Country United States | Motto(s) Search and Direct | |
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Active 1947–1952; 1965-1973; 1980-present Branch United States Air Force Part of United States Air Force Warfare Center Garrison/HQ Hurlburt Field, Florida | ||
The United States Air Force's 505th Command and Control Wing is organized under the USAF Warfare Center. The wing is dedicated to improving readiness through integrated training, tactics development and operational testing for command and control of air, space and cyberspace. It hosts the Air Force's only Air Operations Center Formal Training Unit at Hurlburt Field, Florida.
Contents
- Mission
- Subordinate units
- Postwar era
- Vietnam War
- Post Vietnam era
- Current era
- Lineage
- Assignments
- Groups
- Squadrons
- Stations
- Weapons Systems Operated
- References
The unit was first activated in 1947 under Air Defense Command (ADC) as the 505th Aircraft Control and Warning Group. It controlled radar units in the northwest until inactivating in February 1942 during a general reorganization of ADC.
It was activated again during the Vietnam War in November 1965. It initially commanded both aircraft warning units and forward air control squadrons, but in December 1966, those units were transferred to the 505th Tactical Air Control Group. It continued to manage the airspace over South Vietnam until the American withdrawal in 1973.
Mission
The mission of the 505th is to improve capability through command and control testing, tactics development and training. While the mission focuses on Component Numbered Air Forces (C-NAF) attached and assigned forces, the wing is also tasked with supporting joint and coalition forces engaged in all aspects of command and control, or C2. C2 is where the integration of air, space and cyber happens. Through a multi-disciplinary approach to training and development of tactics, techniques and procedures (TTP) for C-NAF Headquarters; testing and training of key C2 systems; comprehensive, realistic, cutting-edge operational through tactical-level live, virtual and constructive exercises, the 505th is postured to provide the best possible support to US soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines.
The 505th CCW is responsible for developing the combat capability of the Air and Space Operations Center (AOC) and for developing and integrating joint live, virtual and constructive training capabilities within the US Air Force Distributed Mission Operations Center. In addition to hosting the Air Force's only AOC Formal Training Unit, the 505th CCW delivers realistic, cutting-edge operational C2 training through Blue Flag, Virtual Flag, Joint Expeditionary Force Experiment and equivalent overseas Combatant Command and Service exercises and executes operational test for all elements of the Theater Air Control System including E-3A AWACS, E-8 Joint STARS, Command Reporting Center, AOC, Air Force Digital Common Ground Station and Tactical Air Control Party. Through the Operational Command Training Program, retired Air Force three-star general officer Senior Mentors train Air Force, joint and coalition operational-level commanders and their staffs.
Detachment 1 of Wing headquarters at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas advises the United States Army Combined Arms Center Commanding General and key staff on all aspects of air and space power doctrine and employment and integrates realistic air and space capabilities in the Army's worldwide Battle Command Training Program. Det 1 integrates a doctrinally-correct representation of air power in Army Mission Rehearsal Exercises and Warfighter Exercises.
The unique mission of the 84th Radar Evaluation Squadron is to provide Department of Defense radar planning, integration and evaluations while simultaneously monitoring the US radar grid.
Through a multi-disciplinary approach to training and development of tactics, techniques, and procedures for the AOC; testing and training of key C2 systems; and comprehensive, realistic, state-of-the-art operational and tactical live, virtual and constructive exercises, the 505th CCW prepares Air Force, joint and coalition forces for crisis, contingency and combat operations.
Subordinate units
Postwar era
On 21 May 1947, the wing was activated by Air Defense Command (ADC) as the 505th Aircraft Control and Warning Group. Stationed at McChord Field, becoming the first post-World War II aircraft control and warning unit in ADC. For the remainder of 1947 the group supported two radar stations, one at Arlington, Washington, and one at Half Moon Bay near San Francisco. These stations worked with fighter squadrons to improve ground-control and interception techniques. The group included a fleet of B-25 Mitchells used extensively to perform radar calibration flights. The experience gained from operating the two sites proved invaluable to air defense planners who were in the process of designing a nationwide early warning radar network.
As tensions increased between the US and the USSR, the importance of the 505th mission grew. In September 1949, the group no longer operated B-25s, yet they remained focused on early warning systems, supporting detachments along the Pacific Northwest coast. The group provided early warning operating radar systems including the AN/TPS-1. On 15 March 1950, the reserve 564th ACWG was activated as a Corollary unit at Silver Lake, sharing the 505th's equipment and facilities. The 564th was called to active duty on 10 May 1951 and was inactivated, with its personnel used as fillers for the 505th. With a growing movement to assign homeland defense to reserve units, the 505 ACWG inactivated on 6 February 1952. However, this would not mark the end of the 505th. The Air Force would revive the unit and its expertise with radars 13 years later
Vietnam War
On 2 November 1965, the 505 ACWG was re-activated as the 505th Tactical Control Group (TCG). Replacing the 6250th Tactical Air Support Group that activated three months earlier, 505 TCG called Tan Son Nhut Air Base in South Vietnam home. The 505th was responsible with providing Command and Control (C2), for the Tactical Control System in Southeast Asia (SEA). This mission included the operation of numerous radar sites throughout South Vietnam and Thailand from 1965 to 1973. In addition to the radar sites, the group managed O-1 Bird Dog observation aircraft assigned to five squadrons from late 1965 through 1966. These O-1 units included the 19th, 20th, 21st, 22nd and 23d Tactical Air Support Squadrons, operating from various bases throughout SEA. Forward Air Controllers (FACs) flew the "Bird Dogs" to find and mark enemy activity, direct air strikes and perform battle damage assessment.
Initially assigned to the 2d Air Division in Vietnam, the 505th re-aligned under the Seventh Air Force on 1 April 1966. Soon afterward, the 505th received approval for its emblem and official motto - "Search and Direct". The group eventually lost its flying squadrons but the radar mission grew. The 505th distinguished itself as the only unit to furnish all of SEA an electronics ground environment system for aircraft control and warning and radar services. After eight years of service in Vietnam the group earned thirteen campaign streamers and five Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards with Combat "V" devices. With the American withdrawal in 1973 came the unit’s inactivation.
Post-Vietnam era
The 505th’s lineage continued with the activation of the 4442d Tactical Control Group on 1 March 1980. Functioning as the 4442d, the unit aligned under the USAF Tactical Air Warfare Center. The group established a headquarters at Hurlburt Field, Florida where it managed a command, control, communications (C3) and intelligence complex. Along with the C3 operations, the unit conducted operational tests and evaluated tactical air control elements. It also provided training on tactical air control and operated the USAF Air Ground Operations School until 1997. The 505th has remained at Hurlburt since 1980 but received several name changes to match the evolution of its mission.
With the elimination of MAJCOMs in 1991, the unit re-designated as the 505th Air Control Group. In April 1993, when the 505th began operating the new USAF Battlestaff Training School, the Air Force renamed the unit 505th Command and Control Evaluation Group. At the same time, the mission expanded to include a new detachment at Kirkland AFB, New Mexico. By 1998, with the ever-increasing importance of the Air Operations Center as a weapons system and the units expanding mission to train personnel in its use, the Air Force again changed the 505th’s name, this time to the Air Force Command and Control Training and Innovation Center (AFC2TIC). The center continued to test new command and control systems and train personnel on their use in combat. Realizing that the center incorporated more than just a building with several detachments located around the US, the Air Force gave it group status on 15 April 1999. The group carried its mission into the 21st century providing modern training and techniques to increase the command and control capabilities at the operational level of the Air Force.
Current era
After almost 54 years of re-designation, inactivation, consolidation and renaming, the group finally became a wing on 12 March 2004. Now the 505th Command and Control Wing, it controls two groups: the 505th Training Group at Hurlburt Field and the 505th Test and Evaluation Group at Nellis Air Force Base.