188th Fighter Wing
Encyclopedia
The United States Air Force
's 188th Fighter Wing (188 FW) is an Air Combat Command
(ACC
)-gained unit of the Air National Guard
(ANG
) located at Ebbing Air National Guard Base at Fort Smith Regional Airport
in Fort Smith, Arkansas
.
The squadron's first mission was reconnaissance, flying the RB-26 Invader, a modified twin-engine propeller-driven bomber. In 1956, the 184th transitioned to the RF-80 Shooting Star jet aircraft with a daylight photography mission. The following year brought their first swept-wing jet, the RF-84F Thunderflash. The unit continued to grow and was redesignated the 188th Tactical Reconnaissance Group on October 15, 1962. In 1970, the 188th converted to the RF-101 Voodoo
and continued its reconnaissance mission until 1972 when they received the F-100 Super Sabre
and became the 188th Tactical Fighter Group (188 TFG). In 1976, the group became known as the Flying Razorbacks and was assigned the F-4C Phantom II in April 1979.
The 188th TFG was activated for one year during the Berlin Crisis of 1961, supported the Vietnamese airlift in 1975, and the Cuban boatlift in 1980. The group represented the Air National Guard three times in the worldwide Air Force "GUNSMOKE" competitions at Nellis AFB, Nevada, winning top awards in the F-4 categories in 1983.
On July 1, 1988, the 188th took delivery of the F-16 Fighting Falcon
. On October 15, 1988, the 188th celebrated its formal F-16 acceptance and the group's 35th anniversary. As a result of restructuring within the Air Force and Air National Guard, the 188th Tactical Fighter Group was re-designated as the 188th Fighter Group (188 FG) on March 16, 1992 and subsequently named the 188th Fighter Wing on October 1, 1995.
In its 2005 BRAC Recommendations, DoD recommended to realign Fort Smith Municipal Airport (MAP) Air National Guard Station (AGS). DoD would distribute the 188th Fighter Wing's F-16s to the 144th Fighter Wing
(144 FW), California Air National Guard
at Fresno Air Terminal AGS, CA (seven aircraft) and retire the remainder (eight aircraft). As part of a larger recommendation that would also realign Luke AFB, AZ, DoD claimed that military value, coupled with homeland defense, was the predominant reason for these recommendations. The Air Force recommendation would realign 15 aircraft from Fort Smith (110) to Fresno (87), which would support the homeland defense Air Sovereignty Alert mission. Additionally, this recommendation would help align the eight different F-16 models across the Air Force. Finally, this recommendation would make experienced airmen available to support the new ANG flying training unit created at Little Rock AFB, AR. These decisions were subsequently modified and in 2008, the 188 FW transitioned to the A-10 Thunderbolt II
.
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 188th Fighter Wing (188 FW) is an 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 ....
(ACC
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 ....
)-gained unit of the 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...
(ANG
ANG
ANG is the ISO 639-3 code for Old English. It may also refer to:* Air National Guard, part of the United States National Guard* Anga, Ang Desh or Ang Mahajanapada, one of the 16 Mahajanapada of Ancient India...
) located at Ebbing Air National Guard Base at Fort Smith Regional Airport
Fort Smith Regional Airport
Fort Smith Regional Airport is a joint civil-military public commercial service airport located three miles southeast of the central business district of Fort Smith, a city in Sebastian County, Arkansas, USA. FSM is governed by the Fort Smith Airport Commission as established by the City of...
in Fort Smith, Arkansas
Fort Smith, Arkansas
Fort Smith is the second-largest city in Arkansas and one of the two county seats of Sebastian County. With a population of 86,209 in 2010, it is the principal city of the Fort Smith, Arkansas-Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area, a region of 298,592 residents which encompasses the Arkansas...
.
History
The origin of the 188th Fighter Wing traces back to October 15, 1953, when the 184th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron was originated and federally recognized at Fort Smith, Arkansas. Dubbed "Rick's Rippers" in honor of Major General Earl T. Ricks, former Adjutant General and highly decorated World War II Army Air Force pilot from Arkansas, the unit's first roll call was answered by 19 officers and 93 enlisted personnel.The squadron's first mission was reconnaissance, flying the RB-26 Invader, a modified twin-engine propeller-driven bomber. In 1956, the 184th transitioned to the RF-80 Shooting Star jet aircraft with a daylight photography mission. The following year brought their first swept-wing jet, the RF-84F Thunderflash. The unit continued to grow and was redesignated the 188th Tactical Reconnaissance Group on October 15, 1962. In 1970, the 188th converted to the RF-101 Voodoo
F-101 Voodoo
The McDonnell F-101 Voodoo was a supersonic military jet fighter which served the United States Air Force and the Royal Canadian Air Force...
and continued its reconnaissance mission until 1972 when they received the F-100 Super Sabre
F-100 Super Sabre
The North American F-100 Super Sabre was a supersonic jet fighter aircraft that served with the United States Air Force from 1954 to 1971 and with the Air National Guard until 1979. The first of the Century Series collection of USAF jet fighters, it was the first USAF fighter capable of...
and became the 188th Tactical Fighter Group (188 TFG). In 1976, the group became known as the Flying Razorbacks and was assigned the F-4C Phantom II in April 1979.
The 188th TFG was activated for one year during the Berlin Crisis of 1961, supported the Vietnamese airlift in 1975, and the Cuban boatlift in 1980. The group represented the Air National Guard three times in the worldwide Air Force "GUNSMOKE" competitions at Nellis AFB, Nevada, winning top awards in the F-4 categories in 1983.
On July 1, 1988, the 188th took delivery of the F-16 Fighting Falcon
F-16 Fighting Falcon
The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a multirole jet fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force . Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft. Over 4,400 aircraft have been built since...
. On October 15, 1988, the 188th celebrated its formal F-16 acceptance and the group's 35th anniversary. As a result of restructuring within the Air Force and Air National Guard, the 188th Tactical Fighter Group was re-designated as the 188th Fighter Group (188 FG) on March 16, 1992 and subsequently named the 188th Fighter Wing on October 1, 1995.
In its 2005 BRAC Recommendations, DoD recommended to realign Fort Smith Municipal Airport (MAP) Air National Guard Station (AGS). DoD would distribute the 188th Fighter Wing's F-16s to the 144th Fighter Wing
144th Fighter Wing
The United States Air Force's 144th Fighter Wing is a unit of the California Air National Guard, operationally gained by the Air Combat Command and located at Fresno Air National Guard Base / Fresno Yosemite International Airport in Fresno, California....
(144 FW), California Air National Guard
California Air National Guard
The California Air National Guard is the air component of the California National Guard. The California Air National Guard is headquartered at Sacramento, California.One of the duties of the California Air National Guard is defense of the United States...
at Fresno Air Terminal AGS, CA (seven aircraft) and retire the remainder (eight aircraft). As part of a larger recommendation that would also realign Luke AFB, AZ, DoD claimed that military value, coupled with homeland defense, was the predominant reason for these recommendations. The Air Force recommendation would realign 15 aircraft from Fort Smith (110) to Fresno (87), which would support the homeland defense Air Sovereignty Alert mission. Additionally, this recommendation would help align the eight different F-16 models across the Air Force. Finally, this recommendation would make experienced airmen available to support the new ANG flying training unit created at Little Rock AFB, AR. These decisions were subsequently modified and in 2008, the 188 FW transitioned to the A-10 Thunderbolt II
A-10 Thunderbolt II
The Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II is an American single-seat, twin-engine, straight-wing jet aircraft developed by Fairchild-Republic in the early 1970s. The A-10 was designed for a United States Air Force requirement to provide close air support for ground forces by attacking tanks,...
.
Assignments
- Operation Iraqi Freedom (2005–2006)
- Operation Enduring Freedom (March 2010-May 2010)
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 Combat CommandAir Combat CommandAir 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 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...
/Tactical Air CommandTactical Air CommandTactical 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...
(1953–1992)
Previous designations
- 188th Fighter Wing (1995–Present)
- 188th Fighter Group (1992–1995)
- 188th Tactical Fighter Group (1972–1992)
- 188th Tactical Reconnaissance Group (1962–1972)
- 184th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron (1953–1962)
Units assigned
- 188th Operations Group
- 184th Fighter Squadron184th Fighter SquadronThe 184th Fighter Squadron flew the A-10 Thunderbolt II. It is unit of the Arkansas Air National Guard. Its parent unit is the 188th Fighter Wing.-Major Command:*Air National Guard/Air Combat Command...
(1953–Present) - 188th Operations Support Squadron
- 184th Fighter Squadron
- 188th Maintenance Group
- 188th Maintenance Squadron
- 188th Maintenance Operations Flight
- 188th Aircraft Maintenance Generation Squadron
- 188th Maintenance Squadron
- 188th Mission Support Group
- 188th Military Personnel Flight
- 188th Services Flight
- 188th Security Forces Squadron
- 188th Civil Engineers Squadron
- 188th Logistics Readiness Squadron
- 188th Medical Group
Bases stationed
- Fort Smith Regional AirportFort Smith Regional AirportFort Smith Regional Airport is a joint civil-military public commercial service airport located three miles southeast of the central business district of Fort Smith, a city in Sebastian County, Arkansas, USA. FSM is governed by the Fort Smith Airport Commission as established by the City of...
, Fort SmithFort Smith, ArkansasFort Smith is the second-largest city in Arkansas and one of the two county seats of Sebastian County. With a population of 86,209 in 2010, it is the principal city of the Fort Smith, Arkansas-Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area, a region of 298,592 residents which encompasses the Arkansas...
, ArkansasArkansasArkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
(1953–Present)
Aircraft and missiles operated
- A-10 Thunderbolt IIA-10 Thunderbolt IIThe Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II is an American single-seat, twin-engine, straight-wing jet aircraft developed by Fairchild-Republic in the early 1970s. The A-10 was designed for a United States Air Force requirement to provide close air support for ground forces by attacking tanks,...
(2007–Present) - F-16 Falcon (1988–2007)
- F-4C Phantom II (1976–1988)
- F-100 Super SabreF-100 Super SabreThe North American F-100 Super Sabre was a supersonic jet fighter aircraft that served with the United States Air Force from 1954 to 1971 and with the Air National Guard until 1979. The first of the Century Series collection of USAF jet fighters, it was the first USAF fighter capable of...
(1972–1976) - RF-101 Voodoo (1970–1972)
- RF-84F Thunderflash (1957–1970)
- RF-80 Shooting Star (1956–1957)
- FA-26C Invader (1953–1956)