22d Air Refueling Wing
Encyclopedia
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...
unit assigned to the Air Mobility Command
Air Mobility Command
Air Mobility Command is a Major Command of the U.S. Air Force. AMC is headquartered at Scott AFB, Illinois, east of St. Louis....
's Eighteenth Air Force
Eighteenth Air Force
Eighteenth Air Force is a Numbered Air Force component of the United States Air Force Air Mobility Command . It was activated on 1 October 2003 and headquartered at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois...
. It is stationed at McConnell Air Force Base
McConnell Air Force Base
McConnell Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located four miles southeast of the central business district of Wichita, a city in Sedgwick County, Kansas, United States. The base was named in honor of Wichita brothers Fred and Thomas McConnell, both Air Force pilots and World War II...
, Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
and also functions as the host wing for McConnell AFB.
Its primary mission is to provide global reach by conducting air refueling and airlift where and when needed. It is one of only three "supertanker" wings in the Air Force, with four Regular Air Force air refueling squadrons, one "Associate" Air Force Reserve Command air refueling squadron, and 63 KC-135R Stratotanker
KC-135 Stratotanker
The 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...
aircraft.
Its origins date to 1940 as the 22d Bombardment Group. The group was one of the first United States Army Air Force units to be deployed into the Pacific Theater after the Pearl Harbor Attack with the Martin B-26 Marauder
B-26 Marauder
The Martin B-26 Marauder was a World War II twin-engine medium bomber built by the Glenn L. Martin Company. First used in the Pacific Theater in early 1942, it was also used in the Mediterranean Theater and in Western Europe....
medium bomber. The 22d Operations Group carries the lineage and history of its highly decorated World War II predecessor unit. Active for over 60 years, the 22 ARW and its earlier designation as the 22d Bombardment Wing, was a component wing of Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command
The 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...
's deterrent force during the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
.
The 22d Air Refueling Wing is commanded by Colonel James W. Crowhurst. Its Command Chief Master Sergeant is Chief Master Sergeant Michael Edwards.
Mission
In addition to its primary mission to provide global reach by conducting air refueling and airlift where and when needed, the 22 ARW is also the Operational Command Unit of the 931st Air Refueling Group931st Air Refueling Group
The United States Air Force's 931st Air Refueling Group is a Air Force Reserve Command air refueling group located at McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas....
, which is administratively assigned to the 507th Air Refueling Wing
507th Air Refueling Wing
The 507th Air Refueling Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force based out of Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma. It is one of two Air Force Reserve flying units in the state of Oklahoma....
, Fourth Air Force
Fourth Air Force
The Fourth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Reserve . It is headquartered at March Air Reserve Base, California....
, Air Force Reserve Command
Air Force Reserve Command
The Air Force Reserve Command is a major command of the U.S. Air Force with its headquarters at Robins AFB, Georgia.It stood up as a major command of the Air Force on 17 February 1997....
. The 931 ARG is the first Associate air-refueling unit in the Air Force Reserve Command. As an associate unit, the 931st does not have operational control of any KC-135R aircraft. Instead, the host unit at McConnell AFB, the 22 ARW, provides a designated number of aircraft for mission taskings assigned to the 931st. Upon mobilization of the 931 ARG, the 22 ARW and the Air Mobility Command would operationally gain the 931st. The 931 ARG's flying unit, the 18th Air Refueling Squadron
18th Air Refueling Squadron
The 18th Air Refueling Squadron is part of the 931st Air Refueling Group at McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas. It operates the KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft conducting aerial refueling missions.-History:...
(18 ARS) is also designated as a "super squadron" with 32 flight crews. This is twice the number of flight crews as found in a typical USAF air refueling squadron.
Subordinate organizations
22d Operations Group (22 OG)- 344th Air Refueling Squadron344th Air Refueling SquadronThe 344th Air Refueling Squadron is part of the 22d Air Refueling Wing at McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas. It operates the KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft conducting aerial refueling missions.-History:...
(344 ARS) (Black tail stripe, now white) - 349th Air Refueling Squadron349th Air Refueling SquadronThe 349th Air Refueling Squadron is part of the 22d Air Refueling Wing at McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas. It operates the KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft conducting aerial refueling missions.-History:...
(349 ARS) (Blue tail stripe, now white) - 350th Air Refueling Squadron350th Air Refueling SquadronThe 350th Air Refueling Squadron is part of the 22d Air Refueling Wing at McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas. It operates the KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft conducting aerial refueling missions.-Mission:...
(350 ARS) (Yellow tail stripe, now white) - 384th Air Refueling Squadron384th Air Refueling SquadronThe 384th Air Refueling Squadron is part of the 22d Air Refueling Wing at McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas. It operates the KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft conducting aerial refueling missions.-History:...
(384 ARS) (Gold tail stripe, now white) - 22d Operations Support Squadron (22 OSS)
22d Maintenance Group (22 MXG)
- 22d Maintenance Squadron (22 MXS)
- 22d Aircraft Maintenance Squadron (22 AMXS)
- 22d Maintenance Operations Squadron (22 MOS)
22d Mission Support Group (22 MSG)
- 22d Contracting Squadron (22 CONS)
- 22d Security Forces Squadron (22 SFS)
- 22d Services Squadron (22 SVS)
- 22d Logistics Readiness Squadron (22 LRS)
- 22d Mission Support Squadron (22 MSS)
- 22d Communications Squadron (22 CS)
- 22d Civil Engineering Squadron (22 CES)
22d Medical Group (22 MDG)
- 22d Medical Operations Squadron (22 MDOS)
- 22d Aeromedical Dental Squadron (22 AMDS)
- 22d Medical Support Squadron (22 MDSS)
Additionally, the 22d Comptroller Squadron (22 CPTS) reports directly to the wing staff.
History
- For additional history and lineage, see 22d Operations Group
Established as 22d Bombardment Wing, Medium, on 28 July 1948. Activated on 1 August 1948. The new wing was assigned to March AFB, California on 10 May 1949. It was not operational, so it shared a commander with the 1st Fighter Wing. The 22d Bomb became operational on 1 July 1949. The 1st Fighter Wing
1st Fighter Wing
The 1st Fighter Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Combat Command Ninth Air Force. It is stationed at Langley Air Force Base, Va...
was attached to it and both wings shared the same commanding officer.
Korean War
Detached from the wing, the 22d Bombardment Group deployed its B-29s in early July 1950 to Kadena AB, Okinawa, where it came under control of FEAF Bomber Command (Provisional). On 13 July, the group flew its first mission, against the marshalling yards and oil refinery at WonsanWonsan
Wŏnsan is a port city and naval base in southeastern North Korea. It is the capital of Kangwŏn Province. The population of the city is estimated to have been 331,000 in 2000. Notable people from Wŏnsan include Kim Ki Nam, diplomat and Secretary of the Workers' Party.- History :The original name of...
, North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
. By 21 October, it had amassed fifty-seven missions against the enemy, attacking bridges, factories, industrial targets, troop concentrations, airfields, marshalling yards, communications centers, and port facilities. During four months of combat, the group flew 335 sortie
Sortie
Sortie is a term for deployment or dispatch of one military unit, be it an aircraft, ship, or troops from a strongpoint. The sortie, whether by one or more aircraft or vessels, usually has a specific mission....
s with only fourteen aborts and dropped over 6,500 tons of bombs. It redeployed to the United States in late October and November 1950.
Cold War
Following the return of the Bombardment Group the wing re-equipped the propeller-driven B-29s with new B-47E Stratojet swept-wing bomber medium bombers in 1953, capable of flying at high subsonic speeds and primarily designed for penetrating the airspace of the Soviet Union. Ittrained for proficiency in global strategicMilitary strategy
Military strategy is a set of ideas implemented by military organizations to pursue desired strategic goals. Derived from the Greek strategos, strategy when it appeared in use during the 18th century, was seen in its narrow sense as the "art of the general", 'the art of arrangement' of troops...
bombardment, adding air refueling to its mission in 1952. The wing deployed at RAF Mildenhall
RAF Mildenhall
RAF Mildenhall is a Royal Air Force station located at Mildenhall in Suffolk, England. Despite its status as an RAF station, it primarily supports United States Air Force operations and is currently the home of the 100th Air Refueling Wing...
, England, September–December 1951, and at RAF Upper Heyford
RAF Upper Heyford
RAF Upper Heyford was a Royal Air Force station located north-west of Bicester near the village of Upper Heyford, Oxfordshire, England. The base was brought into use for flying in July 1918 by the Royal Flying Corps. During World War II it was used by many units of the RAF, mainly as a training...
, England, December 1953 – March 1954. From April to July 1957, it deployed to Andersen Air Force Base
Andersen Air Force Base
Andersen Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately northeast of Yigo in the United States territory of Guam....
, Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
. SAC began phasing the B-47 out of the inventory beginning in 1962, sending the last of the wing's aircraft to Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona in 1963.
The wing was not tactically
Military tactics
Military tactics, the science and art of organizing an army or an air force, are the techniques for using weapons or military units in combination for engaging and defeating an enemy in battle. Changes in philosophy and technology over time have been reflected in changes to military tactics. In...
operational 11 March 1963 – 15 September 1963, while converting to B-52D
B-52 Stratofortress
The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is a long-range, subsonic, jet-powered strategic bomber operated by the United States Air Force since the 1950s. The B-52 was designed and built by Boeing, who have continued to provide maintainence and upgrades to the aircraft in service...
bombers and KC-135A
KC-135 Stratotanker
The 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...
tankers. The wing supported Fifteenth Air Force's post-attack command and control system with EC-135s from, September 1964 – March 1970.
The 22d was a "super" wing from 1966–1971, with two bombardment and two tanker squadrons. From 10 March to c. 1 October 1967 the wing was reduced to a small "rear-echelon" non-tactical organization with all tactical resources and most support resources loaned to SAC organizations involved in combat operations in Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
. The wing continued to support SAC operations in the Far East
Far East
The Far East is an English term mostly describing East Asia and Southeast Asia, with South Asia sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.The term came into use in European geopolitical discourse in the 19th century,...
and Southeast Asia through 1975, and from 10 April 1972 to 29 October 1973 again the wing had all its bomber resources loaned to other organizations for combat and contingency operations. The wing's KC-135 resources were also on loan from 10 April to September 1972; afterwards, a few tankers returned to wing control.
The wing maintained a strategic bombardment alert posture from, 1973–1982, but in 1978 it added conventional warfare
Conventional warfare
Conventional warfare is a form of warfare conducted byusing conventional military weapons and battlefield tactics between two or more states in open confrontation. The forces on each side are well-defined, and fight using weapons that primarily target the opposing army...
missions, including mine-laying
Naval mine
A naval mine is a self-contained explosive device placed in water to destroy surface ships or submarines. Unlike depth charges, mines are deposited and left to wait until they are triggered by the approach of, or contact with, an enemy vessel...
and sea reconnaissance/surveillance.
In 1982, the wing retired its B-52D aircraft and converted from a bombardment wing to an air refueling wing. It was the first USAF unit to operate the new KC-10A
KC-10 Extender
The McDonnell Douglas KC-10 Extender is the military adaptation of the three-engined DC-10 airliner for the United States Air Force . The KC-10 incorporates military-specific equipment for its primary roles of transport and aerial refueling. It was developed to supplement the KC-135 Stratotanker...
along with KC-135E
KC-135 Stratotanker
The 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...
and KC-135Q
KC-135 Stratotanker
The 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...
aircraft. From 1982, the wing provided strategic air refueling and airlift
Airlift
Airlift is the act of transporting people or cargo from point to point using aircraft.Airlift may also refer to:*Airlift , a suction device for moving sand and silt underwater-See also:...
in support of worldwide U.S. Air Force and other Department of Defense
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
operations and training exercises
Military exercise
A military exercise is the employment of military resources in training for military operations, either exploring the effects of warfare or testing strategies without actual combat...
. In 1983, the wing moved personnel and cargo in support of Chad
Chad
Chad , officially known as the Republic of Chad, is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic to the south, Cameroon and Nigeria to the southwest, and Niger to the west...
ian resistance to Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
n incursions and conducted airlift and refueling missions during rescue of U.S. nationals in Grenada
Grenada
Grenada is an island country and Commonwealth Realm consisting of the island of Grenada and six smaller islands at the southern end of the Grenadines in the southeastern Caribbean Sea...
. The wing also provided specialized refueling support to SR-71 aircraft reconnaissance operations with KC-135Q aircraft worldwide from, c. 1985–1990.
In 1989, the 22 ARW transferred its KC-135E and KC-135Q aircraft and became solely a KC-10 unit.
Modern era
The 22 ARW supported F-117 deployments to Saudi ArabiaSaudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
and contributed aircraft and personnel to logistics efforts in support of the liberation of Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
from, 1990–1991.
On 1 June 1992, Strategic Air Command was inactivated and the 22d ARW was assigned to the newly established Air Mobility Command
Air Mobility Command
Air Mobility Command is a Major Command of the U.S. Air Force. AMC is headquartered at Scott AFB, Illinois, east of St. Louis....
(AMC). From the end of 1992 to 1994, the wing flew humanitarian
Humanitarian aid
Humanitarian aid is material or logistical assistance provided for humanitarian purposes, typically in response to humanitarian crises including natural disaster and man-made disaster. The primary objective of humanitarian aid is to save lives, alleviate suffering, and maintain human dignity...
airlift missions to Somalia
Somalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
and it also provided air refueling in support of deployments to Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
in 1994.
On 1 January 1994, the wing was reassigned w/p/o/e from March AFB (upon the transfer of March AFB to the Air Force Reserve Command
Air Force Reserve Command
The Air Force Reserve Command is a major command of the U.S. Air Force with its headquarters at Robins AFB, Georgia.It stood up as a major command of the Air Force on 17 February 1997....
) to McConnell AFB, Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
, replacing the deactivating 384th Bomb Wing and assuming control of the 384th's KC-135R
KC-135 Stratotanker
The 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...
aircraft. The 22 ARW's former KC-10A aircraft assets were subsequently transferred to the 60th Airlift Wing at Travis AFB, California, that unit being redesignated as the 60th Air Mobility Wing
60th Air Mobility Wing
The 60th Air Mobility Wing is the host unit at Travis Air Force Base in California. It is the largest air mobility organization in the United States Air Force and is responsible for strategic airlift and aerial refueling missions around the world...
(60 AMW).
Various air refueling squadrons were reassigned to the reconstituted 22 ARW from other units as follows:
- 344 ARS from 68 ARW, Seymour Johnson AFB, NC
- 349 & 350 ARS from 100 ARW, Beale AFB, CA
- 384 ARS from deactivated 384 BW, McConnell AFB, KS
After the realignment, the 22 ARW deployed crews and aircraft to support no-fly missions over northern and southern Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
and over Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
. In 1999, wing aircraft and crews deployed to the Mediterranean to refuel NATO aircraft over Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
. After the terrorist attacks on 11 September 2001, wing-supplied tanker crews and aircraft air-refueled combat aircraft on missions to the Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
area.
The wing provided deployed KC-135R support during Operation Iraqi Freedom and continues to provide aerial refueling and air mobility support under Operation Noble Eagle
Operation Noble Eagle
Operation Noble Eagle is the name given to military operations related to homelandsecurity and support to federal, state, and local agencies...
in the United States, Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation New Dawn overseas, and other AMC, USTRANSCOM, other combatant command, and associated national taskings as required.
Lineage
- Established as 22d Bombardment Wing, Medium, on 28 July 1948
- Activated on 1 August 1948
- Redesignated: 22d Bombardment Wing, Heavy, on 15 March 1963
- Redesignated: 22d Air Refueling Wing, Heavy, on 1 October 1982
- Redesignated: 22d Air Refueling Wing on 1 September 1991
Assignments
- Fifteenth Air ForceFifteenth Air ForceThe Fifteenth Expeditionary Mobility Task Force is one of two EMTFs assigned to the United States Air Force Air Mobility Command . It is headquartered at Travis Air Force Base, California....
, 1 August 1948
- Attached to: 301st Bombardment Wing, 1 August 1948-9 May 1949
- Attached to: 1st Fighter Wing1st Fighter WingThe 1st Fighter Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Combat Command Ninth Air Force. It is stationed at Langley Air Force Base, Va...
, 10 May-30 June 1949- 12th Air Division, 10 February 1951
- Attached to: 7th Air Division, 5 September-4 December 1951 and 7 December 1953-5 March 1954
- Attached to: 3d Air Division, 1 April-5 July 1957
- 47th Air (later, 47th Strategic Aerospace; 47th Air) Division, 1 January 1962
- 14th Strategic Aerospace Division, 31 March 1970
- 47th Air Division, 30 June 1971
- 12th Strategic Missile (later, 12th Air) Division, 1 August 1972
- 47th Air Division, 1 October 1985
- 14th Air Division, 23 January 1987
- Fifteenth Air ForceFifteenth Air ForceThe Fifteenth Expeditionary Mobility Task Force is one of two EMTFs assigned to the United States Air Force Air Mobility Command . It is headquartered at Travis Air Force Base, California....
, 1 July 1988 - Eighteenth Air ForceEighteenth Air ForceEighteenth Air Force is a Numbered Air Force component of the United States Air Force Air Mobility Command . It was activated on 1 October 2003 and headquartered at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois...
, since 1 October 2003
Components
Wings- 1st Fighter1st Fighter WingThe 1st Fighter Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Combat Command Ninth Air Force. It is stationed at Langley Air Force Base, Va...
: attached 1 July 1949 – 1 April 1950 - 330th Bombardment330th Aircraft Sustainment WingThe 330th Aircraft Sustainment Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force based out of Robins Air Force Base, Georgia.-Mission:...
: attached 27 June 1949 – 30 April 1951
Groups
- 22d Bombardment (later, 22d Operations) Group: 1 August 1948 – 16 June 1952 (detached 1 August 1948 – 30 June 1949; 14 November 1949 – 20 February 1950; 4 July – c. 31 October 1950); 1 September 1991 – .
- 458th Operations Group: 1 June 1992 – 1 July 1993
Squadrons
- 2d Bombardment Squadron2d Bombardment SquadronThe 2d Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Strategic Air Command 22d Bombardment Wing stationed at March AFB, California...
: attached 10 February 1951 – 15 June 1952, assigned 16 June 1952 – 15 March 1963; assigned 15 September 1963 – 1 October 1982; 1 February 1940 – 16 June 1952 (detached 10 February 1951 – 16 June 1952) This unit was later redesignated as the 2nd Strategic Squadron and returned to active service under the 306th Strategic Wing306th Flying Training GroupThe 306th Flying Training Group is a unit of the United States Air Force, assigned to the Air Education and Training Command's Nineteenth Air Force...
at RAF MildenhallRAF MildenhallRAF Mildenhall is a Royal Air Force station located at Mildenhall in Suffolk, England. Despite its status as an RAF station, it primarily supports United States Air Force operations and is currently the home of the 100th Air Refueling Wing...
, United Kingdom. - 6th Air Refueling Squadron6th Air Refueling SquadronThe 6th Air Refueling Squadron is part of the 60th Air Mobility Wing at Travis Air Force Base, California. It operates the KC-10 Extender aircraft conducting aerial refueling missions.-History:...
: 3 January 1989 – 1 September 1991; 1 September 1991 – 1 January 1994. - 9th Air Refueling Squadron9th Air Refueling SquadronThe 9th Air Refueling Squadron was initially activated in 1951, although its history can be traced back to the 9th Photographic Squadron of World War II...
: 1 August 1982 – 1 September 1991; 1 September 1991 – 1 January 1994. - 18th Reconnaissance (later, 408th Bombardment)408th Bombardment SquadronThe 408th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Strategic Air Command 22d Bombardment Wing stationed at March AFB, California...
: attached 1 February 1940 – 24 April 1942; assigned 24 April 1942 – 29 April 1946; 1 January 1959 – 1 January 1962 - 19th Bombardment Squadron: attached 10 February 1951 – 15 June 1952, assigned 16 June 1952 – 15 March 1963; 1 February 1940 – 16 June 1952
- 22d Air Refueling Squadron: attached 10 February 1951 – 15 June 1952, assigned 16 June 1952 – 15 June 1960; assigned 1 July 1963 – 1 December 1989; 16 June 1950 – 16 June 1952.
- 33d Bombardment Squadron: attached 10 February 1951 – 15 June 1952, assigned 16 June 1952 – 15 March 1963; 1 February 1940 – 16 June 1952.
- 320th Refueling Squadron: 16 June 1960 – 15 September 1962
- 344th Air Refueling Squadron344th Air Refueling SquadronThe 344th Air Refueling Squadron is part of the 22d Air Refueling Wing at McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas. It operates the KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft conducting aerial refueling missions.-History:...
: 29 April 1994 – . - 349th Air Refueling Squadron349th Air Refueling SquadronThe 349th Air Refueling Squadron is part of the 22d Air Refueling Wing at McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas. It operates the KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft conducting aerial refueling missions.-History:...
: 1 January 1994 – . - 350th Air Refueling Squadron350th Air Refueling SquadronThe 350th Air Refueling Squadron is part of the 22d Air Refueling Wing at McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas. It operates the KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft conducting aerial refueling missions.-Mission:...
: 1 July 1994 – . - 352d Bombardment Squadron352d Bombardment SquadronThe 353d Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 301st Bombardment Group, stationed at Lockbourne Air Force Base, Ohio. It was inactivated on 16 June 1952-History:...
: attached 20 September – c. November 1951 - 384th Air Refueling Squadron384th Air Refueling SquadronThe 384th Air Refueling Squadron is part of the 22d Air Refueling Wing at McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas. It operates the KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft conducting aerial refueling missions.-History:...
: 1 January 1994 – . - 459th Airlift Squadron459th Airlift SquadronThe 459th Airlift Squadron is part of the 374th Airlift Wing at Yokota Air Base, Japan. It operates UH-1 Iroquois and C-12J Huron aircraft providing aeromedical evacuation and search and rescue missions.-History:...
, 1 April – 1 October 1993. - 486th Bombardment Squadron486th Bombardment SquadronThe 486th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 22d Bombardment Wing, stationed at March Air Force Base, California. It was inactivated on 1 July 1971-History:...
: 2 October 1966 – 1 July 1971 - 909th Air Refueling Squadron909th Air Refueling SquadronThe 909th Air Refueling Squadron is part of the 18th Wing at Kadena Air Base, Japan. It operates the KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft conducting aerial refueling missions.-Mission:...
: 25 June 1966 – 1 July 1971
Stations
- Smoky Hill AFB, KansasKansasKansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
, 1 August 1948 - March AFB, California, 1 May 1949 - 31 December 1993
- McConnell AFB KansasKansasKansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
, since 1 January 1994
Aircraft operated
- F-86 SabreF-86 SabreThe 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...
(1949–1950) - KC-97 StratotankerKC-97 StratotankerThe Boeing KC-97 Stratotanker was a United States strategic tanker aircraft based on the Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter. It was succeeded by the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker.-Design and development:...
(1952–1962) - B-47 StratojetB-47 StratojetThe Boeing Model 450 B-47 Stratojet was a long-range, six-engined, jet-powered medium bomber built to fly at high subsonic speeds and at high altitudes. It was primarily designed to drop nuclear bombs on the Soviet Union...
(1953–1963) - B-52 StratofortressB-52 StratofortressThe Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is a long-range, subsonic, jet-powered strategic bomber operated by the United States Air Force since the 1950s. The B-52 was designed and built by Boeing, who have continued to provide maintainence and upgrades to the aircraft in service...
(1963–1982) - EC-135 Bird of PreyBoeing EC-135The Boeing EC-135 was a command & control version of the C-135 Stratolifter. Modified for the "Looking Glass" program, during the Cold War EC-135 were airborne 24 hours a day to serve as flying command platforms for the military in the event of nuclear war...
(1963–1970)
- 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...
(1963–1989; 1994–present) - KC-10 ExtenderKC-10 ExtenderThe McDonnell Douglas KC-10 Extender is the military adaptation of the three-engined DC-10 airliner for the United States Air Force . The KC-10 incorporates military-specific equipment for its primary roles of transport and aerial refueling. It was developed to supplement the KC-135 Stratotanker...
(1982–1994) - C-21 (1992–1993)
- C-12 HuronC-12 HuronThe C-12 Huron is the military designation for a series of twin-engine turboprop aircraft based on the Beechcraft Super King Air and Beechcraft 1900. C-12 variants are used by the United States Air Force, United States Army, United States Navy and United States Marine Corps...
(1993–1995)
References for commands and major units assigned, components and stations:
Operations
- Korean WarKorean WarThe Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
- Operation Urgent Fury
- Operation Northern WatchOperation Northern WatchOperation Northern Watch, the successor to Operation Provide Comfort, was a US European Command Combined Task Force charged with enforcing its own no-fly zone above the 36th parallel in Iraq...
- Operation Southern WatchOperation Southern WatchOperation Southern Watch was an operation conducted by Joint Task Force Southwest Asia with the mission of monitoring and controlling airspace south of the 32nd Parallel in Iraq, following the 1991 Gulf War until the 2003 invasion of Iraq.-Summary:Operation Southern Watch began on 27 August 1992...
- Operation Deliberate Force
- Operation Allied ForceOperation Allied ForceThe NATO bombing of Yugoslavia was NATO's military operation against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia during the Kosovo War. The strikes lasted from March 24, 1999 to June 10, 1999...
- Operation Enduring Freedom
- Operation Iraqi Freedom
See also
- List of B-47 units of the United States Air Force
- List of B-52 Units of the United States Air Force