The 4th Space Warning Squadron is an active

United States Air Force Reserve Command The Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) is a major command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force, with its headquarters at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. It is the federal Air Reserve Component (ARC) of the U.S. Air Force, consisting of commis ...

unit, formerly located at

Holloman Air Force Base Holloman Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base established in 1942 located six miles (10 km) southwest of the central business district of Alamogordo, and a census-designated place in Otero County, New Mexico, United States. Th ...

, New Mexico, and now located at

Buckley Space Force Base Buckley Space Force Base is a United States Space Force base in Aurora, Colorado named after United States Army Air Service First Lieutenant John Harold Buckley. The base is run by Space Base Delta 2, with major units including the U.S. Space Fo ...

. The unit was activated on August 3, 2019. It was previously activated in May 1992 as the 4th Space Communications Squadron, when it took over the mission and personnel of the 4th Satellite Communications Squadron, before being inactivated in March 1996. The

squadron Squadron may refer to: * Squadron (army), a military unit of cavalry, tanks, or equivalent subdivided into troops or tank companies * Squadron (aviation), a military unit that consists of three or four flights with a total of 12 to 24 aircraft, ...

's primary mission is to provide mobile

Defense Support Program The Defense Support Program (DSP) is a program of the United States Space Force that operated the reconnaissance satellites which form the principal component of the ''Satellite Early Warning System'' used by the United States. DSP satellite ...

support in case of hostilities.

Mission

The

provided worldwide missile warning, space launch and detection in the event of an attack against the United States.

History

The 4th Space Warning Squadron was activated on 15 May 1992, when it took over the mobile

(DSP) satellite mission which had been performed since 1983 at

, New Mexico by the 1025th Satellite Communications Squadron, MobileThe 1025th was designated by

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 activated on 1 October 1983 and was assigned directly to Space Command, then to the

1st Space Wing The 1st Space Wing was a wing of the United States Air Force active from 1983 to 1992 at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado as part of Air Force Space Command.

. It was inactivated on 1 August 1986, when its mission, personnel and equipment were transferred to the 4th Satellite Communications Squadron, Mobile. and the 4th Satellite Communications Squadron, Mobile.The 4th AACS Squadron, Mobile was activated at

Elmendorf Air Force Base 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 ...

on 16 February 1954, assigned to the 1804th AACS Group and inactivated on 18 December 1957. Mueller, p. 163 (dates at Elmendorf). It was disbanded on 15 June 1983, but reconstituted as the 4th Satellite Communications Squadron, Mobile and activated on 1 August 1986, when it took over the assets of the inactivating 1025th Satellite Communications Squadron, Mobile. It was inactivated on 15 May 1992, being replaced by the 4th Space Communications Squadron. Fifteen days later it was activated as the 4th Communications Squadron at

Seymour Johnson Air Force Base Seymour Johnson Air Force Base is a United States Air Force (USAF) base located in Goldsboro, North Carolina. The base is named for U.S. Navy Lt. Seymour A. Johnson, a test pilot from Goldsboro who died in an airplane crash near Norbeck, Maryland, ...

, North Carolina and is still active there. The squadron employed the Air Force's only strategic survivable, mobile ground system to receive early warning missile attack data. The 4th provided survivable and endurable missile warning detection to the National Command Authority and had the ability to survive and operate through all phases of trans/post attack. Unlike fixed units, the 4th was designed to be mobile, and could deploy to any location in the world. In addition, the DSP satellites provided immediate, worldwide missile warning, space launch, and nuclear detonation detection. The squadron mission was transferred to the

137th Space Warning Squadron 137th may refer to: *137th (Calgary) Battalion, CEF, unit in the Canadian Expeditionary Force during the First World War *137th Air Reconnaissance Regiment, air reconnaissance and guidance regiment, part of the SFR Yugoslav Air Force *137th Special ...

of the Colorado Air National Guard in

Greeley, Colorado Greeley is the List of municipalities in Colorado#Home rule municipality, home rule municipality city that is the county seat and the List of municipalities in Colorado, most populous municipality of Weld County, Colorado, Weld County, Colorado, ...

in fall 1997.

Lineage

* Constituted as the 4th Space Communications Squadron on 1 May 1992 : Activated on 15 May 1992 : Redesignated 4th Space Warning Squadron on 16 October 1992 : Inactivated c. 30 September 1997 : Activated on 3 August 2019

Assignments

* 310th Space Wing, 3 August 2019 - present * 21st Space Wing, 15 May 1992 – c. 30 September 1997

Stations

* Buckley Space Force Base, Colorado, 3 August 2019 - present * Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, 15 May 1992 – c. 30 September 1997

Commanders

*Lt Col Donald P. Knight (c. 1996)AFHRA FOIA Req 09-0061: 21st Space Wing Roster of Key Personnel (as of 31 Dec 1996)

Awards and campaigns

References

Notes

; Explanatory notes ; Citations

Bibliography

External links

49th Fighter Wing Public Affairs: Holloman AFB Homepage
{{USAF Space Command Space squadrons of the United States Air Force, Space Warning 0004 Military units and formations established in 1992 Military units and formations disestablished in 1997 Military units and formations established in 2019