Guam)
9th Maintenance Group
* 9th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron
* 9th Maintenance Squadron
* 9th Munitions Squadron
9th Mission Support Group
* 9th Civil Engineer Squadron
* 9th Communications Squadron
* 9th Contracting Squadron
* 9th Force Support Squadron
* 9th Logistics Readiness Squadron
* 9th Security Forces Squadron
9th Medical Group
* 9th Health Care Operations Squadron
* 9th Medical Support Squadron
* 9th Operational Medical Readiness Squadron
* 9th Physiological Support Squadron
Lineage
* Established as the 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing on 25 April 1949
: Activated on 1 May 1949
: Redesignated 9th Bombardment Wing, Heavy on 1 April 1950
: Redesignated 9th Bombardment Wing, Medium on 2 October 1950
: Redesignated 9th Strategic Aerospace Wing on 1 April 1962
: Redesignated 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing on 25 June 1966
: Redesignated 9th Wing on 1 September 1991
: Redesignated 9th Reconnaissance Wing on 1 October 1993
Assignments
*
311th Air Division
The 311th Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Strategic Air Command at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, where it was inactivated on 1 November 1949. The division was first activated ...
, 1 May 1949
*
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 November 1949
*
Fifteenth Air Force, 1 April 1950
*
14th Air Division
The 14th Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Fifteenth Air Force, stationed at Beale Air Force Base, California. It was inactivated on 14 June 1989.
History
World War II
The organization was in ...
, 10 February 1951
* Fifteenth Air Force, 1 May 1953
: Attached to
7th Air Division
The 7th Air Division (7 AD) served the United States Air Force with distinction from early 1944 through early 1992, earning an outstanding unit decoration and a service streamer along the way.
History
Hawaii
As the 7th Fighter Wing, the divis ...
, 23 May – 11 July 1955
: Attached to
3d Air Division
The 3rd Air Division (3d AD) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Strategic Air Command, assigned to Fifteenth Air Force, being stationed at Hickam AFB, Hawaii. It was inactivated on 1 April 1992 ...
, 3–22 October 1955 and 1 October 1957 – c. 10 January 1958
*
813th Air Division (later 813th Strategic Aerospace Division), 15 July 1959
* 14th Strategic Aerospace Division (later 14th Air Division), 25 June 1966
* Second Air Force, 1 September 1991
*
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 October 2009
[
* ]Twenty-Fifth Air Force
Twenty-Fifth Air Force (25 AF), also known as Air Force Intelligence, was a numbered air force (NAF) within the United States Air Force (USAF), and served as the Air Force's premier military intelligence organization. 25 AF was established on ...
, 1 October 2014
*Sixteenth Air Force
The Sixteenth Air Force (Air Forces Cyber) (16 AF) is a United States Air Force (USAF) organization responsible for information warfare, which encompasses intelligence gathering and analysis, surveillance, reconnaissance, cyber warfare and ele ...
, 11 October 2019 – present
Components
Wings
* 5th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing: attached 12 November 1949 – 10 February 1951
Groups
* 5th Strategic Reconnaissance Group: attached 9 November 1949 – 10 February 1951
* 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Group (later 9th Bombardment Group, 9th Operations Group): 1 May 1949 – 16 June 1952; 1 September 1991 – present
* 69th Reconnaissance Group
The 69th Reconnaissance Group is an inactive United States Air Force that was part of Air Combat Command, the group was stationed at Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota where it was a tenant of the 319th Air Base Wing.
The group served i ...
: 19 September 2011 – 28 June 2019
Squadrons
* 1st Bombardment (later, 1st Strategic Reconnaissance) Squadron: attached 10 February 1951 – 15 June 1952, assigned 16 June 1952 – 1 September 1991
* 5th Bombardment (later, 5th Strategic Reconnaissance Training) Squadron: attached 10 February 1951 – 15 June 1952, assigned 16 June 1952 – 25 June 1966; assigned 1 July 1986 – 30 June 1990
* 6th Reconnaissance Squadron, 1992-Undeteremined
* 9th Air Refueling Squadron
The 9th Air Refueling Squadron is an active United States Air Force unit, stationed at Travis Air Force Base, California, where it operates the McDonnell Douglas KC-10 Extender as part of the 60th Operations Group.
The squadron was first act ...
: 16 June 1952 – 15 December 1965 (detached 16 June 1952 – 30 April 1953)
* 38th Reconnaissance Squadron
The 38th Reconnaissance Squadron is a United States Air Force unit. It is a part of the 55th Wing at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska. It operates the Boeing RC-135 aircraft conducting reconnaissance missions.
Mission
The mission of the 38th ...
: attached 26 May-1 June 1949
* 95th Reconnaissance Squadron
The 95th Reconnaissance Squadron is a squadron of the United States Air Force. It is assigned to the 55th Operations Group, Air Combat Command, stationed at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska. The squadron is equipped with several variants of the B ...
: 30 June 1991 – 15 September 1993
* 97th Air Refueling Squadron
The 97th Air Refueling Squadron is an active unit of the United States Air Force, stationed at Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington. It was most recently activated on 1 October 2019 and assigned to the 92nd Operations Group, 92nd Air Refuelin ...
: 15 July 1961 – 1 July 1962 (detached)
* 99th Bombardment (later, 99th Strategic Reconnaissance) Squadron: attached 10 February 1951 – 15 June 1952, assigned 16 June 1952 – 1 April 1971; assigned 30 June 1976 – 1 September 1991
* 349th Air Refueling Squadron
The 349th Air Refueling Squadron is a unit of the US Air Force, part of the 22d Air Refueling Wing at McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas. It operates the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft conducting aerial refueling missions.
History World W ...
: 15 March 1983 – 1 September 1991
* 350th Air Refueling Squadron
The 350th Air Refueling Squadron is a United States Air Force military unit, unit assigned to the 22nd Air Refueling Wing at McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas. It operates Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft conducting aerial refueling missions.
...
: 15 March 1983 – 1 September 1991
* 569th Strategic Missile Squadron: 1 June 1961 – 25 June 1965
* 658th Bombardment Squadron: 1 October 1958 – 1 January 1962
* 4029th Strategic Reconnaissance Training Squadron: 1 August 1981 – 1 July 1986
* 4364th Support (later, 4364th Post Attack Command and Control) Squadron: 20 July 1962 – 25 March 1965[
Detachments
* 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing Detachment 1, ]Kadena AB
(IATA: DNA, ICAO: RODN) is a highly strategic United States Air Force base in the towns of Kadena and Chatan and the city of Okinawa, in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. It is often referred to as the "Keystone of the Pacific" because of its highl ...
, Okinawa, Japan (SR-71)
: Also designated as: Operating Location 8; Operating Location RK
: The SR-71's began arriving at Kadena (AKA "The Rock") in March 1968. The operation to transfer the SR-71's from Beale to Kadena was known as "Glowing Heat". On 15 March 1968, OL-8 was declared Operational Ready for SR-71 sorties. The first SR-71 arrived at Kadena on 9 March 1968 and the last aircraft departed on 21 January 1990.
* 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing Detachment 2, Osan AB
Hanja:)
, partof =
, location =
, nearest_town = Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province
, country = South Korea
, image = Osan Air Base 51 FW F-16 A-10 Flyby.jpg
, alt = US Air Force F-16C Fighting Falcon and A-1 ...
, South Korea (U-2)
: Assumed operations from 100th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing
The 100th Air Refueling Wing (100th ARW), nicknamed ''the Bloody Hundredth'', is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Third Air Force, United States Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa. It is stationed at RAF Mildenhall, Suff ...
, OL-A, September 1976
: In October 1994, Det 2 of the 9th RW became the 5th Reconnaissance Squadron
The 5th Reconnaissance Squadron is part of the 9th Reconnaissance Wing, assigned to Beale Air Force Base, California. It is stationed at Osan Air Base, South Korea as a Geographically Separated Unit (GSU). The squadron is the fifth oldest ...
(Still at Osan AB) classified reconnaissance mission and under the operational control of United States Pacific Command mainly supporting US forces in Korea.
: Detachment 2 was reactivated and operated SR-71 aircraft from Edwards AFB
Edwards Air Force Base (AFB) is a United States Air Force installation in California. Most of the base sits in Kern County, but its eastern end is in San Bernardino County and a southern arm is in Los Angeles County. The hub of the base is E ...
, California, 1995–1998
* 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing Detachment 3, RAF Akrotiri
RAF Akrotiri ( el, Βασιλική Πολεμική Αεροπορία Ακρωτηρίου) is a large Royal Air Force base on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus. It is located in the Western Sovereign Base Area, one of two areas which compr ...
, Cyprus (U-2)
: Initially Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA ), known informally as the Agency and historically as the Company, is a civilian foreign intelligence service of the federal government of the United States, officially tasked with gathering, processing, ...
Detachment "G" (August 1970) after Egypt/Israel Suez Canal fighting and cease fire. Later permanent monitoring of Middle East Ceasefire after 1973 Yom Kippur War
The Yom Kippur War, also known as the Ramadan War, the October War, the 1973 Arab–Israeli War, or the Fourth Arab–Israeli War, was an armed conflict fought from October 6 to 25, 1973 between Israel and a coalition of Arab states led by E ...
. Became 100th SRW OL "Olive Harvest" (1974). Turned over to 9th SRW September 1976, the U-2 operation at RAF Akrotiri continued to be called Operating Location OH until September 1980, then it became Detachment 3 of the 9th SRW, although the name OLIVE HARVEST continues. Two U-2's are stationed at RAF Akrotiri and they are still monitoring the ceasefire agreement between the Egypt and Israel although the present operations in Central Command requires further missions. U-2's also transit through RAF Akrotiri either on going into USAFCENT theater or returning to Beale AFB.
* 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing Detachment 4, RAF Mildenhall
Royal Air Force Mildenhall or RAF Mildenhall is a Royal Air Force (RAF) station located near Mildenhall in Suffolk, England. Despite its status as a Royal Air Force station, it primarily supports United States Air Force (USAF) operations, ...
, England (SR-71)
: SR-71 Reconnaissance Operations at Mildenhall were from April 1976 to 1990. Prior to Det 4 being established, UK permission was required for each sortie flown. The SR's stay was to be no longer than 20 days for each visit. On 5 April 1982 Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher (; 13 October 19258 April 2013) was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990 and Leader of the Conservative Party from 1975 to 1990. She was the first female British prime ...
announced that Det 4 would be a permanent SR-71 Detachment with two aircraft assigned. The United Kingdom remained in control of the more sensitive missions. The two aircraft Detachment ceased operations on 22 November 1989. The last aircraft departed the UK on 18 January 1990, the other SR-71 now at Duxford American Air Museum (#962).
* 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing Detachment 5, Patrick AFB
Patrick Space Force Base is a United States Space Force installation located between Satellite Beach and Cocoa Beach, in Brevard County, Florida, United States. It is named in honor of Major General Mason Patrick, USAAC. It is home to Space Lau ...
, Florida (U-2)
: Also designated as: Operating Location LF, primarily operated missions over Nicaragua
Nicaragua (; ), officially the Republic of Nicaragua (), is the largest country in Central America, bordered by Honduras to the north, the Caribbean to the east, Costa Rica to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Managua is the countr ...
, El Salvador, Haiti and other South America
South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the sout ...
n areas (OLYMPIC FIRE)
: Prior to September 1976, OLYMPIC FIRE missions were flown by 100th SRW over Cuba
Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...
, initially from McCoy AFB
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, and then from Patrick AFB
Patrick Space Force Base is a United States Space Force installation located between Satellite Beach and Cocoa Beach, in Brevard County, Florida, United States. It is named in honor of Major General Mason Patrick, USAAC. It is home to Space Lau ...
from Aug 1972 to May 1974
* 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing Detachment 6, USAF Plant 42, Palmdale, California (SR-71)
: Logistics and Depot-level overhaul (Norton AFB
Norton Air Force Base (1942–1994) was a United States Air Force facility east of downtown San Bernardino in San Bernardino County, California.
Overview
For the majority of its operational lifetime, Norton was a logistics depot and heavy-li ...
).
* 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing Operating Location UK, RAF Fairford
Royal Air Force Fairford or more simply RAF Fairford is a Royal Air Force (RAF) station in Gloucestershire, England which is currently a standby airfield and therefore not in everyday use. Its most prominent use in recent years has been as an ...
, England (U-2)
: Flew U-2 missions over Balkans
The Balkans ( ), also known as the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographical area in southeastern Europe with various geographical and historical definitions. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throughout the who ...
in support of 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 ...
operations in Bosnia during January to October 1995 following closure of RAF Alconbury. U-2 operations were then relocated to Istres France.
* 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing Operating Location FR, Istres AB
Istres (; Occitan: Istre) is a commune in southern France, some 60 km (38 mi) northwest of Marseille. It is in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, in the Bouches-du-Rhône department, of which it is a subprefecture.
Location
Ist ...
, France (U-2)
: Flew U-2 missions over Balkans
The Balkans ( ), also known as the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographical area in southeastern Europe with various geographical and historical definitions. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throughout the who ...
in support of 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 ...
operations in Bosnia and Kosovo
Kosovo ( sq, Kosova or ; sr-Cyrl, Косово ), officially the Republic of Kosovo ( sq, Republika e Kosovës, links=no; sr, Република Косово, Republika Kosovo, links=no), is a partially recognised state in Southeast Euro ...
during the late 1990s.
* 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing Operating Location OL-CH (Crested Harvest) (U-2)
: King Fahd International Airport; Taif Air Base
King Fahad Air Base (Arabic: قاعدة الملك فهد الجوية) (ICAO: OETF) (KFAB) is a Royal Saudi Air Force military base located in Taif, Saudi Arabia.
Overview
Operational Aircraft:
Eurofighter Typhoon -
72 ordered, of which all ...
, Saudi Arabia (1991 Gulf War)
Stations
* Fairfield-Suisun Air Force Base (later Travis Air Force Base
Travis Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base under the operational control of the Air Mobility Command (AMC), located three miles (5 km) east of the central business district of the city of Fairfield, in Solano County, California ...
), California, 1 May 1949
* Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, 1 May 1953
* Beale Air Force Base
Beale Air Force Base (AFB) is a United States Air Force base located approximately east of Marysville, California. It is located outside Linda, about east of the towns of Marysville and Yuba City, and about north of Sacramento.
The host ...
, California, 25 June 1966 – present[
: On 17 August 1990 two 9th SRW U-2's deployed to King Fahad and Taif from Beale. Also 2 U-2s from 9th SRW Det 2 at Osan AB. Also six TR-1s from 17th RW at RAF Alconbury.
: Flew "OLYMPIC FLARE" Missions which saw aircraft equipped with SYERS, ASARS , IRIS, H-CAM and SENIOR SPAN sensors. On 21 September 1990 OL-CH was designated 1704th Reconnaissance Squadron (Provisional). During the deployment (Aug 90 – Feb 91) U-2s flew 564 missions; 4,561.6 hours flown.
* 4404th Provisional Wing, later: ]363d Air Expeditionary Wing
The 363rd Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing (363 ISRW) is a United States Air Force unit. The group is assigned to the United States Air Force Sixteenth Air Force, stationed at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia.
The mission ...
rotational deployment of U-2s from Beale, 1991–2003 at Prince Sultan AB
Prince Sultan Air Base ( ar, قاعدة الأمير سلطان الجوية) (PSAB) is a military air base located in the closed-city of Al Kharj, Saudi Arabia.
History
There was formerly a large United States presence there during Operat ...
, Saudi Arabia. (Ongoing CENTAF monitoring mission over Iraq)
* 380th Air Expeditionary Wing
The 380th Air Expeditionary Wing (380 AEW) is a provisional unit of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command (ACC). It is attached to the United States Air Forces Central Command component of ACC and is stationed at Al Dhafra Air Base, Un ...
, Al Dhafra AB, United Arab Emirates, 99th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron
The 99th Reconnaissance Squadron is a squadron of the United States Air Force. It is assigned to the 9th Operations Group, Air Combat Command, stationed at Beale Air Force Base, California. The squadron is equipped with the Lockheed U-2 Dragon ...
rotational deployment of U-2s from Beale since early 2002 – present (USAFCENT missions)
Aircraft and missiles
* B/RB-17 Flying Fortress, 1949–1950
* 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 F ...
, 1949–1954
* RB-29 Superfortress (Reconnaissance), 1949–1951
* KB-29 Superfortress (Tanker), 1953
* RB-36 Peacemaker
The Convair B-36 "Peacemaker" is a strategic bomber that was built by Convair and operated by the United States Air Force (USAF) from 1949 to 1959. The B-36 is the largest mass-produced piston-engined aircraft ever built. It had the longest wi ...
, 1949–1950, 1951
* B-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. ...
, 1954–1966
* 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 ...
, 1954–1965
* EB-47 Stratojet, 1962–1965
* SR-71 Blackbird, 1966–1990, 1995–1997
* T-38 Talon
The Northrop T-38 Talon is a two-seat, twinjet supersonic jet trainer. It was the world's first, and the most produced, supersonic trainer. The T-38 remains in service in several air forces.
The United States Air Force (USAF) operates the most ...
, 1969–present
* Lockheed U-2
The Lockheed U-2, nicknamed "''Dragon Lady''", is an American single-jet engine, high altitude reconnaissance aircraft operated by the United States Air Force (USAF) and previously flown by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). It provides day ...
, 1976–present
* TR-1, 1981–1993
* 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 trans ...
, 1983–1993
* RQ-4 Global Hawk
The Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk is a high-altitude, remotely-piloted surveillance aircraft of the 1990s–2020s. It was initially designed by Ryan Aeronautical (now part of Northrop Grumman), and known as Tier II+ during development. The ...
, 2006–present
* MC-12 Liberty, 2012–2015
* HGM-25A Titan I
The Martin Marietta SM-68A/HGM-25A Titan I was the United States' first multistage intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), in use from 1959 until 1962. Though the SM-68A was operational for only three years, it spawned numerous follow-on mo ...
, 1962–1965
Emblem
The crest and motto were approved for the 9th Reconnaissance Wing on 1 July 1952 upon its inherited lineage of the 9th Bombardment Group. The shield, in black and green, represents the old colors of the Air Service parted by a wavy line representing the Rio Grande and the 1st Aero Squadron's operations in 1916. On the gold band are four black crosses representing four World War I offensives, Aisne-Marne, Champagne-Marne, Meuse-Argonne, and St. Mihiel, in which squadrons later assigned to the 9th Wing fought. The crest recalls the service in Mexico of the 1st Aero Squadron.
Awards/Decorations
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
The Air and Space Outstanding Unit Award (ASOUA) is one of the unit awards of the United States Air Force and United States Space Force. It was established in 1954 as the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award and was the first independent Air Force d ...
*1 September 1991 to 30 June 1993
*1 July 1994 to 30 June 1995
*1 June 1996 to 31 May 1998
*1 June 1998 to 31 May 2000
*1 June 2000 to 31 May 2002
*1 June 2011 to 31 May 2012[
]Air Force Meritorious Unit Award
The Air Force Meritorious Unit Award or MUA is a mid level unit award of the United States Air Force. Established in 2004, the award recognizes those units who demonstrate exceptionally meritorious conduct in direct support of combat operations. E ...
*1 June 2013 to 31 May 2014
See also
* List of B-47 units of the United States Air Force
* List of B-29 units of the United States Air Force
This is a list of Boeing 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
Del ...
References
Notes
Bibliography
*
Further reading
* Mixer, Ronald E., Genealogy of the STRATEGIC AIR COMMAND, Battermix Publishing Company, 1999
* Mixer, Ronald E., STRATEGIC AIR COMMAND, An Organizational History, Battermix Publishing Company, 2006.
*
*Morrison, Wilbur H., ''Point of No Return: The Story of the Twentieth Air Force'' (1979),
*
*
External links
Beale AFB/9 Reconnaissance Wing site
Air Force Historical Research Agency fact sheet
Official fact sheet
{{Strategic Air Command
0009
Military units and formations in California
Military units and formations established in 1949
1949 establishments in California