The 157th Fighter Squadron (157 FS), also known as the "Swamp Foxes," is the primary flying unit of the 169th Fighter Wing

169th Fighter Wing

The United States Air Force's 169th Fighter Wing is an Air National Guard fighter unit located at McEntire Joint National Guard Station, South Carolina...

 of the South Carolina Air National Guard

South Carolina Air National Guard

The South Carolina Air National Guard is the air force militia of the U.S. state of South Carolina. It is, along with the South Carolina Army National Guard, an element of the South Carolina National Guard...

 (SCANG). The 157th FS is one of the few Air National Guard

Air National Guard

The Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...

 F-16 units in the U.S. Air Force to operate the HARM Targeting System (HTS)-equipped F-16C Block 52 Fighting Falcon, also known as the F-16CJ.

Mission

The federal mission of the 157 FS in accordance with Title 10 USC

Title 10 of the United States Code

Title 10 of the United States Code outlines the role of armed forces in the United States Code.It provides the legal basis for the roles, missions and organization of each of the services as well as the United States Department of Defense...

 is to maintain wartime readiness and the ability to mobilize and deploy expeditiously to carry out tactical air missions or combat support activities in the event of a war or military emergency. More specifically, the squadron specializes in the Suppression and Destruction of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD).

The squadron flies the F-16 Fighting Falcon, a multipurpose fighter with the ability to fly at up to twice the speed of sound. It is capable of performing air-to-air and air-to-ground tactical missions. The 157 FS flew the F-16A from 1983 to 1994 and, in 1994, transitioned to the single seat F-16C Block 52 (and a small number of twin seat F-16D Block 52), also known as the F-16CJ, the newest, most advanced F-16 in the U.S. Air Force.

The state mission of the 157 FS under Title 32 USC

Title 32 of the United States Code

Title 32 of the United States Code outlines the role of the United States National Guard in the United States Code.—Organization—Personnel—Training—Service, Supply, And Procurement—Homeland Defense Activities-External links:...

 is to respond to the call of the Governor of South Carolina

Governor of South Carolina

The Governor of the State of South Carolina is the head of state for the State of South Carolina. Under the South Carolina Constitution, the Governor is also the head of government, serving as the chief executive of the South Carolina executive branch. The Governor is the ex officio...

 in the event of natural disasters or domestic disturbances within the state of South Carolina.

Major Command

• Air National Guard
  Air National Guard
  The Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
  
  /Air Combat Command
  Air Combat Command
  Air Combat Command is a major command of the United States Air Force. ACC is one of ten major commands , reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force ....
  
   (1992–Present)
• Air National Guard
  Air National Guard
  The Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
  
  /Tactical Air Command
  Tactical Air Command
  Tactical Air Command is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was a Major Command of the United States Air Force, established on 21 March 1946 being headquartered at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia...
  
   (1946-1992)

Previous Designations

• 157th Fighter Squadron (1995–Present)
• 157th Fighter Squadron (1992–1995)
• 157th Tactical Fighter Squadron (???-1992)
• 157th Airlift Squadron (???-???)

Aircraft Operated

• F-16C & F-16D Block 52 Fighting Falcon (1994–Present)
• F-16A & F-16B Fighting Falcon (1983-1994)
• A-7D Corsair II (1975-1983)
• F-102 Delta Dagger
  F-102 Delta Dagger
  The Convair F-102 Delta Dagger was a US interceptor aircraft built as part of the backbone of the United States Air Force's air defenses in the late 1950s. Entering service in 1956, its main purpose was to intercept invading Soviet bomber fleets...
  
   (1963-1975)
• F-104 Starfighter
  F-104 Starfighter
  The Lockheed F-104 Starfighter is a single-engine, high-performance, supersonic interceptor aircraft originally developed for the United States Air Force by Lockheed. One of the Century Series of aircraft, it served with the USAF from 1958 until 1969, and continued with Air National Guard units...
  
   (1960-1963)
• F-86 Sabre
  F-86 Sabre
  The North American F-86 Sabre was a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as America's first swept wing fighter which could counter the similarly-winged Soviet MiG-15 in high speed dogfights over the skies of the Korean War...
  
   (1958-1960)
• F-80 Shooting Star (1950-1958)
• P-51 Mustang
  P-51 Mustang
  The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang was an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II, the Korean War and in several other conflicts...
  
  {redesignated F-51 after 1947} (1946-1950)

External links

• Official site of the 169th Fighter Wing