4310th Air Division
Encyclopedia
The 4310th Air Division (4310 AD) is an inactive United States Air Force
organization. It was last assigned to the Sixteenth Air Force
, and stationed at Nouasseur Air Base
, Morocco
. It was inactivated on 15 August 1963.
The command was activated on 15 January 1958 by absorbing the personnel and equipment of the 5th Air Division, which was inactivated the same day.
The 4310 AD supervised the Strategic Air Command
's Reflex forces in Morocco
. The Reflex force concept involved deploying B-47 Stratojet
medium bombardment aircraft non-stop from the United States to forward sites, with one air refueling. These aircraft remained on alert status for a specified number of days, then redeployed back to the United States. The division commander also acted as a representative to the Moroccan Liaison office for the Commander, Sixteenth Air Force
. support for occasional unscheduled aerial operations.
The division never had any assigned units, such as wings, only individual aircraft that were assigned to wings back in the United States. The division commander also acted as a representative to the Moroccan Liaison Office for the Commander, Sixteenth Air Force.
The unit was inactivated as part of SAC's closure of its Morocco bases.
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...
organization. It was last assigned to the Sixteenth Air Force
Sixteenth Air Force
The 16th Air Expeditionary Task Force is a provisional United States Air Force unit assigned to the United States Air Forces in Europe...
, and stationed at Nouasseur Air Base
Nouasseur Air Base
Nouasseur Air Base near Casablanca, French Morocco is a former United States Air Force Strategic Air Command base. It was designed for B-36 and B-47 bombers.Today, Nouasseur AB is known as Mohammed V International Airport.-Origins:...
, Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
. It was inactivated on 15 August 1963.
The command was activated on 15 January 1958 by absorbing the personnel and equipment of the 5th Air Division, which was inactivated the same day.
The 4310 AD supervised the 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 Reflex forces in Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
. The Reflex force concept involved deploying B-47 Stratojet
B-47 Stratojet
The 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...
medium bombardment aircraft non-stop from the United States to forward sites, with one air refueling. These aircraft remained on alert status for a specified number of days, then redeployed back to the United States. The division commander also acted as a representative to the Moroccan Liaison office for the Commander, Sixteenth Air Force
Sixteenth Air Force
The 16th Air Expeditionary Task Force is a provisional United States Air Force unit assigned to the United States Air Forces in Europe...
. support for occasional unscheduled aerial operations.
The division never had any assigned units, such as wings, only individual aircraft that were assigned to wings back in the United States. The division commander also acted as a representative to the Moroccan Liaison Office for the Commander, Sixteenth Air Force.
The unit was inactivated as part of SAC's closure of its Morocco bases.
Lineage
- Established as 4310 Air Division, and organized, on 15 January 1958
- Discontinued on 15 August 1963.
Stations
- Sidi Slimane AB, MoroccoMoroccoMorocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
, 15 January 1958 - Nouasseur AB, MoroccoMoroccoMorocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
, 15 June 1958-15 August 1963