186th Air Refueling Wing
186th Air Refueling Wing | |
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Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | |
Commanders | |
Current commander | Colonel Cynthia Smith |
Insignia | |
186th Air Refueling Wing emblem | |
186th Tactical Reconnaissance Group emblem | |
Tail Stripe |
The 186th Air Refueling Wing is a unit of the
The
Overview
The 186th Air Refueling Wing provides worldwide air refueling support to combat commands of the United States Air Force, and to other United States military forces and the military forces of allied nations flying the KC-135 Stratotanker. With over 1,200 officers and airmen, the 186th is made up of mostly traditional guardsmen, but about one third of the members are full-time air technicians or active Guardsmen or reservists. The 186th also supports a
The
In 2011, the wing began transferring its KC-135 aircraft in preparation for transition to an airlift wing as the Formal Training Unit for the C-27J Spartan aircraft. In 2013, this decision was reversed following a related decision to eliminate the C-27J from the Air Force and Air National Guard inventory. The wing retained its status as an air refueling wing and began re-equipping again with the KC-135.[2]
Units
- 186th Operations Group
- 186th Maintenance Group
- 186th Mission Support Group
- 186th Medical Group
History
Tactical reconnaissance
On 15 October 1962, the Mississippi Air National Guard 153d Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron and its support elements expanded to form a group, and the 186th Tactical Reconnaissance Group was activated. The 153d becoming the group's flying squadron. Other units assigned to the group were the 186th Material Squadron, 186th Combat Support Squadron, and the 186th USAF Dispensary. Initially equipped with
In 1970 Tactical Air Command retired the group's Thunderstreakss and they were replaced by the
Air refueling
In 1992 the squadron's 186th Tactical Reconnaissance Group was realigned to an
The wing's additional mission recalls its roots as a reconnaissance unit. Its RC-26 supports law enforcement agencies in their counterdrug efforts and also deploys overseas for imagery collection for combatant commanders. The C-26 program has worked directly with law enforcement agencies since 1996 providing National Guard support to battle illegal narcotics and illicit drugs. Overseas deployments have supported Department of Defense and United States Southern Command objectives in South America. The C-26 is manned full-time and the program is managed through the Mississippi National Guard Counterdrug Coordinator's office.[1]
In September 2008 the Air Force and Air National Guard officials agreed to establish a temporary mission qualification training detachment within the wing called "Project Liberty" for the
In 2011, the 186th began converting to the
During the COVID-19 Pandemic, the Wing provided staff to assist with Covid-19 testing and, later, vaccinations.[4]
Lineage
- Constituted as the 186th Tactical Reconnaissance Group and allotted to the Air National Guard on 11 September 1962
- Activated and extended federal recognition on 15 October 1962
- Redesignated 186th Air Refueling Group on 13 April 1992
- Redesignated 186th Air Refueling Wing on 16 October 1995
Assignments
- 117th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, 15 October 1962
^
- Mississippi Air National Guard, 16 Oct 1995 – present
- Gaining Commands
- Tactical Air Command, 15 October 1962
- Air Combat Command, 30 June 1992
- Air Mobility Command, 1 October 1993 - Present
Components
- 186th Operations Group, c. 1 March 1994 – present
- 153d Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron(later 153d Air Refueling Squadron), 15 October 1962 – c. 1 March 1994
- 186th Air Operations Group
- 238th Air Support Operations Squadron
- 248th Air Traffic Control Squadron
Stations
- Key Field (later Key Field Air National Guard Base), 15 October 1962 – present
Aircraft
- Republic RF-84F Thunderflash: 1962–1970
- McDonnell RF-101C Voodoo: 1970–1979
- McDonnell RF-4C Phantom II: 1978–1991
- Boeing KC-135R Stratotanker: 1992– 2011, 2013–present
- Fairchild RC-26B Metroliner: 2007–present
- Beechcraft MC-12 Liberty: 2009–2011
- Alenia C-27J Spartan: 2011–2012
References
Notes
- ^ a b c "History of the 186th". 186th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs. 28 August 2013. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 9 November 2015.
- ^ "Factsheets : History of the 186th". Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 9 November 2015.
- ^ RF-101C 56-0166, on display at the National Museum of the United States Air Force, served with the 186th. The aircraft was flown directly from Key Field to the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio on its final flight 27 October 1978.
- ^ "Mississippi National Guard supports community with COVID-19 testing". 186th Air Refueling Wing. Retrieved 18 April 2021.
Bibliography
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
- Rogers, Brian. (2005). United States Air Force Unit Designations Since 1978. Hinkley, UK: Midland Publications. ISBN 1-85780-197-0.