177th Fighter Wing
177th Fighter Wing | |
---|---|
Active | 15 October 1962 – present |
Country | United States |
Allegiance | New Jersey |
Branch | Air National Guard |
Type | Wing |
Role | Fighter |
Part of | New Jersey Air National Guard |
Garrison/HQ | Atlantic City Air National Guard Base, Egg Harbor, New Jersey |
Nickname(s) | "Jersey Devils" |
Tail Code | Red Tail Stripe "New Jersey" in white, "AC" |
Commanders | |
Current commander | Colonel Derek Routt |
Insignia | |
177th Fighter Wing emblem |
The 177th Fighter Wing (177 FW) is a unit of the New Jersey Air National Guard, stationed at Atlantic City Air National Guard Base, New Jersey. If activated to federal service, the Wing is gained by the United States Air Force Air Combat Command.
The
Mission
Federal Mission: provide combat-ready citizen airmen, aircraft and equipment for worldwide deployment in support of United States Air Force objectives.
State Mission: support the citizens of New Jersey by protecting life and property, preserving the peace, order, and public safety when called upon by the Governor.
Units
- Headquarters 177th Fighter Wing[1]
- 177th Operations Group
- 119th Fighter Squadron
- 227th Air Support Operations Squadron
- 177th Operations Support Squadron
- 177th Fighter Wing Detachment 1, Warren Grove Gunnery Range
- 177th Maintenance Group
- 177th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron
- 177th Maintenance Operations Flight
- 177th Maintenance Squadron
- 177th Medical Group
- 177th Mission Support Group
- 177th Civil Engineering Squadron
- 177th Communications Squadron
- 177th Force Support Squadron
- 177th Logistics Readiness Squadron
- 177th Security Forces Squadron
History
Tactical Air Command
On 15 October 1962, the
January 1968 saw a new crisis, the
Air Defense mission
In 1972, the National Guard Bureau announced that the 177 TFG would be assigned to the
October 1984, the 177th FIG participated in the air defense community's Worldwide Weapons Meet, known as "William Tell", at
In July 1988 the 177th started receiving their first
During
Since October 1998, the wing has had an active involvement in
From 1 May through 13 June 1998, the wing deployed five F-16C Fighting Falcon aircraft and 46 personnel to Howard AFB, Panama, in support of OPERATION CORONET NIGHTHAWK. 130 personnel rotated on a two-week basis during the six-week deployment. Operating as part of a joint interagency task force, the wing's role was to detect and identify suspected drug smuggling aircraft. Once identified, the suspected aircraft are turned over to law enforcement agencies for apprehension.
As a result of the September 11 attacks on the United States in 2001 the Wing found itself in a key position. Located between New York and Washington DC, the 119th FS was immediately tasked with providing combat air patrols over cities in its region. In fact three aircraft were scrambled to intercept the aircraft that impacted the Pentagon, but were too late. They were then vectored to intercept flight 93 which eventually crashed in Pennsylvania. Although these three pilots did not know it at the time they would have been given authorization to down the airliners once intercepted. Following the attacks, the 119th FS began flying missions for Operation Noble Eagle. On 12 July 2002 the squadron flew its 1000th mission for Operation Nobel Eagle. From that year they also started to contribute in other overseas contingency operations.
The Fighter Wing has earned numerous awards to include the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award for the 2016-2017 and the 2018-2019 periods.[3] In 2019, the 177th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron (AMXS) was recognized as the Air National Guard top maintenance unit when it won the Category 1 Maintenance Effectiveness Award.[4] The 177th Medical Group earned the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award in 2009.[5]
Lineage
- Designated 177th Tactical Fighter Group, and allotted to New Jersey ANG, 1962
- Extended federal recognition and activated, 15 October 1962
- Placed in Non-Operational Status, 26 January 1968 – 18 June 1969
- Re-designated: 177th Fighter-Interceptor Group, 27 Jan 1973
- Re-designated: 177th Fighter Group, 15 Mar 1992
- Status changed from Group to Wing, 11 October 1995
- Re-designated: 177th Fighter Wing, 11 October 1995
Assignments
- New Jersey Air National Guard, 15 October 1962
- Gained by: Tactical Air Command
- Gained by: Aerospace Defense Command, 27 January 1973
- Gained by: Air Defense, Tactical Air Command, 1 October 1979
- Gained by: First Air Force, Tactical Air Command, 6 December 1985
- Attached to: Northeast Air Defense Sector, 1 July 1987
- Attached to: Northeast Air Defense Sector (ANG), 1 December 1994
- Attached to: Eastern Air Defense Sector, 15 July 2009 – present
Components
- 177th Operations Group, 11 October 1995 – Present
- 119th Tactical Fighter (later Fighter-Interceptor, later Fighter) Squadron, 15 October 1962 – 26 January 1968; 18 June 1969 – 11 October 1995
- Assigned to 177th OG, 11 October 1995 – present
Stations
- National Aviation Facilities Experimental Center, Atlantic City, New Jersey, 15 October 1962 – 26 January 1968; 18 June 1969
- Designated: Atlantic City Air National Guard Base, New Jersey, 1991–present
Aircraft
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References
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
- ^ "Units". 177th Fighter Wing. US Air Force. Archived from the original on 17 September 2008. Retrieved 20 March 2020.
- ^ "117 FW". ANG News. Archived from the original on 29 December 2008. Retrieved 8 August 2012.
- ^ "177th Fighter Wing Repeats as Air Force Outstanding Unit". 177th Fighter Wing | New Jersey Air National Guard. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
- ^ "177th Fighter Wing Wins Maintenance Effectiveness Award". 177th Fighter Wing. New Jersey Air National Guard. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
- ^ "177th Fighter Wing Medical Group Receives Air Force Outstanding Unit Award". 177th Fighter Wing. New Jersey Air National Guard. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
- 177th Fighter Wing at GlobalSecurity.org