944th Fighter Wing
Encyclopedia
The United States Air Force
's 944th Fighter Wing is an initial fighter training (IFT) unit located at Luke AFB, Arizona
.
.
) at Luke AFB, Arizona
, is one of more than 50 flying units in the U.S. Air Force Reserve. The unit was activated at Luke AFB on 1 July 1987. The 944 FW flies the F-16C/D (Block 32 model). The unit is currently funded and manned for 15 F-16 aircraft.
The unit reports to Headquarters Tenth Air Force
(10 AF) at NAS Fort Worth JRB/Carswell ARS, Texas
, and Headquarters, Air Force Reserve Command
. Within the active Air Force, the wing was previously operationally-gained by the former Tactical Air Command
and its successor, the Air Combat Command
. It is currently gained by the Air Education and Training Command
(AETC).
The mission of the 944th Fighter Wing is to train F-16 pilots and provide combat ready fighter pilots for the Air Force
. During peacetime, the 944th trains reservists for worldwide deployments and has participated in real-world operational deployments in support of Operation Provide Comfort
II and Operation Northern Watch
(Northern Iraq), and Deny Flight
/Decisive Edge (missions over Bosnia-Herzegovina), Operation Southern Watch
(Southern Iraq) and has flown combat missions over the AOR during Operation Enduring Freedom. Additionally, approximately 100 reservists were mobilized in direct support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Noble Eagle
.
The 944 FW was the first Air Force Reserve fighter unit to fly operational missions with the coalition task force over Northern Iraq in support of Provide Comfort II in 1992-1993. The unit flew 1,090 hours or 308 sorties with only one sortie lost due to maintenance.
The unit has an authorized strength of 1,050 personnel. Roughly one-quarter (231) of assigned personnel are full-time Air Reserve Technicians (ARTs) who provide continuity between weekend training periods. The annual payroll comes to almost $22 million. The value of unit resources, weapon systems, capital assets, and inventory comes to almost $300 million. The unit maintains facilities housing over 207,300 square feet (approximately 19.7 percent of Luke AFB facility space).
The majority of personnel are traditional reservists that meet during one required weekend unit training assembly (UTA) each month, augmented by numerous additional weekends and weekdays in an additional drill or active duty status. The reservists represent a wide variety of civilian careers, including airline pilots, doctors, engineers, elected officials, teachers, plumbers, mechanics, corporate managers and local, state and federal government employees.
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 944th Fighter Wing is an initial fighter training (IFT) unit located at Luke AFB, Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
.
Mission
The mission of the 944th Fighter Wing is to train F-16 pilots and provide combat ready fighter pilots for the Air ForceAir force
An air force, also known in some countries as an air army, is in the broadest sense, the national military organization that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an army, navy or...
.
History
The 944th Fighter Wing (944 FW) of the (Air Force Reserve CommandAir 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....
) at Luke AFB, Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, is one of more than 50 flying units in the U.S. Air Force Reserve. The unit was activated at Luke AFB on 1 July 1987. The 944 FW flies the F-16C/D (Block 32 model). The unit is currently funded and manned for 15 F-16 aircraft.
The unit reports to Headquarters Tenth Air Force
Tenth Air Force
The Tenth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Reserve Command . It is headquartered at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas....
(10 AF) at NAS Fort Worth JRB/Carswell ARS, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, and Headquarters, 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....
. Within the active Air Force, the wing was previously operationally-gained by the former 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...
and its successor, the 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 ....
. It is currently gained by the Air Education and Training Command
Air Education and Training Command
Air Education and Training Command was established July 1, 1993, with the realignment of Air Training Command and Air University. It is one of the U.S. Air Force's ten major commands and reports to Headquarters, United States Air Force....
(AETC).
The mission of the 944th Fighter Wing is to train F-16 pilots and provide combat ready fighter pilots for the Air Force
Air force
An air force, also known in some countries as an air army, is in the broadest sense, the national military organization that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an army, navy or...
. During peacetime, the 944th trains reservists for worldwide deployments and has participated in real-world operational deployments in support of Operation Provide Comfort
Operation Provide Comfort
Operation Provide Comfort and Provide Comfort II were military operations by the United States and some of its Gulf War allies, starting in April 1991, to defend Kurds fleeing their homes in northern Iraq in the aftermath of the Persian Gulf War and deliver humanitarian aid to them.-Operation...
II and Operation Northern Watch
Operation Northern Watch
Operation 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...
(Northern Iraq), and Deny Flight
Operation Deny Flight
Operation Deny Flight was a North Atlantic Treaty Organization operation that began on April 12, 1993 as the enforcement of a United Nations no-fly zone over Bosnia and Herzegovina...
/Decisive Edge (missions over Bosnia-Herzegovina), Operation Southern Watch
Operation Southern Watch
Operation 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...
(Southern Iraq) and has flown combat missions over the AOR during Operation Enduring Freedom. Additionally, approximately 100 reservists were mobilized in direct support of Operation Enduring Freedom and 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...
.
The 944 FW was the first Air Force Reserve fighter unit to fly operational missions with the coalition task force over Northern Iraq in support of Provide Comfort II in 1992-1993. The unit flew 1,090 hours or 308 sorties with only one sortie lost due to maintenance.
The unit has an authorized strength of 1,050 personnel. Roughly one-quarter (231) of assigned personnel are full-time Air Reserve Technicians (ARTs) who provide continuity between weekend training periods. The annual payroll comes to almost $22 million. The value of unit resources, weapon systems, capital assets, and inventory comes to almost $300 million. The unit maintains facilities housing over 207,300 square feet (approximately 19.7 percent of Luke AFB facility space).
The majority of personnel are traditional reservists that meet during one required weekend unit training assembly (UTA) each month, augmented by numerous additional weekends and weekdays in an additional drill or active duty status. The reservists represent a wide variety of civilian careers, including airline pilots, doctors, engineers, elected officials, teachers, plumbers, mechanics, corporate managers and local, state and federal government employees.
Previous designations
- 944th Fighter Wing (1 October 1994–Present)
- 944th Fighter Group (1 June 1992 – 1 October 1994)
- 944th Tactical Fighter Group (1 July 1987 – 1 June 1992)
Squadrons assigned
- 302nd Fighter Squadron (1 July 1987-2007)
- 301st Fighter Squadron301st Fighter SquadronThe 301st Fighter Squadron is part of the 44th Fighter Group at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico. It operates the F-22A Raptor conducting advanced fighter training as a reserve corollary unit to the 49th Fighter Wing.-World War II:...
(2000-1 February 2010) - 69th Fighter Squadron69th Fighter SquadronThe 69th Fighter Squadron is a United States Air Force Reserve fighter squadron. It is assigned to the 944th Operations Group, stationed at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona.-Mission:...
(1 February 2010-present)