350th Electronic Systems Wing
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The 350th Spectrum Warfare Wing is an active
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 ...
organization. It was activated in 2021 at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. 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 e ...
is responsible for delivering electromagnetic spectrum capabilities to 69 United States and foreign electromagnetic warfare systems. Additionally, the wing is responsible for electromagnetic warfare reprogramming, modeling and simulation and assessments. Previously, as the 350th Electronic Systems Wing it developed, acquired, fielded, and sustained systems for C2, ISR and communication capabilities for Air Force, joint and coalition operations. It serviced five major commands, three U.S. services, seven combatant commanders, three national agencies, NORAD and NATO. The 350th executed $14 billion in programs.


History

The 350th Spectrum Warfare Wing, formerly the Command and Control, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Systems Wing, traces its history back to the early establishment of information superiority in the United States Army Air Forces. The newly defined role of the aircraft for reconnaissance purposes resulted in the birth of multiple observation groups in the Army Air Forces.


World War II

The 26th Observation Group, the direct predecessor of the 350th, was activated 1 September 1941, and assigned to the First Air Force. The group, stationed at
Fort Devens Fort Devens is a United States Army Reserve military installation in the towns of Ayer and Shirley, in Middlesex County and Harvard in Worcester County in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. Due to extensive environmental contamination it was li ...
, Massachusetts, flew various types of missions, including photographic, reconnaissance, tow target, and coast artillery spotting. This was done in cooperation with units along the Eastern seaboard. The group was later redesignated the 26th Reconnaissance Group, and took part in the Carolina and Tennessee Maneuvers in the fall of 1941 and 1942 in support of
Army An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...
field training exercises. In both exercises, observation aircraft were used to detail strategic ground positioning and provide an opportunity to train senior commanders and staff in the operational elements of combat. With
Pearl Harbor Pearl Harbor is an American lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. It was often visited by the Naval fleet of the United States, before it was acquired from the Hawaiian Kingdom by the U.S. with the signing of the R ...
deeply entrenched in the minds of military leaders, it was clear there was a greater need for coastal surveillance and anti-submarine patrols. The 26th Reconnaissance Group, stationed out of
Reading Army Air Field Reading Regional Airport (also known as Carl A. Spaatz Field) is a public airport three miles (5 km) northwest of Reading, in Berks County, Pennsylvania. It is owned by the Reading Regional Airport Authority. Federal Aviation Administratio ...
, Pennsylvania, was given that responsibility for the northeastern North American sector of the Atlantic Ocean. Various aircraft, including the
Douglas O-46 The Douglas O-46 was an observation aircraft used by the United States Army Air Corps and the Philippine Army Air Corps.
and
Curtiss O-52 Owl The Curtiss O-52 Owl was an observation aircraft used by the United States Army Air Corps before and during World War II. Design and development Developed in 1939, the Curtiss O-52 was the last "heavy" observation aircraft developed for the US ...
, flew
antisubmarine An anti-submarine weapon (ASW) is any one of a number of devices that are intended to act against a submarine and its crew, to destroy (sink) the vessel or reduce its capability as a weapon of war. In its simplest sense, an anti-submarine weapo ...
patrols off the East Coast after the United States entered World War II. Other more notable aircraft that flew reconnaissance missions with modifications to their existing frames included the
Bell P-39 Airacobra The Bell P-39 Airacobra is a fighter produced by Bell Aircraft for the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. It was one of the principal American fighters in service when the United States entered combat. The P-39 was used by t ...
and
North American B-25 Mitchell The North American B-25 Mitchell is an American medium bomber that was introduced in 1941 and named in honor of Major General William "Billy" Mitchell, a pioneer of U.S. military aviation. Used by many Allied air forces, the B-25 served in ...
, which was designated as the F-10 after being modified for photographic reconnaissance work. The group was disbanded at the end of 1943


Air Force reserve

The 26th Reconnaissance Group was reestablished as a
reserve Reserve or reserves may refer to: Places * Reserve, Kansas, a US city * Reserve, Louisiana, a census-designated place in St. John the Baptist Parish * Reserve, Montana, a census-designated place in Sheridan County * Reserve, New Mexico, a US vi ...
organization in 1947 near Buffalo. New York and was inactivated on 27 June 1949, when
Continental Air Command Continental Air Command (ConAC) (1948–1968) was a Major Command of the United States Air Force (USAF) responsible primarily for administering the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve. During the Korean War, ConAC provided the necessary augm ...
implemented the wing base organization (
Hobson Plan The Hobson Plan was an organizational structure established by the United States Air Force (USAF) in 1948, following experimental organization in 1947. Known as the "Wing-Base Organization," it replaced the organization used by the United States A ...
) for its reserve organizations. It was redesignated the 350th Tactical Electronics Group in 1985, but remained in inactive status.


Systems development

The group was redesignated as the 350th Electronics Systems Wing, delivering and sustaining transformational capabilities for operational-level command, control, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance information dominance. The 350th Electronics Systems Group, formerly the Operational Command and Control Systems Group, acquired and sustained operational-level command and control assets including the
Air and Space Operations Center An Air Operations Center (AOC) is a type of command center used by the United States Air Force (USAF). It is the senior agency of the Air Force component commander to provide command and control of air operations.Theater Battle Management Core Systems The Theater Battle Management Core Systems (TBMCS) is a set of software systems used by all air wings of the United States military to plan and execute military missions utilizing airborne resources, maintain automated airspace deconfliction, and al ...
. The 850th Electronic Systems Group, formerly the Combatant Commanders Command and Control Systems Group, acquired, fielded and sustained global sensing, communication and decision-making capabilities, including missile warning and defense sensors, global command and control systems, space control sensors and battle management systems. The 950th Electronic Systems Group, formerly the Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group, developed, acquired, and integrated network-centric intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance information and decision-support systems to fuse data at multiple security levels for Air Force, joint and coalition warfighters. The 950th ELSG was recognized with the AF Outstanding Unit Award for the period of 1 April 2006 to 31 March 2008.


Lineage

; 350th Tactical Electronic Group * Constituted as the 26th Observation Group on 21 August 1941 : Activated on 1 September 1941 : Redesignated 26th Reconnaissance Group on 2 April 1943 : Redesignated 26th Tactical Reconnaissance Group on 11 August 1943. : Disbanded on 11 November 1943 * Reconstituted and redesignated 26th Reconnaissance Group : Activated in the reserve on 23 October 1947 : Inactivated on 27 June 1949 : Redesignated 350th Tactical Electronic Group on 31 July 1985 * Consolidated with the Command and Control, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing on 6 April 2006 as the Command and Control, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing ; 350th Spectrum Warfare Wing * Constituted as the Command and Control, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing on 23 November 2004 : Activated on 17 December 2004 * Consolidated with the 350th Tactical Electronic Group on 6 April 2006 : Redesignated 350th Electronic Systems Wing on 17 April 2006Lineage information through April 2006 in Robertson, Fact Sheet. : Inactivated on 30 June 2010 : Redesignated 350th Spectrum Warfare Wing : Activated 25 June 2021


Assignments

* First Air Force, 1 September 1941 *
Third Air Force The Third Air Force (Air Forces Europe) (3 AF) is a numbered air force of the United States Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa (USAFE-AFAFRICA). Its headquarters is Ramstein Air Base, Germany. It is responsible for all U.S. air forces in ...
, unknown – 11 November 1943 *
Electronic Systems Center The Electronic Systems Center was a product center of Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) headquartered at Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts. Its mission was to develop and acquire command and control, communications, computer, and intellige ...
, 17 December 2004 – 30 June 2010 *
United States Air Force Warfare Center The United States Air Force Warfare Center (USAFWC) at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, reports directly to Air Combat Command. The center was founded on September 1, 1966, as the U.S. Air Force Tactical Fighter Weapons Center. It was renamed ...
, 25 June 2021 *
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 ...
unknown – present


Components

; Groups * Operational Command and Control Systems Group (later 350th Electronic Systems Group), 17 December 2004 – 30 June 2010 * Combatant Commanders Command and Control Systems Group (later 850th Electronic Systems Group, 850th Spectrum Warfare), 17 December 2004 – 30 June 2010, c. 25 June 2021 - present * Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group (later 950th Electronic Systems Group), 17 December 2004 – 30 June 2010 * 350th Spectrum Warfare Group, c. 25 June 2021 - present * 850th Electronic Systems Group (later 850th Spectrum Warfare Group): see Combatant Commanders Command and Control Systems Group * 950th Electronic Systems Group: see Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group ; Squadrons * 4th Reconnaissance Squadron: 23 October 1947 – 27 June 1949 * 10th Reconnaissance Squadron: 6 November 1947– 27 June 1949 * 14th Observation Squadron: 29 March 1942 – 7 March 1943 * 72d Liaison Squadron: 11 April – 11 August 1943 * 91st Reconnaissance Squadron (later 91st Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron), 17 June – 11 August 1943, 23 August – 9 October 1943 * 101st Observation Squadron (later 101st Reconnaissance Squadron, 101st Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, 101st Photographic Mapping Squadron): 1 September 1941 – 9 October 1943 *
103d Observation Squadron The 103rd Attack Squadron (103 ATKS) is an active unit of the Pennsylvania Air National Guard previously known as the 103rd Fighter Squadron (103 FS). It is assigned to the 111th Attack Wing, stationed at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Wi ...
(later 103d Reconnaissance Squadron, 103d Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron): attached 23 December 1941, assigned 29 March 1942 – 21 October 1943 * 152d Observation Squadron (later 152d Reconnaissance Squadron): 1 September 1941 – 27 June 1943


Stations

* Ayer Army Air Field, Massachusetts, 1 September 1941 * Hillsgrove Army Air Field, Rhode Island, c. 12 September 1941 *
Naval Air Station Quonset Point A navy, naval force, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions. It includ ...
, Rhode Island, Jun 1942 * Hyannis Army Air Field, Massachusetts, July 1942 * Middletown Air Depot, Pennsylvania, Sep 1942 *
Reading Army Air Field Reading Regional Airport (also known as Carl A. Spaatz Field) is a public airport three miles (5 km) northwest of Reading, in Berks County, Pennsylvania. It is owned by the Reading Regional Airport Authority. Federal Aviation Administratio ...
, Pennsylvania, – 11 November 1943 * Bell Modification Center, New York, 23 October 1947 * Buffalo Airport, New York, C. 17 February 1948 – 27 June 1949 * Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts, 17 December 2004 – 30 June 2010 * Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, c. 25 June 2021 - present


Aircraft

* Douglas O-46, 1941–1943 *
North American O-47 The North American O-47 is an American observation fixed-wing aircraft monoplane designed in the mid-1930s and used by the United States Army Air Corps during the Second World War. It has a low-wing configuration, retractable landing gear, and a t ...
, 1941–1943 * Curtiss O-52 Owl, 1941–1943 *
Piper L-4 Grasshopper The Piper J-3 Cub is an American light aircraft that was built between 1938 and 1947 by Piper Aircraft. The aircraft has a simple, lightweight design which gives it good low-speed handling properties and short-field performance. The Cub is P ...
, 1941–1943 *
Douglas A-20 Havoc The Douglas A-20 Havoc (company designation DB-7) is an American medium bomber, attack aircraft, night intruder, night fighter, and reconnaissance aircraft of World War II. Designed to meet an Army Air Corps requirement for a bomber, it was o ...
, 1941–1943 * North American B-25 Mitchell, 1941–1943 * Bell P-39 Airacobra, 1941–1943


References


Notes

; Explanatory notes ; Citations


Bibliography

* *


External links


Hanscom AFB Website



U.S. Air Force Fact Sheet 350 ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS WING (AFMC)

Air Force activates first spectrum warfare wing
29 June 2021. * {{US Air Force navbox Wings of the United States Air Force Electronic warfare units and formations Military units and formations established in 2021