| 182d Fighter Squadron | |
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Emblem of the 182d Fighter Squadron |
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| Active | 1946–Present |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | Texas Air National Guard |
| Role | Fighter |
| Part of | 149th Fighter Wing Air Education and Training Command |
| Garrison/HQ | Kelly Field Annex, Lackland AFB |
| Nickname | Lonestar Gunfighters |
| Engagements | World War II Korean War |
The 182nd Fighter Squadron flies the F-16C/D Fighting Falcon. It is a unit of the Texas Air National Guard. Its parent unit is the 149th Fighter Wing.
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The 182nd Fighter Squadron was originally activated in June 1943 as the 396th Fighter Squadron, and served in the European Theater during World War II.
The 396th was inactivated on 20 August 1946 and the next day redesignated the 182nd Fighter Squadron. On 6 October 1947, several World War II veterans petitioned for and won federal recognition for the squadron as an Air National Guard unit.
The 182nd began flying the F-51 "Mustang" in 1947 and accepted its first jet, the F-84E "Thunderjet" when the squadron was called to active duty during the Korean War. The squadron, as an element of the 136th Fighter-Bomber Group, was the first Air National Guard squadron to see combat during that war; the first Air National Guard unit to shoot down a MiG-15; and the first to successfully demonstrate the applicability of aerial refueling during combat.
The squadron's "Lonestar Gunfighters" converted in 1996 to the newer F-16 "C/D model", a multi-role fighter manufactured in Texas. The squadron's main role is in training active duty, Air National Guard, and Reserve F-16 pilots, making them combat ready upon graduation of a 9 month course. Almost all instructor pilots within the unit are former active duty F-16 pilots.
Although the Air Force was set to retire the F-16 C/D soon, its useful life has been extended through at least 2015, giving the 182nd FS a training mission into the future. It is unclear what mission the unit will transition to when this model of F-16 is eventually retired.
Although the squadron is not officially a combat squadron, its pilots have flown several Operation Noble Eagle missions in support of USNORTHCOM and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
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