Active 1 April 1943 – 31 December 198415 October 1983 – present Type Command and Control Training Part of Air Education and Training Command33rd Fighter Wing33rd Operations Group | ||
The 337th Air Control Squadron (337 ACS) is part of the 33rd Fighter Wing, an Air Education and Training Command (AETC) unit, based at the United States Air Force's Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida. Originally constituted the 325th Fighter Control squadron in March 1943, the 325th served in the European Theater during World War II. The squadron's present mission was activated at Tyndall in 1947, making it the base's oldest surviving mission. During the past decades, radar operations and maintenance has been taught to tens of thousands of personnel of all ranks.
Contents
Mission
The 337 ACS is primarily responsible for the initial training of all Active duty, Air National Guard, and Reserve Air Force Air Battle Manager officers in command and control mission execution. The squadron also provides training international officers in command and control operations, as well as providing command and control support for F-22A Raptor initial and transition training at Tyndall AFB.
History
The 337 ACS began as the 325th Fighter Control Squadron in April 1943. In December 1943, the unit moved to North Africa to support the operations of the American and other Allied flying units. Moving its radar with the front lines, the squadron saw action throughout the Mediterranean and Southern Europe and earned battle streamers for Rome, 1944; Southern France, 1944; and the Rhineland, 1945. The squadron was disbanded in early 1945, when German air activity had effectively ceased.
The 325th Tactical Training Squadron was activated in October 1983 and overtime absorbed the controller training mission conducted at Tyndall AFB. After being renamed the 325 Training Squadron in November 1991 the 325 Fighter Control Squadron's heritage was consolidated with the 325 Training Squadron in June 1999. In 2001 the squadron was redesignated as the 325 Air Control Squadron. Following the 325th Fighter Wing's change to Air Combat Command, the 325 ACS was renamed to the 337 ACS under the 33rd Fighter Wing.
In addition to the F-22, the squadron also assisted with the training of F-15 Eagle pilots until their departure from Tyndall in 2010.
Lineage
Current operations
As of January 2012 the squadron instructs five comprehensive courses. The primary course is the nine-month Undergraduate Air Battle Manager Training course, where officers learn everything from radar theory to large force employment. Graduates of this course receive follow-on assignments to the combat Air Forces to perform air battle management on the E-3 AWACS or the E-8 Joint STARS aircraft. Additional courses include the Battle Manager Instructor Training Course, which teaches air battle managers from different backgrounds the skills necessary to instruct undergraduate students, and the Air Weapons Officer/Weapons Director Initial Qualification Training Course, which teaches previously qualified air battle managers and weapons directors the art and science of controlling live aircraft. The 337th ACS also conducts the International Air Weapons Controller Course and the Theater Air Operations Course, where officers from around the world are introduced to weapons control and theater air operations.