430th Electronic Combat Squadron

430th Expeditionary Electronic Combat Squadron

Emblem of the 430th Expeditionary Electronic Combat Squadron
Active 1943-present
Country United States
Branch United States Air Force
Role Electronic Warfare
Size Squadron
430th ECS EF-111A Raven (EF-31) 67-037 with Cannon-based F-16 524 TFS
430 TFS F-16A Block 10C 80-0492 flying over the Grand Canyon in 1986
430th Fighter Squadron (World War II)

The 430th Expeditionary Electronic Combat Squadron is an active United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 451st Expeditionary Operations Group and stationed at Kandahar Air Base, Afghanistan.

History

World War II

Activated in August 1943 as a P-38 Lightning fighter squadron under IV Fighter Command in Southern California. Trained with the fighter over the Mojave Desert, moving to the European Theater of Operations (ETO), being assigned to Ninth Air Force in England during March 1944.

Engaged in combat operations beginning in April, making low level sweeps over Occupied France, attacking enemy transportation targets and military convoys, bridges, armor formations and airfields. During D-Day, the squadron flew patrols over the invasion fleet. Remained in England after D-Day until August, moving to France and primarily provided ground-air support to the United States First Army in Northern France. Moved to Occupied Germany at the end of the war, becoming part of the United States Air Forces in Europe army of occupation during the summer of 1945.

Personnel demobilized in Europe during 1945, returned to the United States in November as an administrative unit and was inactivated without personnel or equipment.

Cold War

Reactivated in Japan under Far East Air Forces, July 1952 as a result of the Korean War. Replaced Federalized Georgia Air National Guard personnel, receiving their F-84G Thunderjets. Moved to South Korea in August, engaging in combat operations from Kunsan Air Base (K-8). From Kunsan the squadron bombed and strafed bridges, bunkers, troop concentrations, artillery positions, and a host of other enemy targets

Moved to Taegu Air Base (K-2) in April 1953 being attached to the 58th Fighter Bomber Wing. Flew interdiction and close air support missions in as well as attacking special strategic targets such as military schools, dams, and port facilities in North Korea until the June 1953 Armistice, Remained in South Korea for over a year afterward to insure Communist compliance with the cease-fire.

Returned to Clovis AFB, New Mexico in November 1954. Squadron was re-equipped with F-86H Sabre fighter-bomber aircraft, being assigned to Twelfth Air Force, Tactical Air Command. Maintained proficiency in tactical fighter operations, deploying components, aircraft, and crews on a global basis in support of NATO, PACAF, AAC, and other organizations. Deployed to southeastern United States during the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962.

Reassigned to Nellis AFB, Nevada in 1966, becoming one of the first General Dynamics F-111A squadrons. Deployed aircraft to South Vietnam in early 1968, while still in training status at Nellis. Aircraft returned and development of the F-111 continued, finally reaching operational status in 1971.

Returned to Takhli RTAFB, Thailand in early 1972 as a result of the North Vietnamese Easter Offensive. Fully engaged in combat over North and South Vietnam for the balance of 1972, flying operations in good and bad weather when other squadrons were grounded. Flew approximately 4000 combat missions with excellent success rates in hitting targets even when visibility was near zero. Returned to the United States in March 1973.

Engaged in training new pilots with the F-111 during the mid-1970s, changing equipment to the F-4D Phantom II in 1975 during "Operation Ready Switch", sending F-111s to 366th TFW at Mountain Home AFB. Received new Block 1/5 F-16A/B Fighting Falcon aircraft in November 1980 after protractive development period in the 1970s. Conducted routine Tactical Air Command training and deployments from Nellis with the F-16s, upgrading to Block 10/15 models in the early 1980s. Inactivated September 1989 when aircraft were considered no longer front-line combat capable.

Modern era

Reactivated at Cannon AFB, New Mexico as the 430th Electronic Combat Squadron in August 1992 in conjunction with the realignment of all EF-111A Raven Electronic Warfare aircraft from Mountain Home AFB to Cannon. Relieved aircraft and trained 27th OG group personnel in operational use. Once completed was inactivated, squadron personnel and aircraft being re-designated as the senior 429th ECS as part of the Air Force Heritage Program.

Reactivated as the 430th Expeditionary Electronic Combat Squadron, Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan on 13 March 2013. The unit flies the E-11 "BACN" aircraft. The mission of the E-11A is to serve as a Battlefield Airborne Communications Node, a communications system that provides radio connectivity across the battlespace for airborne and surface operators.

[1]

Lineage

Activated on 1 Aug 1943
Inactivated on 7 Dec 1945.
Activated on 10 Jul 1952
Redesignated 430th Tactical Fighter Squadron on 1 Jul 1958
Inactivated 15 November 1966
Reactivated 15 September 1968
Inactivated 30 September 1989
Inactivated 29 June 1993, assets transferred to 429th Electronic Combat Squadron

Assignments

Attached to 58th Fighter-Bomber Wing, 1 Apr 1953-22 Nov 1954
Attached to 474th Fighter-Bomber Wing 8 Oct 1957-1 Jul 1958

Stations

Aircraft

References

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

  1. ↑ http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123340303
  2. ↑ Same mission, new name for E-11A unit at Kandahar Airfield

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 9/30/2015. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.