| 53d Electronic Warfare Group | |
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Emblem of the 53d Electronic Warfare Group |
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| Active | 1941–1944; 1951–1982; 1993—present |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | United States Air Force |
The 53d Electronic Warfare Group (53 EWG) is a component unit of the United States Air Force 53d Wing, stationed at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida.
The 53 EWG is a non-flying unit responsible for providing operational, technical and maintenance electronic warfare expertise for the CAF and for systems engineering, testing, evaluation, tactics development, employment, capability and technology assessment. This includes the wartime responsibility for emergency reprogramming and dissemination of EW system mission data software for CAF aircraft. The group manages the COMBAT SHIELD Electronic Warfare Assessment Program for CAF aircraft EW systems. COMBAT SHIELD provides operational units a system-specific capability assessment for their radar warning receivers, electronic attack pods, and integrated EW systems.
Established in 1941, the unit traces its lineage and heritage the 68th Strategic Reconnaissance Group; the 68th Air Refueling Group; the 68th Bombardment Wing, Heavy, and the 68th Electronic Combat Group
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Established as the 68th Observation Group in 1941 at Brownwood, Texas, on 1 September 1941. Its primary mission was observation aircraft training and antisubmarine patrols. The group moved to several different U.S. locations in preparation for overseas deployment in 1942.
Moved to the Mediterranean Theater of Operations (MTO), October–November 1942, and assigned to Twelfth Air Force. Shortly after the group began operations most of its squadrons were detached for separate duty in order to carry out diverse activities over a wide area. Operating from bases in North Africa until November 1943, the group, or elements of the group, engaged in patrolling the Mediterranean; strafing trucks, tanks, gun positions, and supply dumps to support ground troops in Tunisia; training fighter pilots and replacement crews; and flying photographic and visual reconnaissance missions in Tunisia, Sicily, and Italy to provide information needed to adjust artillery fire.
Moved to Italy and assigned to Fifteenth Air Force, in November 1943. Continued visual and photographic reconnaissance and began flying weather reconnaissance missions in Italy, France, Germany, Austria, Hungary, and the Balkans. Also engaged in electronic-countermeasure activities, investigating radar equipment captured from the enemy, flying ferret missions along the coasts of Italy and southern France, and accompanying bomber formations to detect approaching enemy fighters. Inactivated in 1944,
The unit trained in the Reserve as the 68th Reconnaissance Group at Hamilton Field, California between, 1947–1949, when it was inactivated as a result of budget reductions.
The 68th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing was established by Strategic Air Command on 4 October 1951, with an initial cadre of 16 people from 44th Bombardment Wing. The group was assigned as a subordinate unit to the new wing at Lake Charles AFB, Louisiana. Assigned to Second Air Force, the organization was a paper unit, with token personnel assigned on additional duty to keep it active and with its flying squadrons controlled by the wing.
It was not until May 1952 that the unit received RB-29 Superfortress aircraft. Its primary mission was gathering intelligence on the Soviet Union. It added a KC-97 refueling mission in November 1953.
Replaced the propeller-driven RB-29s with new B-47E Stratojet swept-wing medium bombers in October 1953, being redesignated as the 68th Bombardment Wing. The B-47 was capable of flying at high subsonic speeds and primarily designed for penetrating the airspace of the Soviet Union. Becoming operationally ready with the B-47 in May 1954, the wing conducted strategic bombardment training and air refueling to meet SAC's global commitments. Performed REFLEX deployments to Fairford RAF Station, England, 14 June – 7 August 1954 and at Brize Norton AB, England, 27 September 1957 – 8 January 1958. The B-47s were reaching the end of their operational lifetime in the late 1950s, and the wing's aircraft were sent to Davis-Monthan AFB in April 1963 with the closure of Chennault AFB.
With the closing of Chennault, the unit was reassigned without personnel or equipment to Seymour Johnson AFB, North Carolina on 15 April where it replaced the 4241st Strategic Wing. On 1 October 1958, Strategic Air Command established the 4241st SW at Seymour Johnson as part of SAC's plan to disburse its B-52 Stratofortress heavy bombers over a larger number of bases, thus making it more difficult for the Soviet Union to knock out the entire fleet with a surprise first strike. The wing consisted of the 73d Bombardment Squadron, consisting of 15 B-52Gs Half of the aircraft were maintained on fifteen minute alert, fully fueled, armed, and ready for combat. SAC Strategic Wings were considered a provisional unit by HQ, USAF and could not carry a permanent history or lineage.
In 1962, in order to retain the lineage of its MAJCOM 4-digit combat units and to perpetuate the lineage of many currently inactive bombardment units with illustrious World War II records, Headquarters SAC received authority from Headquarters USAF to discontinue its MAJCOM strategic wings that were equipped with combat aircraft and to activate AFCON units, most of which were inactive at the time which could carry a lineage and history.
As part of the reactivation, the 73d BS was redesignated the 51st Bombardment Squadron, one of the unit's historical bomb squadrons and component support units were also redesignated to the 68th numerical designation of the newly-established wing. As under the Tri-Deputate organization, all flying components were directly assigned to the wing, no operational group element was activated.
The wing continued to conduct strategic bombardment training and global refueling operations to meet SAC commitments. Wing aircraft, most aircrews and maintenance personnel, and other support personnel were loaned to other SAC units for combat operations in Southeast Asia, 27 May 1972 – 15 July 1973.
In 1982 the B-52G's of the wing were retired and the 68th became an Air Refueling Group. Elevated back to wing status in 1986, the 68 ARW participated in combat operations in Grenada (Operation Urgent Fury), October 1983, Libya (Operation Eldorado Canyon), April 1986, Panama (Operation Just Cause), December 1989. Deployed to Spain to provide airlift and air refueling during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm, August 1990 – March 1991.
The 68th Air Refueling Wing was inactivated on 22 April 1991, as part of the post Cold War drawdown of USAF strategic forces.
Activated on 15 April 1993 as an Electronic Combat Group. Provided operational and technical electronic combat expertise for US combat air forces, 1993–1998. Performed electronic warfare (EW) technology assessments; tested, developed, managed, and maintained EW systems hardware and software to meet Combat Air Force (CAF) mission requirements, since 1998.
68th Group, 1941–1952
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68th Wing, 1951–1982
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Consolidated Organization
68th Group, 1941–1952
68th Wing, 1951–1982
Consolidated organization
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68th Group
1941–1952: O-38, 1941–1942; O-46, 1941–1942; O-47, 1941–1942; O-49, 1941–1942; YO-50, 1941–1942; O-52, 1941–1942; O-57, 1941–1942; O-58, 1941–1942; O-59, 1941–1942; A-20, 1942–1943; DB-7, 1942; L-4, 1942; O-43, 1942; P-39, 1942–1943; P-40, 1942–1943; P-43, 1942; A-36, 1943; B-17, 1943–1944; P-38, 1943; P-38/F-4, 1943; P-51, 1943; P-51/F-6, 1943; Spitfire, 1943. A-6, 1947–1949; A-7, 1947–1949; A-11, 1947–1949.
68th Wing
1951–1982: B-29, 1952–1953; B-47, 1953–1963; KC-97, 1953–1957; B-52, 1963–1972, 1973–1982; KC-135, 1963–1972; 1973–1985.
Consolidated organization: KC-10, 1982–1991; KC-135, 1982–1991. None, 1993–1998
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.
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