181st Intelligence Wing
Encyclopedia
The United States Air Force
's 181st Intelligence Wing is a unit located at Hulman Field, Terre Haute, Indiana
. It is one of six Air National Guard
wings that works with the Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency.
s hovering the skies over any military area of operation. It second mission is to advise the ground commanders on the best way to utilize assets for close air support.
, dates back to 1921, after Wilbert F. Fagley was given authority to organize Headquarters Battery, 81st Field Artillery in Kokomo, Indiana
.
The Unit was redesignated the 137th Observation Squadron before being changed to the 113th Observation Squadron. During 1926, the unit moved to Schoen Field
and later to Stout Field
, both in Indianapolis
. Finally, in 1954 the Wing moved to its present location at Terre Haute International Airport
.
The unit served in World War II, flying anti-submarine patrol
along the East Coast of the United States
and the Gulf of Mexico
. The 181st was also activated for the Korean War
and the Berlin Crisis of 1961
. Additionally, portions of two units within the Wing were activated for Operation Desert Storm. The Wing has served the citizens of Indiana many times during floods and other natural disasters.
Known as the 'Racers,' the Wing participated from 31 August 1995 to 30 August 1997 in a humanitarian deployment to Romania
. It also provided security for the 1996 Summer Olympic Games. Later it deployed to Al Jabar Air Base, Kuwait
, on two separate occasions in support of Operation Southern Watch
.
In 2001, the 181st Fighter Wing flew Combat Air Patrol
s over the Midwestern United States
less than four hours after the September 11 attacks. The 181st Fighter Wing drastically increased its operations tempo since these terrorist attacks to guard America's skies and protect freedom. The 181st deployed members and equipment to 19 countries to simultaneously supported seven different military operations, including Operation Southern Watch, Operation Northern Watch
, Operation Joint Forge, Operation Noble Eagle
, Operation Deep Freeze
, Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
In 2005, the Base Realignment and Closure
commission mandated the end of the flying era for the 181st Wing. On 8 September 2007, the 181st Fighter Wing flew their last training mission out of Terre Haute Field International Airport.
The wing squadrons were redesignated, now being an Distributive Ground Station (DGS) and an Air Support Operations Squadron (ASOS). The DGS is an intelligence based mission, monitoring near real time video feed from unmanned aerial vehicles hovering the skies over any military area of operation. The service members process, exploit, and disseminate the video feed, providing intelligence to the ground commanders and fighting forces. The ASOS brings unity to joint forces fighting in the War on Terror
. Their mission is to advise the ground commanders on the best way to utilize assets for close air support. On 3 May 2008 the 181st Fighter Wing was re-designated as the 181st Intelligence Wing.
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
's 181st Intelligence Wing is a unit located at Hulman Field, Terre Haute, Indiana
Terre Haute, Indiana
Terre Haute is a city and the county seat of Vigo County, Indiana, United States, near the state's western border with Illinois. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 60,785 and its metropolitan area had a population of 170,943. The city is the county seat of Vigo County and...
. It is one of six Air National Guard
Air National Guard
The Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
wings that works with the Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency.
Mission
The 181st IW monitors near real time video feed from unmanned aerial vehicleUnmanned aerial vehicle
An unmanned aerial vehicle , also known as a unmanned aircraft system , remotely piloted aircraft or unmanned aircraft, is a machine which functions either by the remote control of a navigator or pilot or autonomously, that is, as a self-directing entity...
s hovering the skies over any military area of operation. It second mission is to advise the ground commanders on the best way to utilize assets for close air support.
History
The 181st Intelligence Wing, Indiana Air National GuardIndiana Air National Guard
The Indiana Air National Guard is the air force militia of the U.S. state of Indiana. It is, along with the Indiana Army National Guard, an element of the Indiana National Guard.-Mission:...
, dates back to 1921, after Wilbert F. Fagley was given authority to organize Headquarters Battery, 81st Field Artillery in Kokomo, Indiana
Kokomo, Indiana
Kokomo is a city in and the county seat of Howard County, Indiana, United States, Indiana's 13th largest city. It is the principal city of the Kokomo, Indiana Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Howard and Tipton counties....
.
The Unit was redesignated the 137th Observation Squadron before being changed to the 113th Observation Squadron. During 1926, the unit moved to Schoen Field
Fort Benjamin Harrison
Fort Benjamin Harrison was a U.S. Army post located in suburban Lawrence, Indiana, northeast of Indianapolis. It is named for the 23rd United States President, Benjamin Harrison. Land was purchased in 1903, with the post being officially named for President Harrison in honor of Indianapolis being...
and later to Stout Field
Stout Army Air Field
Stout Army Air Field is located in Indianapolis, Indiana. It serves as the Joint Forces Headquarters of the Indiana National Guard.-History:...
, both in Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
. Finally, in 1954 the Wing moved to its present location at Terre Haute International Airport
Terre Haute International Airport
Terre Haute International Airport is a public airport located east of the central business district of Terre Haute, a city in Vigo County, Indiana, United States. It is included in the FAA's National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2011–2015, which categorized it as a general aviation...
.
The unit served in World War II, flying anti-submarine patrol
Anti-submarine warfare
Anti-submarine warfare is a branch of naval warfare that uses surface warships, aircraft, or other submarines to find, track and deter, damage or destroy enemy submarines....
along the East Coast of the United States
East Coast of the United States
The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S...
and the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
. The 181st was also activated for the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
and the Berlin Crisis of 1961
Berlin Crisis of 1961
The Berlin Crisis of 1961 was the last major politico-military European incident of the Cold War about the occupational status of the German capital city, Berlin, and of post–World War II Germany. The U.S.S.R...
. Additionally, portions of two units within the Wing were activated for Operation Desert Storm. The Wing has served the citizens of Indiana many times during floods and other natural disasters.
Known as the 'Racers,' the Wing participated from 31 August 1995 to 30 August 1997 in a humanitarian deployment to Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
. It also provided security for the 1996 Summer Olympic Games. Later it deployed to Al Jabar Air Base, Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
, on two separate occasions in support of Operation Southern Watch
Operation Southern Watch
Operation Southern Watch was an operation conducted by Joint Task Force Southwest Asia with the mission of monitoring and controlling airspace south of the 32nd Parallel in Iraq, following the 1991 Gulf War until the 2003 invasion of Iraq.-Summary:Operation Southern Watch began on 27 August 1992...
.
In 2001, the 181st Fighter Wing flew Combat Air Patrol
Combat air patrol
Combat air patrol is a type of flying mission for fighter aircraft.A combat air patrol is an aircraft patrol provided over an objective area, over the force protected, over the critical area of a combat zone, or over an air defense area, for the purpose of intercepting and destroying hostile...
s over the Midwestern United States
Midwestern United States
The Midwestern United States is one of the four U.S. geographic regions defined by the United States Census Bureau, providing an official definition of the American Midwest....
less than four hours after the September 11 attacks. The 181st Fighter Wing drastically increased its operations tempo since these terrorist attacks to guard America's skies and protect freedom. The 181st deployed members and equipment to 19 countries to simultaneously supported seven different military operations, including Operation Southern Watch, Operation Northern Watch
Operation Northern Watch
Operation Northern Watch, the successor to Operation Provide Comfort, was a US European Command Combined Task Force charged with enforcing its own no-fly zone above the 36th parallel in Iraq...
, Operation Joint Forge, Operation Noble Eagle
Operation Noble Eagle
Operation Noble Eagle is the name given to military operations related to homelandsecurity and support to federal, state, and local agencies...
, Operation Deep Freeze
Operation Deep Freeze
Operation Deep Freeze is the codename for a series of United States missions to Antarctica, beginning with "Operation Deep Freeze I" in 1955–56, followed by "Operation Deep Freeze II", "Operation Deep Freeze III", and so on...
, Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
In 2005, the Base Realignment and Closure
Base Realignment and Closure, 2005
The preliminary 2005 Base Realignment and Closure list was released by the United States Department of Defense on May 13, 2005. It is the fifth Base Realignment and Closure proposal generated since the process was created in 1988. It recommends closing 33 major United States military bases and...
commission mandated the end of the flying era for the 181st Wing. On 8 September 2007, the 181st Fighter Wing flew their last training mission out of Terre Haute Field International Airport.
The wing squadrons were redesignated, now being an Distributive Ground Station (DGS) and an Air Support Operations Squadron (ASOS). The DGS is an intelligence based mission, monitoring near real time video feed from unmanned aerial vehicles hovering the skies over any military area of operation. The service members process, exploit, and disseminate the video feed, providing intelligence to the ground commanders and fighting forces. The ASOS brings unity to joint forces fighting in the War on Terror
War on Terror
The War on Terror is a term commonly applied to an international military campaign led by the United States and the United Kingdom with the support of other North Atlantic Treaty Organisation as well as non-NATO countries...
. Their mission is to advise the ground commanders on the best way to utilize assets for close air support. On 3 May 2008 the 181st Fighter Wing was re-designated as the 181st Intelligence Wing.
Major Command
- Air National Guard/Air Combat CommandAir Combat CommandAir Combat Command is a major command of the United States Air Force. ACC is one of ten major commands , reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force ....
(1992–2007) - Air National Guard/Tactical Air CommandTactical Air CommandTactical Air Command is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was a Major Command of the United States Air Force, established on 21 March 1946 being headquartered at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia...
(1962–1992) - Air National Guard/ Air Force Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance Agency (2008-Present)
Previous designations
- 181st Intelligence Wing (2008–present))
- 181st Fighter Wing (1995–2008)
- 181st Fighter Group (1992–1995)
- 181st Tactical Fighter Group (1962–1992)
Squadrons assigned
- 113th Air Support Operations Squadron (1962–present))
- 137th Intelligence Squadron (2008–present)
Aircraft & missiles operated
- F-16C Block 30 Fighting Falcon (1995–2007)
- F-16C Block 25 Fighting Falcon (1991–1995)
- F-4E Phantom II (1987–1991)
- F-4C Phantom II (1979–1987)
- F-100D/F Super Sabre (1971–1979)
- F-84F ThunderstreakF-84F ThunderstreakThe Republic F-84F Thunderstreak was an American-built swept-wing turbojet fighter-bomber. While an evolutionary development of the straight-wing F-84 Thunderjet, the F-84F was a new design. The RF-84F Thunderflash was a photo reconnaissance version....
(1964–1971) - RF-84F Thunderstreak (1962–1964)