147th Attack Wing
147th Attack Wing | |
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MQ-9 Reaper | |
Reconnaissance | RC-26B |
The 147th Attack Wing (147 ATKW) is a unit of the Texas Air National Guard, stationed at Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base, Houston, Texas. If activated to federal service, the Wing is gained by the United States Air Force Air Combat Command.
The
Overview
The 147th Attack Wing, at Ellington Field in Houston, TX, flies combat support missions 24/7 via advanced satellite communications thus providing surveillance, reconnaissance, and air support for US and Allied forces. In conducting combat support sorties, the 147 ATKW provides theater and national-level leadership with critical real-time Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance and air-to-ground munitions and strike capability. A colocated Air Support Operations Squadron provides terminal control for weapons employment in a close air support scenario integrating combat air and ground operations.
Units
The 147th Attack Wing consists of the following units:
- 147th Operations Group
- 111th Attack Squadron
- 111th Weather Flight
- 147th Operations Support Squadron
- 147th Operations Group Detachment One (JBSA-Randolph)
- 147th Air Support Operations Squadron
- 147th Maintenance Group
- 147th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron
- 147th Maintenance Operations Flight
- 147th Munitions Flight
- 147th Mission Support Group
- 147th Civil Engineer Squadron
- 147th Communications Flight
- 147th Force Support Squadron
- 147th Logistics Readiness Squadron
- 147th Security Forces Squadron
- 147th Medical Group
History
In 1957, the Texas Air National Guard 111th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, stationed at Ellington Air Force Base, near Houston was authorized to expand to a group level under the
Air Defense
Initially equipped with the F-86D Sabre Interceptor, in June 1959 the squadron traded their F-86Ds for the upgraded
In August 1961, as part of an Air Defense Command re-organization, the Group's assignment to 136th Air Defense Wing was terminated with 136th being transferred to Tactical Air Command. The 147th was directly assigned to the Texas Air National Guard, being operationally gained by the Air Defense Command
On 1 January 1970, the squadron was re-designated as the 111th Combat Crew Training Squadron and served as the Air National Guard's RTU (Replacement Training Unit) for the TF/F-102A, In 1971, when the active-duty force ceased F-102A training and closed
One pilot who flew TF/F-102As with the 111th was 1st Lt.
In May 1971, the 111th added
The 111th also operated detachment 1 of the 147th FIW at New Orleans. The detachment was apart from the squadron in that it maintained constant alert status whilst facing towards Cuba.
In October 1979, in as part of the inactivation of
In December 1989 the 111th FIS started receiving block 15
In 1992, only a few years following the acceptance of their block 15s, they converted to the ADF variant of the block 15. On 15 March 1992 the 111th FIS was re-designated the 111th Fighter Squadron when its parent 147th Fighter Group converted to the USAF Objective Organization plan. Also in 1992 the 111th FS celebrated their 75th anniversary. To commemorate this F-16A ADF #82-1001 was painted in special markings including a big Texas flag painted on the fuselage underside. During September 1995, the 111th FS ended its alert detachment in New Orleans with the F-101 Voodoo, also the 147th was upgraded to a Wing, with the 111th Fighter Squadron being assigned to the new 147th Operations Group.
Tactical Fighter mission
In late 1996 the 111th started to retire their ADF F-16s to AMARC. To replace these aircraft the squadron received the block 25 F-16C/D Fighting Falcon. Transition started in September 1996 and was completed by February 1997. This brought a change in role which officially happened in October 1998. The role went from air-to-air to an air-to-ground mission. After returning from an Operation Southern Watch mission at Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia in October 2000, the squadron added Precision Guided Munitions to its arsenal.
Global War on Terrorism
Following the
In August 2005 components of the 111th Fighter Squadron and 147th Fighter Wing deployed to Balad Airbase, Iraq to conduct combat operations in support of
In April 2007, components of the 111th Fighter Squadron and 147th Fighter Wing again deployed to Balad Airbase, Iraq for the
BRAC 2005 reorganization
During the
As was earlier planned in 2005, the 111th FS gave up its last two F-16s on 7 June 2008 and F-16 operations drew to a close. The MQ-1 replaced the F-16 and the parent wing was renamed the 147th Reconnaissance Wing that same month.
The 111th RS received its first MQ-9 Reaper on 28 July 2017, and the parent wing was renamed 147th Attack Wing shortly thereafter.
Lineage
- Established as the 147th Fighter Group (Air Defense) and allotted to the Air National Guard, 1957
- Extended federal recognition on: 1 July 1957
- Redesignated 147th Fighter Group, 10 March 1992
- Status changed from Group to Wing, 1 October 1995
- Redesignated 147th Fighter Wing, 1 October 1995
- Redesignated 147th Reconnaissance Wing, 1 July 2008
- Redesignated 147th Attack Wing, 2017
Assignments
- 136th Air Defense Wing, 1 July 1957
- Texas Air National Guard, 1 September 1961
- Gained by: Air Defense Command
- Gained by: Air Defense Command, 25 June 1963
- Gained by: Air Defense Command, 1 April 1966
- Gained by: 31st Air Division, Aerospace Defense Command, 15 January 1968
- Gained by: Fourteenth Air Force, Aerospace Defense Command, 31 December 1969
- Gained by: 20th Air Division, Aerospace Defense Command, 1 July 1973
- Gained by: Air Defense, Tactical Air Command (ADTAC), 1 October 1979
- Gained by: Southeast Air Defense Sector (SEADS), First Air Force, 1 July 1987
- Gained by: Air Combat Command, 1 October 1996–present
Components
- 147th Operations Group, 1 October 1995 – present
- 111th Fighter-Interceptor (later Fighter, Reconnaissance) Squadron, 1 July 1957 – present
Stations
- Ellington Air Force Base, Houston, Texas, 1 July 1957
- Ellington Air National Guard Base, Houston, Texas, 1 July 1976
- Designated: Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base, Houston, Texas, 1991–present
Aircraft
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References
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
- ^ George W. Bush in the Texas Air National Guard
- ^ a b 111th History Archived 16 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine Access date: 13 May 2007.
- ^ An 'Air Tasking Order' is a military order used to task and disseminate to components, subordinate units, and command and control agencies projected sorties/capabilities/forces to targets and specific missions. It normally provides specific instructions to include call signs, targets, controlling agencies, etc., as well as general instructions.
- ^ 147th Fighter Wing Public Affairs Office, Public release. Houston, Texas: 147th Fighter Wing Public Affairs Office, 10 June 2007.
- 147th Attack Wing official website