170th Group
Encyclopedia
The United States Air Force
's 170th Air Refueling Group was an aerial refueling
unit located at McGuire AFB, New Jersey
. It was deactivated in 1993 after being consolidated with the 108th Air Refueling Wing
. It was reactivated in 2007 as the 170th Group at Offutt Air Force Base
in order for the Nebraska Air National Guard
to better align with USAF mission goals. It supports the 55th Wing
.
On 1 October 1993, the 170th Air Refueling Group NJANG consolidated with the 108th Air Refueling Wing. The 170th Air Refueling Group, including the 150th Air Refueling Squadron was established at Newark Airport, NJ, on 1 February 1956 and transferred to McGuire AFB in July 1965. The 108th welcomed the 150th Air Refueling Squadron’s 37 years experience in airlift and air refueling operations, and its 130,454 accident-free flying hours, recognized as the world record.
.
The aircraft listed below were operated by the 108th Fighter Wing, NJANG
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
's 170th Air Refueling Group was an aerial refueling
Aerial refueling
Aerial refueling, also called air refueling, in-flight refueling , air-to-air refueling or tanking, is the process of transferring fuel from one aircraft to another during flight....
unit located at McGuire AFB, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. It was deactivated in 1993 after being consolidated with the 108th Air Refueling Wing
108th Air Refueling Wing
The 108th Air Refueling Wing is a unit of the New Jersey Air National Guard tasked with aerial refueling and other air mobility missions. It is based at McGuire Air Force Base and operationally gained by the Air Mobility Command . The current Commander of the 108th is...
. It was reactivated in 2007 as the 170th Group at Offutt Air Force Base
Offutt Air Force Base
Offutt Air Force Base is a U.S. Air Force installation near Omaha, and lies adjacent to Bellevue in Sarpy County, Nebraska. It is the headquarters of the U.S...
in order for the Nebraska Air National Guard
Nebraska Air National Guard
The Nebraska Air National Guard is the air force militia of the U.S. state of Nebraska. It is based at Lincoln Air National Guard Base. The Adjutant General for the Nebraska Military Department is Brigadier General Judd H. Lyons...
to better align with USAF mission goals. It supports the 55th Wing
55th Wing
The 55th Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to Air Combat Command. The unit is stationed at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska....
.
Mission
The 170th Group provides training and operational support to the active duty 55th Wing's global command and control and intelligence missions.History
At one time this entry referred to the 170th Air Refueling Group, New Jersey Air National Guard. Virtually the entire 170th AREFG content has been wiped out and replaced with information regarding the 170th Group, Nebraska Air National Guard. This entry does not contain substantive information about the former 170th Air Refueling Group and is inaccurate.On 1 October 1993, the 170th Air Refueling Group NJANG consolidated with the 108th Air Refueling Wing. The 170th Air Refueling Group, including the 150th Air Refueling Squadron was established at Newark Airport, NJ, on 1 February 1956 and transferred to McGuire AFB in July 1965. The 108th welcomed the 150th Air Refueling Squadron’s 37 years experience in airlift and air refueling operations, and its 130,454 accident-free flying hours, recognized as the world record.
Reactivation
The 170th was reactivated in a ceremony on 7 July 2007 at Offutt Air Force BaseOffutt Air Force Base
Offutt Air Force Base is a U.S. Air Force installation near Omaha, and lies adjacent to Bellevue in Sarpy County, Nebraska. It is the headquarters of the U.S...
.
Major command
- Air National GuardAir National GuardThe 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 Mobility CommandAir Mobility CommandAir Mobility Command is a Major Command of the U.S. Air Force. AMC is headquartered at Scott AFB, Illinois, east of St. Louis....
(1992–1993) - Air National GuardAir National GuardThe 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...
/Strategic Air CommandStrategic Air CommandThe Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic...
(19??-1992)
Squadrons assigned
- 170th Operations Support Squadron (2007 – present)
- 238th Combat Training Squadron (2007 – present)
- 150th Air Refueling Squadron150th Air Refueling SquadronThe 150th Air Refueling Squadron flies the KC-135R Stratotanker. It is a unit of the New Jersey Air National Guard. Its parent unit is the 108th Air Refueling Wing...
(1956–1993)
Bases stationed
- Offutt Air Force BaseOffutt Air Force BaseOffutt Air Force Base is a U.S. Air Force installation near Omaha, and lies adjacent to Bellevue in Sarpy County, Nebraska. It is the headquarters of the U.S...
(2007 – present) - McGuire Air Force BaseMcGuire Air Force BaseJB MDL McGuire is a United States Air Force base located approximately south-southeast of Trenton, New Jersey. McGuire is under the jurisdiction of the USAF Air Mobility Command...
, New JerseyNew JerseyNew Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
(1965–1993) - Newark International Airport (1956–1965)
Aircraft operated
- Boeing RC-135 (2007-present)
- KC-135 StratotankerKC-135 StratotankerThe Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is an aerial refueling military aircraft. It and the Boeing 707 airliner were developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype. The KC-135 was the US Air Force's first jet-powered refueling tanker and replaced the KC-97 Stratotanker...
(1977–1993) - C-131 SamaritanC-131 SamaritanThe Convair C-131 Samaritan was an American military transport produced from 1954 to 1956. It is the military version of the Convair CV-240.-Design and development:...
1 acft, VIP support (circa 1977) - C-7 Caribou (1973–1977)
- C-121 Constellation (1962–1973)
- C-119 Flying BoxcarC-119 Flying BoxcarThe Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar was an American military transport aircraft developed from the World War II-era Fairchild C-82 Packet, designed to carry cargo, personnel, litter patients, and mechanized equipment, and to drop cargo and troops by parachute...
(1958–1962) - C-46 CommandoC-46 CommandoThe Curtiss-Wright C-46 Commando was a transport aircraft originally derived from a commercial high-altitude airliner design. It was instead used as a military transport during World War II by the United States Army Air Forces as well as the U.S. Navy/Marine Corps under the designation R5C...
(1956–1962) - C-47 SkytrainC-47 SkytrainThe Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota is a military transport aircraft that was developed from the Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II and remained in front line operations through the 1950s with a few remaining in operation to this day.-Design and...
1 acft, VIP support (circa 1956)
The aircraft listed below were operated by the 108th Fighter Wing, NJANG
- KC-135 StratotankerKC-135 StratotankerThe Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is an aerial refueling military aircraft. It and the Boeing 707 airliner were developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype. The KC-135 was the US Air Force's first jet-powered refueling tanker and replaced the KC-97 Stratotanker...
(1991–1993) - F-4E Phantom II (1985–1991)
- F-4D Phantom II (1981–1985)
- F-105B Thunderchief (1964–1981)
- F-86F Sabre(1958–1964)
- F-84E Thunderjet (1955–1958)
- F-51H Mustang (1952–1955)