Active 1942-Present Type Space Control | Country United States Size 119 (32 AGR, 87 TR) | |
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Branch United States Air Force Role Electronic Warfare / Space Control | ||
The United States Air Force's 380th Space Control Squadron (380 SPCS) is a space control unit located at Peterson AFB, Colorado.
Contents
Mission
The 380 SPCS is the Reserve Associate Unit to the 16th Space Control Squadron. They jointly conduct space electronic warfare support operations to enable and enhance U.S. offensive and defensive space control capabilities. 380SPCS and 16SPCS utilize the Rapid Attack Identification Detection Reporting System Block 10 systems to rapidly achieve flexible and versatile space superiority in support of theater COCOMs and USSTRATCOM's space superiority mission.
Equipment Operated
The 380 SPCS will operate the RB-10 Central Operating Location, five RAIDRS Deployable Ground Segments. The units monitor, intercept and geolocate satellite communications jammers, sources of electromagnetic interference and other signals of interest. When fully operational, RB-10 will detect and geolocate signals in the C-, X-, Ku- and UHF frequency bands.
History
Activated in mid-1942 as a B-25 Mitchell medium bomber squadron, trained by Third Air Force in the southeastern United States. Deployed initially to England in September 1942 and flew some missions under VIII Bomber Command over German-occupied France attacking enemy troop formations, bridges and airfields. Was part of the Operation Torch invasion of North Africa in November 1942, being deployed to the new Mediterranean Theater of Operations (MTO), being assigned to Twelfth Air Force in French Morocco in November. In North Africa, the squadron engaged primarily in support and interdictory operations, bombing marshalling yards, rail lines, highways, bridges, viaducts, troop concentrations, gun emplacements, shipping, harbors, and other objectives in North Africa.
The squadron also engaged in psychological warfare missions, dropping propaganda leaflets behind enemy lines. Took part in the Allied operations against Axis forces in North Africa during March–May 1943, the reduction of Pantelleria and Lampedusain islands during June, the invasion of Sicily in July, the landing at Salerno in September, the Allied advance toward Rome during January–June 1944, the invasion of Southern France in August 1944, and the Allied operations in northern Italy from September 1944 to April 1945. Inactivated in Italy after the German Capitulation in September 1945.
Reactivated as part of the Air Force Reserve in 1947, it is unclear whether or not the squadron was manned or equipped. Inactivated in 1949.
Reactivated in 1952 as a Strategic Air Command squadron, receiving B-29 Superfortress bombardment training from 90th Bombardment Wing, April–August 1952. Acted as a training squadron until 1954 when it replaced the propeller-driven B-29s with new B-47E Stratojet swept-wing medium bombers, capable of flying at high subsonic speeds and primarily designed for penetrating the airspace of the Soviet Union. In the early 1960s, the B-47 was considered to be reaching obsolescence, and was being phased out of SAC's strategic arsenal. B-47s began being sent to AMARC at Davis-Monthan in early 1965; was inactivated in March.
Reactivated as a Space Control squadron in 2008.