28th Air Refueling Squadron
Encyclopedia
The 28th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron (28 EARS) is a provisional United States Air Force
unit. It was last known to be assigned to the 40th Air Expeditionary Group. Diego Garcia Air Base, British Indian Ocean Territory
. Its current status is undetermined.
During the Cold War
, the 28th Air Refueling Squadron was assigned to the 43d Operations Group
, stationed at Malmstrom AFB, Montana
. It was inactivated on 1 July 1994. The squadron was formed as the 928th ARS on 1 Feb 1959 at Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota; inactivating with the 28th ARS absorbing it's aircraft and personnel on 1 October 1960. The 28th ARS supported the 28th Bombardment Wing providing refueling to its B-52 Stratofortress
aircraft with KC-135 Stratotanker
s between 1960 and the retirement of its strategic bombers in 1990.
The 28th ARS continued its air refueling mission as part of the 28th Operations Group between 1991-1992 at Ellsworth AFB, then being reassigned to the 43d Operations Group
at Malmstrom AFB until aircraft operations ended at Malmstrom and the base was converted to a non-flying installation supporting ICBMs.
Reactivated as a provisional KC-135 Stratofortress organization as part of the Global War On Terrorism
approximately 2002. The squadron has taken part in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. It may have inactivated in 2006.
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...
unit. It was last known to be assigned to the 40th Air Expeditionary Group. Diego Garcia Air Base, British Indian Ocean Territory
British Indian Ocean Territory
The British Indian Ocean Territory or Chagos Islands is an overseas territory of the United Kingdom situated in the Indian Ocean, halfway between Africa and Indonesia...
. Its current status is undetermined.
During the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
, the 28th Air Refueling Squadron was assigned to the 43d Operations Group
43d Operations Group
The 43d Operations Group was the operational flying component of the United States Air Force 43d Airlift Wing. It was stationed at Pope Air Force Base, North Carolina, and is assigned to the Air Mobility Command Eighteenth Air Force.The unit was Air Mobility Command's only active-duty C-130...
, stationed at Malmstrom AFB, Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
. It was inactivated on 1 July 1994. The squadron was formed as the 928th ARS on 1 Feb 1959 at Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota; inactivating with the 28th ARS absorbing it's aircraft and personnel on 1 October 1960. The 28th ARS supported the 28th Bombardment Wing providing refueling to its B-52 Stratofortress
B-52 Stratofortress
The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is a long-range, subsonic, jet-powered strategic bomber operated by the United States Air Force since the 1950s. The B-52 was designed and built by Boeing, who have continued to provide maintainence and upgrades to the aircraft in service...
aircraft with KC-135 Stratotanker
KC-135 Stratotanker
The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is an aerial refueling military aircraft. It and the Boeing 707 airliner were developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype. The KC-135 was the US Air Force's first jet-powered refueling tanker and replaced the KC-97 Stratotanker...
s between 1960 and the retirement of its strategic bombers in 1990.
The 28th ARS continued its air refueling mission as part of the 28th Operations Group between 1991-1992 at Ellsworth AFB, then being reassigned to the 43d Operations Group
43d Operations Group
The 43d Operations Group was the operational flying component of the United States Air Force 43d Airlift Wing. It was stationed at Pope Air Force Base, North Carolina, and is assigned to the Air Mobility Command Eighteenth Air Force.The unit was Air Mobility Command's only active-duty C-130...
at Malmstrom AFB until aircraft operations ended at Malmstrom and the base was converted to a non-flying installation supporting ICBMs.
Reactivated as a provisional KC-135 Stratofortress organization as part of the Global War On Terrorism
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...
approximately 2002. The squadron has taken part in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. It may have inactivated in 2006.