The 944th Fighter Wing (944 FW) is an Air Reserve Component (ARC) of the United States Air Force. It is assigned to the Tenth Air Force, Air Force Reserve Command, stationed at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona.
944th Fighter Wing
 | |
|---|---|
 Members of the 944th Fighter Wing salute Lt. Col. Donald Lindberg, 302nd Fighter Squadron commander | |
| Active | 1 July 1987 – present |
| Land |  Vereinigte Staaten |
| Branch |  United States Air Force |
| Typ | Wing |
| Role | Fighter Training |
| Part of |  Air Force Reserve Command |
| Garrison/HQ | Luke Air Force Base, Arizona |
| Decorations | Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm |
| Insignia | |
| 944th Fighter Wing emblem(approved 20 June 1995)[1] |  |
| 944th Military Airlift Group emblem |  |
| Tail Code | LR |
The 944th FW is an associate unit of the 56th Fighter Wing, Air Education and Training Command and if mobilized the wing is gained by AETC.
Übersicht
The mission of the 944th Fighter Wing is to train and provide combat ready Airmen. During peacetime, the 944th trains reservists for worldwide deployments and has participated in real-world operational deployments in support of Operation Provide Comfort II and Operation Northern Watch (Northern Iraq), and Deny Flight/Decisive Edge (missions over Bosnia-Herzegovina), Operation Southern Watch (Southern Iraq) and has flown combat missions over the AOR during Operation Enduring Freedom. Additionally, approximately 100 reservists were mobilized in direct support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Noble Eagle.
The unit reports to Headquarters Tenth Air Force at NAS Fort Worth JRB/Carswell ARS, Texas, and Headquarters, Air Force Reserve Command. Within the active Air Force, the wing was previously gained by the former Tactical Air Command and its successor, the Air Combat Command. It is currently gained by Air Education and Training Command.
The unit has an authorized strength of 1,050 personnel. Roughly one-quarter (231) of assigned personnel are full-time Air Reserve Technicians who provide continuity between weekend training periods. The annual payroll comes to almost $22 million. The value of unit resources, weapon systems, capital assets, and inventory comes to almost $300 million. The unit maintains facilities housing over 207,300 square feet (approximately 19.7 percent of Luke Air Force Base facility space).
The majority of personnel are traditional reservists that meet during one required weekend unit training assembly (UTA) each month, augmented by numerous additional weekends and weekdays in an additional drill or active duty status. The reservists represent a wide variety of civilian careers, including airline pilots, doctors, engineers, elected officials, teachers, plumbers, mechanics, corporate managers and local, state and federal government employees.
Units
- 944th Operations Group
- 69th Fighter Squadron
- Det 1 69 FS
- 944 Operations Support Flight
- 69th Fighter Squadron
- 944th Mission Support Group
- 944th Civil Engineering Squadron
- 944th Force Support Squadron
- 944th Logistics Readiness Squadron
- 944th Security Forces Squadron
- 924th Fighter Group
- 47th Fighter Squadron
- 924th Maintenance Squadron
- 414th Fighter Group
- 307th Fighter Squadron
- 414th Maintenance Squadron
- 944th Aeromedical Staging Squadron
- 944th Medical Squadron
History
The 944th Fighter Wing (944 FW) of the Air Force Reserve Command at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, is one of more than 50 flying units in the U.S. Air Force Reserve. The unit was activated at Luke on 1 July 1987. The 944 FW flies the General Dynamics F-16C Fighting Falcon and F-16DD (Block 32 model). The unit is currently funded and manned for fifteen F-16 aircraft.
The 944 FW was the first Air Force Reserve fighter unit to fly operational missions with the coalition task force over Northern Iraq in support of Provide Comfort II in 1992-1993. The unit flew 1,090 hours or 308 sorties with only one sortie lost due to maintenance.
Lineage
- Established as the 944th Troop Carrier Group, Medium and activated in the Reserve on 28 December 1962 (not organized)
- Organized on 17 January 1963
- Redesignated 944th Tactical Airlift Group on 1 July 1967
- Redesignated 944th Military Airlift Group (Associate) on 25 March 1968
- Inactivated on 1 July 1973
- Redesignated 944th Tactical Fighter Group on 12 November 1986
- Activated in the Reserve on 1 July 1987
- Redesignated 944th Fighter Group on 1 February 1992
- Redesignated 944th Fighter Wing on 1 October 1994[1]
Assignments
- Continental Air Command, 28 December 1962 (not organized)
- 452d Troop Carrier Wing (later 452d Military Airlift Wing), 17 January 1963
- 349th Military Airlift Wing, 25 July 1969 – 1 July 1973
- 419th Tactical Fighter Wing (later 419th Fighter Wing), 1 July 1987
- Tenth Air Force, 1 October 1994 – Present[1]
Components
- 944th Operations Group: 1 Aug 1992 – present[1]
- 302d Tactical Fighter Squadron: 1 July 1987 – 1 August 1992
- 728th Military Airlift Squadron: 1 January 1972 – 1 July 1973
- 729th Military Airlift Squadron: 25 April 1969 – 1 July 1973
- 730th Military Airlift Squadron: 17 January 1963 - 1 July 1973[1]
Stations
- March Air Force Base, California, 17 January 1963
- Norton Air Force Base, California, 25 March 1968 – 1 July 1973
- Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, 1 July 1987 – Present[1]
Aircraft
- Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar, 1963-1968
- Lockheed C-141 Starlifter, 1968-1973
- General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon, 1987 – present[1]
See also
References
Notes
Bibliography
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
- Cantwell, Gerald T. (1997). Citizen Airmen: a History of the Air Force Reserve, 1946-1994 (PDF). Washington, D.C.: Air Force History and Museums Program. ISBN 0-16049-269-6. Retrieved 1 October 2014.
- Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556.
- Ravenstein, Charles A. Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947-1977. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9.