110th Attack Wing

110th Attack Wing

The 110th Attack Wing, which formerly operated manned aircraft, now hosts an operations center for the MQ-1 Predator (shown above) and the MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicles.
Active 1 September 1956–present
Country  United States
Allegiance  United States
 Michigan
Branch  United States Air Force
  Air National Guard
Type Wing
Part of Air Combat Command
Michigan Air National Guard
Garrison/HQ Kellogg Air National Guard Base, Battle Creek, Michigan
Tail Code MI
Insignia
110th Airlift Wing emblem

The 110th Attack Wing (110th ATKW) is a unit of the Michigan Air National Guard, stationed at Kellogg Air National Guard Base, Battle Creek, Michigan. If activated to federal service the Wing would be gained by the United States Air Force Air Combat Command.

Overview

The main operations unit of the wing is the 110th Air Operations Group, a remote-split operations center for MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper operations for Third Air Force. The aircraft and a contingent of maintainers are deployed forward, along with some pilots to handle takeoffs and landings, but the majority of the pilots remains stateside and operates the aircraft via satellite communications links.

Units

History

In 1956 the 172d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (FIS) of the Michigan Air National Guard was authorized to expand to a group level, and the United States Air Force constituted the 110th Fighter Group (Air Defense) and associated support units and allotted them to the Air National Guard for activation. The 172d FIS became the group's flying squadron. Other squadrons assigned into the group were the 110th Material Squadron, 110th Air Base Squadron, and the 110th USAF Dispensary.

In 1957, the 172d FIS received a new aircraft, the RB-57 Canberra, and a new mission – tactical reconnaissance. The resulting reorganization cost the 110th Fighter Group 40 percent of its manpower and its name – the group was inactivated and the 172d, now the 172d Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, once again became Battle Creek's primary Air National Guard unit. The activation of a non-flying squadron, the 127th Reconnaissance Technical Squadron, helped prevent the loss of additional Guard members.

In 1962, the 110th Tactical Reconnaissance Group and support organizations were reactivated with Major Howard Strand serving as its commander. Major Strand departed in January 1965 to become deputy commander of the 127th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing at Selfridge AFB, Michigan. He returned again in 1974 to lead the 110th until 1981.

The 172d flew Canberras until 1971, when it undertook the radical and unexpected transformation from the RB-57 jets to the smaller, prop-powered Cessna O-2 Skymaster. On 11 June 1971, the 110th Tactical Reconnaissance Group became the 110th Tactical Air Support Group. In 1980, the 110th saw a return to jet power when it reequipped with OA-37 Dragonfly.

In 1991 the 110th Tactical Air Support Group transitioned from the Dragonfly to the OA-10 Thunderbolt II, and was redesignated the 110th Fighter Group. In June 1995 the 110th Fighter Group became the 110th Fighter Wing.

In 1997 the wing took part in Operation Deny Flight. The 110th Fighter Wing served in both Iraq and Afghanistan, supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.

In May 1999 the 110th Fighter Wing was deployed to Trapani Italy in support of Operation Noble Anvil, the air operations over Kosovo.

The 110th Fighter Wing underwent a major transition moving from the A-10 aircraft to the Learjet C-21A aircraft in 2008. The C-21, which arrived in October 2008, is a twin turbofan engine passenger aircraft, the military version of the Lear Jet 35A. With a crew of two, it can accommodate eight passengers and 42 cubic feet (1,200 L) of cargo. For aero medical evacuations, it can carry one little litter or five ambulatory patients plus one flight nurse and two medical technicians. The 110th Fighter Wing was redesignated as the 110th Airlift Wing with no change in station. It changed from an Air Combat Command unit to an Air Mobility Command unit on 1 December 2009.[2]

The base also witnessed the creation of a new unit, the 217th Air Operations Group (AOG) on 1 April 2009. The 217th AOG is an organization supporting the 17th Air Force (AFAFRICA). The 217th AOG has four squadrons that include intelligence, communications, operations and Air Force Forces planning in a largely self-contained package.

On 13 December 2014, in a ceremony presided by Gov. Rick Snyder, the wing was redesignated as the 110th Attack Wing.

Lineage

Extended federal recognition and activated on 1 September 1956
Inactivated c. 12 April 1958
Activated on 1 October 1962
Redesignated 110th Tactical Air Support Group on 11 June 1971
Redesignated 110th Fighter Group on 16 October 1991
Redesignated 110th Fighter Wing on 1 October 1995
Redesignated 110th Airlift Wing, 1 March 2009
Redesignated 110th Attack Wing, 13 December 2014

Assignments

Gaining Commands
Air Defense Command, 1 September 1956 – 12 April 1958
Tactical Air Command, 1 October 1962
Air Combat Command, 1 June 1992
Air Mobility Command, 1 March 2009
Air Combat Command, 1 October 2013

Components

Groups

Operational Squadron

Stations

Designated: Kellogg Air National Guard Base, Michigan, 1991–Present

Aircraft

References

Notes

  1. ↑ http://www.110aw.ang.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123143192
  2. ↑ http://www.110aw.ang.af.mil/history/index.asp
  3. ↑ This unit was designated the 110th USAF Dispensary, 110th Tactical Dispensary, 110th Tactical Clinic, and 110th Medical Squadron before becoming a group in June 2004.
  4. ↑ Earlier 172d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 172d Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, 110th Tactical Air Support Squadron, 110th Fighter Squadron

Bibliography

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.

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