53d Wing

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name=53d Wing


caption=
dates= 20 November 1940 — present
country=United States
allegiance=
branch=Air Force
type=Operational Test and Evaluation
role=
size=2100
command_structure=Air Combat Command
current_commander=Colonel [http://www.53wg.acc.af.mil/library/biographies/bio.asp?id=8899 Steven DePalmer]
garrison=Eglin Air Force Base
ceremonial_chief=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
nickname=
patron=
motto=
colors=
identification_symbol=
march=
mascot=
battles=
notable_commanders= Paul V. Hester
Ronald Keys
anniversaries=
decorations=
battle_honours=

The 53d Wing (53 WG) is a wing of the United States Air Force based out of Eglin Air Force Base, Florida.

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.

Units

* 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 ATRS): 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)

History

Lineage

* Established as 53 Pursuit Group (Interceptor) on 20 Nov 1940: Activated on 15 Jan 1941: Redesignated 53 Fighter Group on 15 May 1942: Disbanded on 1 May 1944
* Reestablished, and redesignated 53 Fighter Group (Air Defense), on 20 Jun 1955: Activated on 18 Aug 1955: Discontinued on 1 Apr 1960
* Redesignated 53 Tactical Fighter Group on 31 Jul 1985: Consolidated (25 Sep 1995) with the USAF Tactical Air Warfare Center, which was organized on 1 Nov 1963. : Redesignated: USAF Air Warfare Center on 1 Oct 1991: Redesignated: 53 Wing on 1 Oct 1995.

Assignments

* Third Air Force: 22 Pursuit Wing, 15 Jan 1941: 3 Interceptor (later III Fighter) Command, 2 Oct 1941
* Caribbean (later, Sixth) Air Force, 1 Jan 1942: XXVI Interceptor (later, XXVI Fighter) Command, 6 Mar 1942
* Third Air Force: III Fighter Command, 26 Nov 1942-1 May 1944
* Air Defense Command: 31st Air Division, 18 Aug 1955: 20th Air Division, 1 Mar 1956:: Kansas City Air Defense Sector, 1 Jan-1 Apr 1960
* Tactical Air Command, 1 Nov 1963-1 Jun 1992
* Air Combat Command, 1 Jun 1992 - Present: USAF Fighter Weapons Center:: Redesignated: USAF Weapons and Tactics Center:: Redesignated: United States Air Force Warfare Center, 1 Oct 1985 - Present

tations

*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)

Aircraft Flown

*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)

Oprational 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.

References

External links

* [http://www.53wg.acc.af.mil/ 53d Wing Home Page]