125th Fighter Wing

125th Fighter Wing
TSgt Aaron Hartley of the Florida Air National Guard's Det. 1, 125th Fighter Wing, guides F-15A-13-MC Eagle AF Ser. No. 75-0029 on the flightline at Homestead Air Reserve Base
Active	1 July 1956-Present
Country	United States
Allegiance	Florida
Branch	Air National Guard
Type	Wing
Role	Air Defense Fighter
Size	1100
Part of	Florida Air National Guard
Garrison/HQ	Jacksonville Air National Guard Base, Florida
Tail Code	Dark Blue tail stripe "Florida" in white letters, lighting bolt
Commanders
Current commander	Colonel Simpler
Notable commanders	General Craig R. McKinley
Insignia
125th Fighter Wing emblem

The 125th Fighter Wing (125 FW) is a unit of the Florida Air National Guard, stationed at Jacksonville Air National Guard Base, Florida. If activated to federal service with the United States Air Force, the 125 FW is gained by the Air Combat Command.

Overview

As an Air National Guard unit, the 125th Fighter Wing has a dual mission - one state and one federal. The state mission under Title 32 of the United States Code (Title 32 USC) is to provide trained and equipped personnel to protect life and property and to preserve peace, order, and public safety under the Governor of the State of Florida as part of the Florida Air National Guard. The federal mission under Title 10 USC is to provide fully trained and qualified personnel to the Commander, United States Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) / North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) in time of war or national emergency for the defense of the North American continent, with operational responsibility for the 125 FW as a U.S. Air Force unit falling to the Air Combat Command (ACC). The 125 FW is also available to other combatant commanders for forward deployment in order to perform air superiority/air dominance missions in other theaters outside of the United States.

In addition to its primary installation, the Jacksonville Air National Guard Base at Jacksonville International Airport, the 125 FW also maintains an alert detachment of F-15 Eagle fighter aircraft at Detachment 1, 125 FW, Operating Location AA (OL-AA) at Homestead Air Reserve Base in South Florida. The overall wing organization comprises over 1100 citizen airmen in a combination of full-time Active Guard and Reserve (AGR) and Air Reserve Technicians (ART) and traditional part-time drilling air guardsman (TG) categories.

Units

125th Operations Group (125 OG)

159th Fighter Squadron (159 FS)

125th Operations Support Flight (125 OSF)

125 FW Detachment 1/OL-AA - GSU at Homestead ARB

114th Space Control Squadron (114 SPCS) - GSU at Patrick AFB

159th Weather Flight (159 WF) - GSU at Camp Blanding

131st Training Flight (131 TF) - GSU at Camp Blanding

125th Maintenance Group (125 MXG)

125th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron

125th Maintenance Squadron

125th Maintenance Operations Flight

125th Mission Support Group (125 MSG)

125th Force Support Squadron

125th Logistics Readiness Squadron

125th Civil Engineering Squadron

125th Security Forces Squadron

202nd RED HORSE Squadron (202 RHS) - GSU at Camp Blanding

290th Joint Communications Support Squadron (290 JCSS) - GSU at MacDill AFB

125th Communications Flight

125th Medical Group (125 MDG)

History

On 1 July 1956, the Florida Air National Guard's 159th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron was authorized to expand to a group level, and the 125th Fighter-Interceptor Group was established by the National Guard Bureau. The 159th FIS becoming the group's flying squadron. Other squadrons assigned into the group were the 125th Headquarters, 125th Material Squadron (Maintenance), 125th Combat Support Squadron, and the 125th USAF Dispensary.

With the establishment of the 125th FIG, the unit converted to the F-86D (Dog) Sabre with the primary mission of continental air defense of the southeastern United States. In 1958, the 125th became the first Air National Guard unit to earn the right to compete in the Air Defense Command's annual WILLIAM TELL Weapons Meet, and was the first team ever to fire a perfect score in that competition.

North American F-86L Sabres of the 159th FIS at Imeson Airport, 1957

In July 1960, the 125th converted from the F-86D to the all-weather, supersonic F-102A and F-102B Delta Dagger. In 1971, following completion of the new Jacksonville International Airport, the 125 FIG relocated from the Jacksonville Imeson Airport to a newly constructed military installation, the current Jacksonville Air National Guard Base, at the new airport. With the concurrent closure of Imeson Airport to all flight operations and its conversion to an industrial park, the 125 FIG vacated its former facilities and turned over same to the City of Jacksonville.

In 1965, given increased Soviet Air Force aircraft operations in Cuba, the 125 FIG established Operating Location Alfa Alfa (OL-AA) and 125 FIG, Detachment 1, at Homestead AFB, Florida to provide air defense ready alert fighter aircraft in the southern portion of Florida. This same alert detachment continues operations today at the present day Homestead ARB with 125th aircraft, pilots and support personnel periodically rotated from home station in Jacksonville.

In January 1968, Air Defense Command was renamed Aerospace Defense Command (ADC) and continued to be the 125 FIG's gaining command.

In July 1974, the 125 FIG converted to the F-106A and F-106B Delta Dart. Only one year after the F-106 conversion, the unit again earned the right to compete that year's annual Air Force air-to-air weapons competition, WILLIAM TELL ‘76, at Tyndall AFB, Florida.

In March 1980, ADC was inactivated and the air defense mission transferred to Tactical Air Command (TAC). TAC then became the gaining command for the 125 FIG.

Convair F-106B, AF Ser. No. 57-2509 and F-106A, AF Ser. No. 58-0788. 2509 was sent to AMARC on 24 May 1990 as FN0196. Modified to a QF-106 target drone (AD268) on 23 June 1994. Written off 7 Oct 1997 after ground fire. Purchased by private individual Apr 2000 and moved to El Paso, TX for restoration. 788 was sent to AMARC on 22 Jan 1987 and also modified as a QF-106 target drone (AD150). Shot down by a Patriot missile on 24 Sept 1992.

In April 1987, the 125th converted to the F-16A and F-16B Fighting Falcon, a multi-role fighter that was subsequently modified as the F-16ADF, specifically designed for the Air Defense role. The 125th was the first ANG unit to assume NORAD Air Defense Alert with the F-16ADF, the first operational F-16ADF unit to employ the AIM-7 Sparrow III missile and the first F-16ADF unit to sit alert with the AIM-7 missile.

With the disestablishment of Tactical Air Command (TAC) in 1992, the 125 FIG's gaining command changed to the newly created Air Combat Command (ACC). As part of this change, the unit's designation was changed to 125th Fighter Group (125 FG). With creation of the USAF "objective wing" construct in the early 1990s, the bulk of all Air National Guard groups with operational flying missions were redesignated as wings. As a result, the 125 FG was subsequently redesignated as the 125th Fighter Wing (125 FW), the designation it continues to hold today.

In June 1995, the 125 FW converted to the F-15A and F-15B Eagle, a fighter which added air superiority capability to the Air Defense Mission. During the late 1990s, the 125 FW was also fully integrated into the USAF Air and Space Expeditionary Force (AEF) construct and routinely deployed aircraft and personnel to the 363rd Air Expeditionary Wing at Prince Sultan Air Base, Al Kharj, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in support of Operation SOUTHERN WATCH, enforcing the No Fly Zone over southern Iraq. Since 11 Sep 2001, the wing has also been extensively involved in Operation NOBLE EAGLE, performing its historic continental air defense mission, as well as continuing to deploy aircraft and personnel to U.S. Central Command Air Forces (USCENTAF), later renamed U.S. Air Forces Central (USAFCENT), in Southwest Asia in support of Operations ENDURING FREEDOM and IRAQI FREEDOM.

On a daily basis, the 125 FW is responsible for the maintenance of a USNORTHCOM / NORAD Air Defense Alert mission at both its home station in Jacksonville, Florida and at an additional operating location at Homestead ARB, Florida. In this capacity, the wing provides armed F-15 aircraft capable of intercepting, identifying, and, if necessary, destroying unknown aircraft which penetrate sovereign U.S. airspace. In the past, this threat has included Soviet Tu-95 Bear bombers, various Soviet-built Cuban Air Force fighters, and civilian narcotics traffickers of various nationalities.

When it initially converted to the Air Defense Fighter (ADF) variant of the F-16A, the 125 FW was the first operational NORAD Air Defense Alert unit to employ the AIM-7 Sparrow III missile, the first F-16ADF unit to sit alert with the AIM-7, and the first unit to deploy to the former Howard AFB, Panama in support of JCS-directed operation CORONET NIGHTHAWK using enhanced identification tactics. In October 1995, the 125 FW became the first unit ever to complete a transition from one fourth generation fighter to another fourth generation fighter as it transitioned from the F-16ADF to the F-15A/B. In April 1997, the 125 FW became the first Air Defense Unit to employ as Blue Air in an Offensive Counter Air (OCA) role, integrated with an active duty unit during a Red Flag exercise at Nellis AFB, Nevada.

The 125 FW was rated “Outstanding” during an Alert Force Evaluation by the North American Aerospace Defense Command Inspector General in November 1997. This was the highest rating ever given by NORAD. In January 1998, the 125th Fighter Wing received an “Outstanding” on its Operational Readiness Inspection (ORI). During this period, the wing also participated in Operation Southern Watch, routinely deploying to Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia for operational relief of Regular Air Force F-15C/D units. In 2000, the wing began transitioning to the F-15A/B Multistage Improvement Program (MSIP) variant of the F-15A and F-15B Eagle, and in 2006 transitioned again to the newer F-15C and F-15D models of the Eagle that it currently flies.

The 125 FW previously operated a single C-130E, followed by a single WC-130H Hercules aircraft (the latter with weather reconnaissance equipment removed) for logistical support of the wing, geographically separated units (GSUs) of the Florida Air National Guard and additional "as needed" airlift support to the Florida Army National Guard. This capability is currently gapped until another support aircraft can be assigned. The 125 FW also operates a C-26B aircraft in support of state and federal law enforcement agencies under Title 32 USC authority. In November 2014, in order to comply with Air Force Instruction 38-101, several geographically separated units (GSUs) of the Florida Air National Guard were administratively realigned under the 125th Fighter Wing. These included the 114th Space Control Squadron at Patrick AFB, the 290th Joint Communications Support Squadron at MacDill AFB and the 202nd RED HORSE Squadron, 159th Weather Flight and 131st Training Flight at Camp Blanding. The 101st Air and Space Operations Group and HQ FLANG Detachment 1 at Tyndall AFB were unaffected by these changes.^[1]

The 125 FW regularly participates in RED FLAG at the USAF Warfare Center at Nellis AFB, Nevada, as part of its on-going readiness program.

Lineage

Emblem of the 125th FIS

Established as 125th Fighter-Interceptor Group on 1 July 1956

Re-designated: 125th Fighter Group on 15 March 1992

Status changed from Group to Wing, 1 October 1995

Re-designated: 125th Fighter Wing on 1 October 1995

Assignments

Florida Air National Guard, 1 July 1956 – Present

Gained by: 35th Air Division, Air Defense Command

Gained by: Montgomery Air Defense Sector, Air Defense Command, 1 July 1960

Gained by: 32d Air Division, Air Defense Command, 1 April 1966

Gained by: 32d Air Division, Aerospace Defense Command, 15 January 1968

Gained by: 20th Air Division, Aerospace Defense Command, 1 January 1970

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: Southeast Air Defense Sector (ANG), Florida ANG, 1 October 1995

Gained by: Northeast Air Defense Sector (NEADS), First Air Force, 1 November 2005

Gained by: Eastern Air Defense Sector (EADS), First Air Force, 15 July 2009

Components

125th Operations Group, 1 October 1995 – Present
159th Fighter-Interceptor (later Fighter) Squadron, 1 Jul 1956-1 October 1995

Assigned to 125 OG, 1 October 1995-Present

Stations

Jacksonville Imeson Airport, 1 Jul 1956–1968
Jacksonville International Airport, 1968–Present

Designated: Jacksonville Air National Guard Base, 1991-Present

Aircraft

F-86D Sabre Interceptor (1956–1960)
F-102A Delta Dagger (1960–1974)
F-106A/B Delta Dart (1974–1987)

F-16A/B/ADF Fighting Falcon (1987–1995)
F-15A/B Eagle (1995–2006)
F-15C/D Eagle (2006 – present)

References

This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.

↑ http://www.fl.ng.mil/290379

125TH FIGHTER WING'S SECRET ROLE: The county's little secret does a lot to protect the skies along the coast. The Times-Union
Florida ANG 60th Anniversary History Document
Rogers, B. (2006). United States Air Force Unit Designations Since 1978. ISBN 1-85780-197-0
Cornett, Lloyd H. and Johnson, Mildred W., A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization 1946 - 1980, Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center, Peterson AFB, CO (1980).

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to 125th Fighter Wing (United States).

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Centers	Air National Guard Readiness ANG AFRC Test ANG Weather Readiness I.G. Brown Air National Guard Training and Education

Wings and Groups

Wings

Composite	108th 113th 118th 119th 127th 140th 154th 175th 176th 178th 188th

Air Control	116th

Airlift	103d 105th 107th 109th 120th 123d 130th 133d 136th 139th 143d 145th 146th 152d 153d 156th 164th 165th 166th 167th 172d 179th 182d 189th

Air Refueling	101st 117th 121st 126th 128th 134th 137th 141st 151st 155th 157th 161st 168th 171st 185th 186th 190th

Attack	110th 174th

Bomb	131st

Fighter	52d* 53d* 54th* 55th* 60th* 61st* 62d* 63d* 66th* 67th* 71st* 86th* 104th 106th* 111th 114th 115th 122d 124th 125th 132d 138th 142d 144th 148th 149th 150th 159th 162d 169th 173d 177th 180th 183d 187th 192d

Intelligence	102d 181st 184th

Reconnaissance	147th 163d

Regional Support	194th

Rescue	106th 129th

Special Operations	150th 193d

Groups

Composite	170th

Airlift	135th*

Air Operations	102d 152d 157th

Air Refueling	112th* 127th 160th*

Combat Communications	162d 163d 201st 226th 252d 254th 281st*

Cyberspace Engineering Installation	251st 253d

Operations	140th

Reconnaissance	214th

Squadrons

Flying

Air Command and Control	12th 128th

Airlift	105th 109th 115th 118th 130th 135th* 136th 137th 139th 142d 143d 144th 155th 156th 158th 164th 165th 167th 169th 172d 180th 181st 183d 186th 187th 189th* 192d 198th 200th 201st 204th 249th

Air Refueling	106th 108th 116th 117th 126th 132d 133d 141st 145th 146th 147th 150th 151st 153d 166th 168th 171st 173d 174th 185th 191st 197th 203d

Attack	138th

Bomb	110th

Fighter	100th 103d 104th 107th 112th 114th 119th 120th 121st 122d 123d 124th 125th 131st 134th 148th 149th 152d 157th 159th 160th* 163d 170th* 175th 176th 179th 182d 184th 190th 194th 195th 199th

Reconnaissance	111th 162d 178th 196th 214th

Rescue	101st 102d 103d 129th 130th 131st 188th 210th 211th 212th

Special Operations	193d

Training	154th

Non-Flying

Air Control	103d 116th 117th 128th 141st 176th

Air Operations	112th

Air Support	113th ASOS 172d

Air Traffic Control	270th 245th

Civil Engineering	285th Civil Engineering Squadron

Combat Communications	143d 147th 149th 206th 221st 222d 223d 225th 228th 231st 232d 234th 236th 239th 240th 242d 244th 256th 261st 262d 263d 264th 265th 267th 269th 271st 272d 280th 282d 283d 291st 292d 293d

Command and Control	119th 127th 153d 222d

Engineering Installation	130th 202d 205th 210th 211th 212th 213th 214th 215th 217th 218th 219th 220th 241st 243d 270th 272d

Force Support	187th

Information Warfare Aggressor	177th

Intelligence	101st 117th 123d 152d 161st 194th 234th

Joint Communications Support	224th 290th

Logistics Readiness	187th

RED HORSE	202d 203d 819th

Security Forces	187th

Space Control	114th

Space Operations	111th 148th

Space Warning	137th 213th

Special Operations Communications	193d 280th

Special Tactics	125th

Asterisk (*) denotes an inactive unit

United States Air Force

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Structure

Commands	Reserve Air National Guard Field Operating Agencies Installations

Direct Reporting Units	District of Washington Operational Test and Evaluation Center USAF Academy

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