163d Reconnaissance Wing

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The 163d Reconnaissance Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force located at March Air Reserve Base, California. It is a component of the California Air National Guard, and is one of the first ANG units to fly the MQ-1 Predator. The Air Force and Air National Guard (ANG) yesterday formally stood up the first of several ANG units that will operate the MQ-1 Predator armed unmanned reconnaissance aircraft. During a ceremony Nov. 28 at March Air Reserve Base in southern California, the California ANG's 163d Air Refueling Wing officially became the 163d Reconnaissance Wing (RW), taking on the Predator mission in place of operating KC-135R Stratotanker aerial refueling aircraft which it had done since the 1990s. The wing's last KC-135R tanker left in April, and although the unit is not expected to receive the first of its 12 planned Predators until FY '09, it has had trained Predator operators since August flying active-duty units' MQ-1s that are supporting combat operations in Afghanistan and Iraq and has additional personnel in training, Major Keith Ward, chief of weapons and tactics for the 163 RW told Defense Daily yesterday. "The Air National Guard's increasing contribution in Predator operations embodies the National Guard's dedication to stay out front in the up-to-the-minute and rising missions of our time," said ANG Director Lt Gen Craig McKinley. "The [unmanned aerial vehicle] mission illustrates the shared relationship we will continue to foster with our states and our Air Force." Ward said the 163 RW is scheduled to have all 12 of its MQ-1s in FY '10. The wing will have one operational squadron, the 196th Reconnaissance Squadron, he said. Still to be determined is how the training portions of the wing will be organized and the details of command authorities and how the wing will be integrated into the Air Force's rotational Air and Space Expeditionary Force deployment packages, he said. March AFB is located about 60 miles east of Los Angeles. The wing will operate its MQ-1s out of March but use the restricted airspace near Edwards AFB, also in southern California, for training, Ward said. The 163 RW will fly its Predators under the service's "remote split operations" approach, he said. This means that the aircraft and a contingent of maintainers are deployed forward, along with some pilots to handle takeoffs and landings. However, the majority of the pilots remains stateside and operates the aircraft via satellite communications links. "The unique characteristics that the Guard and Reserve bring to the fight provide economies of scale in experience, stability and cost savings and, as such, significantly enhance the Air Force's ability to accomplish our mission. One team, one fight," said Lt. Gen. Raymond Johns, deputy chief of staff for Plans and Programs on the Air Staff. The Air Force also intends to establish ANG Predator units in Arizona, New York and Texas, in addition to the active-duty squadrons it operates out of bases in Nevada.