53d Wing
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| 53d Wing | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Active | 20 November 1940 — present |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | Air Force |
| Type | Operational Test and Evaluation |
| Size | 2100 |
| Part of | Air Combat Command |
| Garrison/HQ | Eglin Air Force Base |
| Decorations | Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Air Force Organizational Excellence Award |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander |
Colonel Steven DePalmer |
| Notable commanders |
Paul V. Hester Ronald Keys |
The 53d Wing (53 WG) is a wing of the United States Air Force based out of Eglin Air Force Base, Florida.
Contents |
[edit] Mission
The 53d Wing serves as the focal point for the Combat Air Forces in electronic warfare, armament and avionics, chemical defense, reconnaissance, and aircrew training devices. The wing reports to the United States Air Force Warfare Center at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, a Direct Reporting Unit to Headquarters Air Combat Command. The wing is also responsible for Operational Testing and Evaluation (OT&E) of new equipment and systems proposed for use by these forces. Current wing initiatives include advanced self-protection systems for combat aircraft, aircrew life support systems, aerial reconnaissance improvements, new armament and weapons delivery systems, and improved maintenance equipment and logistics support. The 53d Wing, which consists of four groups, numbers almost 2,000 military and civilians at 17 various locations throughout the United States.
[edit] History
The 53d trained fighter pilots from January – December 1941. After the United States entered World War II the group moved to the Canal Zone to fly patrols in defense of the Panama Canal. The group returned to Florida in November 1942, where it trained replacement fighter pilots until was deactivated on 1 May 1944.
Between August 1955 and April 1960 the 53d served as an air defense unit, participating in NORAD exercises and testing automated air defense systems.
The group was reactivated as the USAF Tactical Air Warfare Center in 1963 to improve use of USAF tactical aviation in support of ground forces by operationally testing weapon systems and tactics for the joint U.S. Strike Command. It employed a cross-section of tactical aircraft from Tactical Air Command bases across the country. During the Vietnam War it tested tactical weapons systems and tactics for use in Southeast Asia. After the war it continued operational testing of new tactical aviation weapon systems. In 1977 the center began an annual series of Air Force-wide exercises to improve command, control, communications, and intelligence (C3I) techniques. Around the same time it embarked on the electronic warfare evaluation program, and continued OT&E of aviation weapon systems for Tactical Air Command and later Air Combat Command, the Department of Defense, and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. From 1983 to present, responsible for the OT&E of all Air Force aircraft/weapons systems, and providing range control for live-firing missile programs on the Gulf range and aerial targets, using full scale and subscale drones.
[edit] Operations
[edit] Previous designations
- 53d Pursuit Group (1940 – 1942)
- 53d Fighter Group (1942 – 1944)
- 53d Fighter Group (Air Defense) (1955 – 1960)
- Tactical Air Warfare Center (1963 - 1995)
- 53d Wing (1995 – Present)
[edit] Assignments
[edit] Major Command
- Tactical Air Command (1963 – 1992)
- Air Combat Command (1992 – Present)
[edit] Numbered Air Force
- Sixth Air Force (1942 – 1944)
- United States Air Force Warfare Center (1995 – Present)
[edit] Subordinate Organizations
53d Electronic Warfare Group (53 EWG)
- 16th Electronic Warfare Squadron (16 EWS)
- 36th Electronic Warfare Squadron (36 EWS)
- 68th Electronic Warfare Squadron (68 EWS)
53d Test and Evaluation Group (53 TEG)
- 31st Test and Evaluation Squadron (31 TES)
- 49th Test and Evaluation Squadron (49 TES)
- 72d Test and Evaluation Squadron (72 TES)
- 85th Test and Evaluation Squadron (85 TES)
- 337th Test and Evaluation Squadron (337 TES)
- 422d Test and Evaluation Squadron (422 TES)
- 556th Test and Evaluation Squadron (556 TES)
53d Weapons Evaluation Group (53 WEG)
- 53d Test Support Squadron (53 TSS)
- 81st Range Control Squadron (81 RCS)
- 82d Aerial Targets Squadron (82 ATS)
- 83d Fighter Weapons Squadron (83 FWS) Combat Archer
- 86th Fighter Weapons Squadron (86 FWS) Combat Hammer
53d Test Management Group (53 TMG)
- 28th Test and Evaluation Squadron (28 TES)
- 29th Training Systems Squadron (29 TSS)
- 53d Computer Systems Squadron (53 CSS)
- 59th Test and Evaluation Squadron (59 TES)
- F-15 Operational Flight Program Combined Test Force (OFP CTF)
[edit] Bases stationed
- MacDill Field, Florida (1941)
- Tallahassee, Florida (1941)
- Howard Field, Canal Zone, Panama (1942)
- Mabry Field, Florida (1942 – 1943)
- Drew Field, Florida (1943)
- Fort Myers Army Air Field, Florida (1943 – 1944)
- Sioux City Municipal Airport, Iowa (1955 – 1960)
- Eglin Air Force Base, Florida (1963 – Present)
[edit] Aircraft Operated
- P-35 (1941)
- P-39 Airacobra (1942 – 1943)
- P-40 Warhawk (1941)
- P-47 Thunderbolt (1943 – 1944)
- P-51 Mustang (1943)
- F-86 Sabre (1955 – 1959)
- C-119 Flying Boxcar (1956, 1963 – 1973)
- C-45 Expeditor (1957)
- T-33 Shooting Star (1957, 1963 – 1973)
- A-4 Skyhawk (1963 – 1973)
- A-37 Dragonfly (1963 – 1973)
- B-57 Canberra (1963 – 1973)
- C-123 Provider (1963 – 1973)
- C-124 Globemaster II (1963 – 1973)
- H-3 Sea King (1963 – 1973)
- CH-21 Shawnee (1963 – 1973)
- F-100 Super Sabre (1963 – 1973)
- F-101 Voodoo (1963 – 1973)
- F-104 Starfighter (1963 – 1973)
- F-105 Thunderchief (1963 – 1973)
- O-1 Bird Dog (1963 – 1973)
- OV-10 Bronco (1963 – 1973)
- RB-66 Destroyer (1963 – 1973)
- UH-1 Iroquois (1963 – 1973)
- C-130 Hercules (1964 – 1974)
- F-111 Aardvark (1968 – 1978)
- RF-4 (1964 – 1994)
- F-5 Freedom Fighter (1965 – 1978)
- A-7 Corsair II (1972 – 1974)
- AC-130 Specter (1972 – 1978)
- F-15 Eagle (1976 – Present)
- F-16 Falcon (1978 – Present)
- A-10 Thunderbolt II (1978 – Present)
- E-3 Sentry (1980)
- E-9 (1996 – Present)
- F-117 Nighthawk (1996 – Present)
- HH-60 Pave Hawk (1996 – Present)
[edit] Unit Shields
[edit] External links
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
