513th Electronic Warfare Squadron

Mission

The 513 EWS is a joint-service unit, and will serve as the sole Department of Defense provider of electronic warfare support for the F-35 joint strike fighter. It will operate the $300 million United States Reprogramming Laboratory, that tests all aspects of the joint strike fighter's electronic warfare capability. Half of the staff will be Airmen, while the other half will consist of Navy and Marine members.

History

Established in the Middle East during late 1942 to aid British Forces during the Western Desert Campaign. Initially equipped with obsolete B-17C/D Flying Fortresses transferred from Tenth Air Force. Replaced with B-24 Liberators flown from Florida via South America; over to then across Central Africa then north to Egypt in early 1943. Became part of United States Middle East Air Forces (USMEAF), later Ninth Air Force.

Operating from bases in British Palestine, Egypt, Libya and Tunisia, attacked shipping in the Mediterranean and harbor installations in Libya, Tunisia, Sicily, and Italy to cut enemy supply lines to North Africa. Struck airdromes, marshalling yards, and other objectives in Sicily and Italy after the fall of Tunisia in May 1943. Reassigned to Fifteenth Air Force in late 1943, and moved to southern Italy. Squadron flew long range strategic bombardment missions to targets in Italy, France, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Austria, Hungary, and the Balkans to bomb factories, marshalling yards, oil refineries, oil storage facilities, airdromes, bridges, harbors, and other objectives.

After the German Capitulation in May 1945, returned to the United States; was re-equipped with B-29 Superfortress bombers and trained under Second Air Force for deployment to the Pacific Theater. However, with the Japanese Capitulation in August, the training ended and most personnel demobilized by the end of October. Remained in active status but not fully manned or equipped, and subsequently inactivated in early 1946 due to budget restrictions.

Not manned or equipped, 23 May 1947-20 Sep 1948. Practiced electronic countermeasures with B-29 aircraft from c. 1952 until conversion to B-47 Stratojet jet medium bombers in 1954. Between 1954 and 1965, the 513 Bombardment Squadron flew a long series of simulated combat bombardment missions to maintain readiness as a unit of the Strategic Air Command, testing electronic warfare devices and radar techniques, using B-47 and EB-47 aircraft. Inactivated in 1965 with the retirement of the B-47.

Between 1992 and 1997, conducted operational test and evaluation of B-52, B-1, and KC-135 aircraft and support systems.

Activated in Apr 2010 with an electronic warfare mission, reprogramming the F-35.

Lineage

Constituted as 513th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 19 Oct 1942

Activated on 31 Oct 1942Redesignated as 513th Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy on 23 May 1945Inactivated on 31 Mar 1946

Redesignated as 513th Reconnaissance Squadron, Very Long Range, Weather on 6 May 1947

Activated on 23 May 1947Inactivated on 20 Sep 1948

Activated on 10 Aug 1949

Inactivated on 20 Feb 1951

Redesignated as 513th Bombardment Squadron, Medium on 25 May 1951

Activated on 1 Jun 1951Discontinued and inactivated on 15 Mar 1965

Redesignated as 513th Test Squadron on 12 Feb 1986

Activated on 1 Jul 1986Redesignated as 513th Engineering and Test Squadron on 15 Apr 1993Inactivated on 31 May 1997

Redesignated as 513th Electronic Warfare Squadron on 30 Mar 2010

Activated on 23 Apr 2010

Assignments

376th Bombardment Group, 31 Oct 1942

497th Bombardment Group, 1 Nov 1945-31 Mar 1946

376th Reconnaissance Group, 23 May 1947

Air Weather Service, 26 Sep 1947

308th Reconnaissance Group, 14 Oct 1947-20 Sep 1948; 10 Aug 1949

Air Weather Service, 19 Dec 1950-20 Feb 1951

376th Bombardment Group, 1 Jun 1951

376th Bombardment Wing, 16 Jun 1952-15 Mar 1965

Strategic Air Command, 1 Jul 1986-1 Jun 1992

Attached to SAC Combat Operations Staff entire period

USAF Air Warfare Center, 1 Jun 1992

68th Electronic Combat Group, 15 Apr 1993-31 May 1997

53d Electronic Warfare Group, 23 Apr 2010–Present

Aircraft

B-17 Flying Fortress, 1942-1943

B-24 Liberator, 1943-1945

B-29 Superfortress, 1945, 1951-1954; B/RB/WB-29, 1950-1951

B-47 Stratojet, 1954-1961; EB-47, 1961-1965

B-52/B-1/KC-135, 1992-1997

F-35 Lightning II, 2010–Present