85th Group
Encyclopedia
The 85th Group is an inactive United States Air Force
organization. Its last assignment was with United States Air Forces in Europe
, assigned to Third Air Force
, being stationed at Naval Air Station Keflavik
, Iceland. It was inactivated on 28 June 2006.
(IDF) as part of Island Command Iceland.
As the "Guardians of the North," the 85th Group was responsible for deterring aggression in the North Atlantic, protecting Iceland's airspace and supporting contingency operations. This was accomplished through surveillance, air superiority and the use of rescue assets. The 85th Group was responsible for deterring aggression in the North Atlantic and protecting Iceland's airspace. It also supported contingency operations through surveillance, air superiority and rescue forces.
in the Southeast first using Vultee V-72 single-engine attack aircraft. Converted to A-24 Banshee
dive bombers in August 1942 and attached to Fourth Air Force
in California, taking part in training maneuvers at the Desert Training Center
with Army ground units programmed for the Operation Torch
landings in North Africa
.
Returned to Third Air Force in Louisiana and re-equipped with A-36 Apache
s attack in early 1943, moving briefly to Kentucky for maneuvers, ant then to Georgia with P-40 Warhawk
s single-engine fighters in early 1944 for replacement pilot training. Received a few P-47 Thunderbolt
s in March 1944. Afterward, served as a replacement training unit until it disbanded on 1 May 1944 due to a reorganization of AAF training units, being re designated as the 531st Army Air Force Base Unit.
Between 1952 and 1961, provided air defense for Iceland, operated Keflavik Airport, and furnished base support for all U.S. military forces in Iceland participating in its defense under the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Also Air Force component of NATO Iceland Defense Force
.
Installation transferred to the U.S. Navy
on 30 June 1961, along with base support activities.
Air Forces Iceland continued the air defense mission of Iceland as a tenant organization at Keflavik. Under Air Defense Command until 1979; Tactical Air Command
until 1992; Air Combat Command
until inactivated in 1993.
Air Force reductions and a new agreement with the Government of Iceland continued to affect Keflavik organizations. On 1 March 1995, the 57th FS was deactivated and the interceptor force was replaced by Regular Air Force and Air National Guard F-15 Eagle fighter aircraft rotating every 90 days to Iceland.
The 85th was reduced to a Group level and supported rotational deployments. In 2002 jurisdiction of Keflavik Airport was transferred to the United States Air Forces in Europe
. The 85th Group continued to support rotational deployments until it was inactivated during a one-hour, formal ceremony on 28 June 2006, as a result of the Air Force reduction in forces in Iceland. All rotational fighters left and the 56th Rescue Squadron
ceased operation at the end of the fiscal year.
Squadrons
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...
organization. Its last assignment was with United States Air Forces in Europe
United States Air Forces in Europe
The United States Air Forces in Europe is the United States Air Force component of U.S. European Command, a Department of Defense unified command, and is one of two Air Force Major Commands outside of the continental United States, the other being the Pacific Air Forces...
, assigned to Third Air Force
Third Air Force
The Third Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Forces in Europe . It is headquartered at Ramstein Air Base, Germany....
, being stationed at Naval Air Station Keflavik
Naval Air Station Keflavik
United States Naval Air Station Keflavik is a former NATO facility at Keflavík International Airport, Iceland. It is located on the Reykjanes peninsula on the south-west portion of the island...
, Iceland. It was inactivated on 28 June 2006.
Overview
The 85th Group was the USAF component in Iceland. As a component of U.S. Joint Forces Command's (USJFCOM) Iceland Defense Force (IDF), the 85th Group was a tenant unit of U.S. Naval Air Station (NAS) Keflavík, strategically located on the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) base in the southwest corner of Iceland. Originated in 1952, the 85th Group was an Independent Group comprising seven squadrons and 13 staff agencies. Operationally, the group was assigned to the Iceland Defense ForceIceland Defense Force
The Iceland Defense Force was a military command of the United States armed forces from 1951 to 2006. The IDF, created at the request of NATO, came into existence when the United States signed an agreement to provide for the defense of Iceland, which does not, and did not, have its own unified...
(IDF) as part of Island Command Iceland.
As the "Guardians of the North," the 85th Group was responsible for deterring aggression in the North Atlantic, protecting Iceland's airspace and supporting contingency operations. This was accomplished through surveillance, air superiority and the use of rescue assets. The 85th Group was responsible for deterring aggression in the North Atlantic and protecting Iceland's airspace. It also supported contingency operations through surveillance, air superiority and rescue forces.
Units
- 85th Operations Squadron (85th OS). Was the air arm of the Iceland Defense Force and sole provider of Iceland's air sovereignty. It executed USACOM tasking for rotational F-15, KC-135, and HC-130HC-130The Lockheed HC-130 is an extended-range, search and rescue and Combat search and rescue version of the C-130 Hercules transport. The HC-130H and HC-130J versions are operated by the United States Coast Guard in a SAR and maritime reconnaissance role. The HC-130P and HC-130N Combat King models...
assets. It provided operational control, intelligence, total force management and maintenance of all U.S. Air Force combat aircraft in Iceland. It also provided all aerospace intelligence to IDF. Maintains organizational infrastructure and assets for U.S. Air Force contingency operations.
- The vital air defense mission were carried out by F-15 EagleF-15 EagleThe McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle is a twin-engine, all-weather tactical fighter designed by McDonnell Douglas to gain and maintain air superiority in aerial combat. It is considered among the most successful modern fighters with over 100 aerial combat victories with no losses in dogfights...
fighter aircraft of deployed temporary duty units rotating every 90 days to Iceland. While deployed to Keflavik, the F-15s were under the operational control of the 85th Operations Squadron (OS). The 85th OS's Tanker Flight oversaw the operations of deployed KC-135 StratotankerKC-135 StratotankerThe 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...
and HC-130 Hercules refueling aircraft.
- 56th Rescue Squadron (56th RS) performed the rescue function for the 85th Group. Using HH-60 Pave HawkHH-60 Pave HawkThe Sikorsky MH-60G/HH-60G Pave Hawk is a twin turboshaft engine helicopter in service with the United States Air Force. It is a derivative of the UH-60 Black Hawk and incorporates the US Air Force PAVE electronic systems program...
helicopters, the 56th was responsible for combat rescue and reaction force response through insertion, extraction, and recovery of NATO combatants. Also known as "The Northern Lifesavers," the 56th provided continuous peacetime alert with long-range rescue capability for an area encompassing more than one million square miles and extending to the North Pole. More than 290 lives were saved since 1971 by the 56th and its predecessor, Detachment 14, 67th Aerospace and Recovery Squadron.
- 932d Air Control Squadron932d Air Control SquadronThe 932d Air Control Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 85th Group, Third Air Force, stationed at Keflavik Air Station, Iceland...
(932d ACS) was responsible for the detection and identification of all aircraft within the Iceland Military Air Defense Identification Zone. Using four ground-based radars and occasionally AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control SystemAirborne Warning And Control SystemAirborne Warning and Control System, or AWACS, may refer to:* E-3 Sentry, the aircraft developed under the USAF's "Airborne Warning and Control System" program...
) aircraft, the 85th Group's 932nd Air Control Squadron provided air surveillance of Iceland and the North Atlantic, referred to as the Military Air Defense Identification Zone (MADIZ). It controled and coordinated the employment of assigned air defense forces to include fighter, tanker, and air/ground surveillance systems. Coordinated with USACOM, NORAD and NATO command and control units and reports unidentified air traffic to the NCA.
World War II
Operated as a training unit within the United States, primarily with Third Air ForceThird Air Force
The Third Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Forces in Europe . It is headquartered at Ramstein Air Base, Germany....
in the Southeast first using Vultee V-72 single-engine attack aircraft. Converted to A-24 Banshee
SBD Dauntless
The Douglas SBD Dauntless was a naval dive bomber made by Douglas during World War II. The SBD was the United States Navy's main dive bomber from mid-1940 until late 1943, when it was largely replaced by the SB2C Helldiver...
dive bombers in August 1942 and attached to Fourth Air Force
Fourth Air Force
The Fourth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Reserve . It is headquartered at March Air Reserve Base, California....
in California, taking part in training maneuvers at the Desert Training Center
Desert Training Center
The Desert Training Center was a World War II training facility established in the Mojave Desert; largely in Southern California and Western Arizona in 1942....
with Army ground units programmed for the Operation Torch
Operation Torch
Operation Torch was the British-American invasion of French North Africa in World War II during the North African Campaign, started on 8 November 1942....
landings in North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
.
Returned to Third Air Force in Louisiana and re-equipped with A-36 Apache
North American A-36
The North American A-36 Apache was the ground-attack/dive bomber version of the North American Aviation P-51 Mustang, from which it could be distinguished by the presence of rectangular, slatted dive brakes above and below the wings...
s attack in early 1943, moving briefly to Kentucky for maneuvers, ant then to Georgia with P-40 Warhawk
Curtiss P-40
The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk was an American single-engine, single-seat, all-metal fighter and ground attack aircraft that first flew in 1938. The P-40 design was a modification of the previous Curtiss P-36 Hawk which reduced development time and enabled a rapid entry into production and operational...
s single-engine fighters in early 1944 for replacement pilot training. Received a few P-47 Thunderbolt
P-47 Thunderbolt
Republic Aviation's P-47 Thunderbolt, also known as the "Jug", was the largest, heaviest, and most expensive fighter aircraft in history to be powered by a single reciprocating engine. It was heavily armed with eight .50-caliber machine guns, four per wing. When fully loaded, the P-47 weighed up to...
s in March 1944. Afterward, served as a replacement training unit until it disbanded on 1 May 1944 due to a reorganization of AAF training units, being re designated as the 531st Army Air Force Base Unit.
Cold War
- See also: 57th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron57th Fighter-Interceptor SquadronThe 57th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, also known as "The Black Knights of Keflavik", is an inactive United States Air Force unit. The 57 FIS was last stationed at Naval Air Station Keflavik, Iceland. It was inactivated on 1 March, 1995.-World War II:...
; Naval Air Station KeflavikNaval Air Station KeflavikUnited States Naval Air Station Keflavik is a former NATO facility at Keflavík International Airport, Iceland. It is located on the Reykjanes peninsula on the south-west portion of the island...
Iceland Defense Force
The Iceland Defense Force was a military command of the United States armed forces from 1951 to 2006. The IDF, created at the request of NATO, came into existence when the United States signed an agreement to provide for the defense of Iceland, which does not, and did not, have its own unified...
.
Installation transferred to the U.S. Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
on 30 June 1961, along with base support activities.
Air Forces Iceland continued the air defense mission of Iceland as a tenant organization at Keflavik. Under Air Defense Command until 1979; Tactical Air Command
Tactical Air Command
Tactical 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...
until 1992; Air Combat Command
Air Combat Command
Air 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 ....
until inactivated in 1993.
Air Force reductions and a new agreement with the Government of Iceland continued to affect Keflavik organizations. On 1 March 1995, the 57th FS was deactivated and the interceptor force was replaced by Regular Air Force and Air National Guard F-15 Eagle fighter aircraft rotating every 90 days to Iceland.
The 85th was reduced to a Group level and supported rotational deployments. In 2002 jurisdiction of Keflavik Airport was transferred to the United States Air Forces in Europe
United States Air Forces in Europe
The United States Air Forces in Europe is the United States Air Force component of U.S. European Command, a Department of Defense unified command, and is one of two Air Force Major Commands outside of the continental United States, the other being the Pacific Air Forces...
. The 85th Group continued to support rotational deployments until it was inactivated during a one-hour, formal ceremony on 28 June 2006, as a result of the Air Force reduction in forces in Iceland. All rotational fighters left and the 56th Rescue Squadron
56th Rescue Squadron
The 56th Rescue Squadron is part of the 48th Fighter Wing at RAF Lakenheath, England. It operates HH-60 Pave Hawk aircraft conducting search and rescue missions.-History:...
ceased operation at the end of the fiscal year.
Lineage
- Established as 85th Bombardment Group (Light) on 13 January 1942
- Activated on 10 February 1942
- Re-designated: 85th Bombardment Group (Dive) on 27 July 1942
- Re-designated: 85th Fighter-Bomber Group on 10 August 1943
- Disestablished on 1 May 1944
- Established as:Iceland Air Defense Force, and organized, on 1 April 1952
- Re-designated Air Forces Iceland on 1 January 1960
- Consolidated with and assumed designation: 85th Tactical Fighter Wing on 31 July 1985
- Inactivated on 31 May 1993
- Re-designated 85th Wing on 29 September 1994
- Activated on 1 October 1994
- Re-designated 85th Group on 1 July 1995
- Inactivated on 28 June 2006.
Assignments
- 3d Air Support Command, 10 February 1942
- III Bomber CommandIII Bomber CommandThe III Bomber Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Third Air Force stationed at MacDill Field, Florida. It was inactivated on 8 April 1946.-Lineage:...
, 16 March 1942 - XII Bomber CommandXII Bomber CommandThe XII Bomber Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Twelfth Air Force, based in Corsica, France...
, 2 May 1942 - III Bomber CommandIII Bomber CommandThe III Bomber Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Third Air Force stationed at MacDill Field, Florida. It was inactivated on 8 April 1946.-Lineage:...
, 8 May 1942 - III Ground Air Support (later, III Air Support) CommandIII Air Support CommandThe III Air Support Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Third Air Force stationed at Drew Field, Florida. It was inactivated on 16 March 1942.-Lineage:...
, 10 August 1942 - IV Air Support CommandIV Air Support CommandThe VI Air Support Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to Second Air Force, based at Biggs Field, Texas...
, 2 November 1942 - Desert Training CenterDesert Training CenterThe Desert Training Center was a World War II training facility established in the Mojave Desert; largely in Southern California and Western Arizona in 1942....
, 21 January 1943 - III Air Support CommandIII Air Support CommandThe III Air Support Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Third Air Force stationed at Drew Field, Florida. It was inactivated on 16 March 1942.-Lineage:...
, 8 April 1943 - 23d Bombardment Training Wing, 10 April 1943
- III Fighter CommandIII Fighter CommandThe III Fighter Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Third Air Force stationed at MacDill Field, Florida. It was inactivated on 8 April 1946.-Lineage:...
, 6 Aug 1943-1 May 1944 - Military Air Transport ServiceMilitary Air Transport ServiceThe Military Air Transport Service is an inactive Department of Defense Unified Command. Activated on 1 June 1948, MATS was a consolidation of the United States Navy Naval Air Transport Service and the United States Air Force Air Transport Command into a single, joint, unified command...
, 1 April 1952 - 64th Air Division, 1 July 1962
- 26th Air Division, 1 July 1963
- Goose Air Defense SectorGoose Air Defense SectorThe Goose Air Defense Sector is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the 26th Air Division, being stationed at Goose Air Force Base, Labrador, Canada. It was inactivated on 1 April 1966 and replaced by the 37th Air Division.-History:Command and control...
, 4 September 1963 - 37th Air Division, 1 April 1966
- 21st Air Division, 31 December 1969
- Aerospace Defense CommandAerospace Defense CommandAerospace Defense Command is an inactive United States Air Force Major Command. Established in 1946 under the United States Army Air Forces, its mission was to organize and administer the integrated air defense system of the Continental United States , exercise direct control of all active...
, 1 October 1975 - 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...
(ADTAC), 1 October 1979 - First Air ForceFirst Air ForceThe First Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command . It is headquartered at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida....
, 6 December 1985-31 May 1993 - Eighth Air ForceEighth Air ForceThe Eighth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana....
, 1 October 1994 - Third Air ForceThird Air ForceThe Third Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Forces in Europe . It is headquartered at Ramstein Air Base, Germany....
, 1 October 2002 - 48th Fighter Wing48th Fighter WingThe 48th Fighter Wing is part of the United States Air Force Third Air Force, assigned to HQ Air Command Europe, and is based at RAF Lakenheath, England. The 48 FW is the only F-15 wing based in Europe...
, 8 October 2004-28 June 2006.
Components
Groups- 85th Operations Group: 1 October 1994 – 1 July 1995
- 1400th Operations Group: 18 December 1955 – 1 July 1960
Squadrons
- 56th Rescue Squadron56th Rescue SquadronThe 56th Rescue Squadron is part of the 48th Fighter Wing at RAF Lakenheath, England. It operates HH-60 Pave Hawk aircraft conducting search and rescue missions.-History:...
: 1 July 1995 – 28 June 2006 - 57th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron57th Fighter-Interceptor SquadronThe 57th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, also known as "The Black Knights of Keflavik", is an inactive United States Air Force unit. The 57 FIS was last stationed at Naval Air Station Keflavik, Iceland. It was inactivated on 1 March, 1995.-World War II:...
: 13 November 1954 – 18 December 1955; 1 July 1960 – 31 May 1993 - 85th Operations Squadron: 15 April 1996 – 28 June 2006
- 305th Bombardment (later, 499th Fighter-Bomber) Squadron499th Fighter-Bomber SquadronThe 499th Fighter-Bomber Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the 85th Fighter-Bomber Group stationed at Waycross Army Airfield, Georgia...
: 10 February 1942 – 1 May 1944 - 306th Bombardment (later, 500th Fighter-Bomber) Squadron500th Fighter-Bomber SquadronThe 500th Fighter-Bomber Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the 85th Fighter-Bomber Group stationed at Harris Neck Army Airfield, Georgia. It was inactivated on 1 May 1944.-Lineage:...
: 10 February 1942 – 1 May 1944 - 307th Bombardment (later, 501st Fighter-Bomber) Squadron: 10 February 1942 – 1 May 1944
- 308th Bombardment (later, 502d Fighter-Bomber) Squadron: 10 February 1942 – 1 May 1944
- 667th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron
- Langanes Air StationLanganes Air StationLanganes Air Station is a closed United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station. It is located northeast of Naval Air Station Keflavik, Iceland...
(H-2), Iceland, 1 July 1952 - Hofn Air StationHofn Air StationHofn Air Station is a closed United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station. It is located east of Naval Air Station Keflavik, Iceland. It was closed on 30 June 1992.-History:...
(H-3), Iceland, 1 July 1960 - Langanes Air Station (New H-2A), Iceland, 1992-28 June 2006
- 932d Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron,
- Keflavik Airport, Iceland, 1 Oct 1952
- Rockville Air StationRockville Air Station (Iceland)Rockville Air Station is a closed United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station. It is located west-northwest of Naval Air Station Keflavik, Iceland...
(H-1), Iceland, 1 Aug 1957 - Keflavik Air StationKeflavik Air StationKeflavik Air Station is a closed United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station. It is located north-northwest of Naval Air Station Keflavik, Iceland...
(H-1A), Iceland, 1992-28 June 2006- 934th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron
- Straumnes Air StationStraumnes Air StationStraumnes Air Station is a closed United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station. It is located north of Naval Air Station Keflavik, Iceland. It was closed on 30 June 1992.-History:...
(H-4), Iceland, 1 April 1952 - Latrar Air StationLatrar Air StationLatrar Air Station is a closed United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station. It is located north of Naval Air Station Keflavik, Iceland...
(H-4A), Iceland, 1 October 1992-28 June 2006
Stations
- Savannah Army Airbase, Georgia, 10 February 1942
- Bowman Army Airfield, Kentucky, c. 16 February 1942
- Hunter Army AirfieldHunter Army AirfieldHunter Army Airfield , located in Savannah, Georgia, United States, is a military airfield and subordinate installation to Fort Stewart.Hunter features a runway that is 11,375 feet long and an aircraft parking area that is more than 350 acres...
, Georgia, 9 June 1942 - Waycross Army Airfield, Georgia, 15 August 1942
- Gillespie FieldGillespie FieldGillespie Field is a county-owned public-use airport located 10 miles northeast of the central business district of San Diego, in El Cajon, San Diego County, California, United States....
, Tennessee, 3 October 1942 - Blythe Army Airbase, California, 2 November 1942
- Rice Army AirfieldRice Army AirfieldRice Army Airfield is an abandoned World War II airfield located east-southeast of Rice, California, United States...
, California, c. 11 December 1942 - Camp YoungDesert Training CenterThe Desert Training Center was a World War II training facility established in the Mojave Desert; largely in Southern California and Western Arizona in 1942....
, California, 21 January 1943 - Harding Army Airfield, Louisiana, 8 April 1943
- Waycross Army Airfield, Georgia, c. 27 August 1943-1 May 1944
- Keflavik Airport, Iceland, 1 April 1952-31 May 1993
- NAS Keflavik, Iceland, 1 October 1994-28 June 2006.
Aircraft
- Vultee V-72, 1942;
- A-24 BansheeSBD DauntlessThe Douglas SBD Dauntless was a naval dive bomber made by Douglas during World War II. The SBD was the United States Navy's main dive bomber from mid-1940 until late 1943, when it was largely replaced by the SB2C Helldiver...
, 1942–1943; - A-36 ApacheNorth American A-36The North American A-36 Apache was the ground-attack/dive bomber version of the North American Aviation P-51 Mustang, from which it could be distinguished by the presence of rectangular, slatted dive brakes above and below the wings...
, 1943–1944; - P-40 WarhawkCurtiss P-40The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk was an American single-engine, single-seat, all-metal fighter and ground attack aircraft that first flew in 1938. The P-40 design was a modification of the previous Curtiss P-36 Hawk which reduced development time and enabled a rapid entry into production and operational...
, 1944; - P-47 ThunderboltP-47 ThunderboltRepublic Aviation's P-47 Thunderbolt, also known as the "Jug", was the largest, heaviest, and most expensive fighter aircraft in history to be powered by a single reciprocating engine. It was heavily armed with eight .50-caliber machine guns, four per wing. When fully loaded, the P-47 weighed up to...
, 1944. - F-51 Mustang (rotational aircraft), 1952–1953;
- F-89 ScorpionF-89 ScorpionThe Northrop F-89 Scorpion was an early American jet-powered fighter designed from the outset as an all-weather interceptor. Though its straight wings limited its performance, it was among the first USAF jet fighters with guided missiles, and notably the first combat aircraft armed with air-to-air...
, 1954–1962; - F-102 Delta DaggerF-102 Delta DaggerThe Convair F-102 Delta Dagger was a US interceptor aircraft built as part of the backbone of the United States Air Force's air defenses in the late 1950s. Entering service in 1956, its main purpose was to intercept invading Soviet bomber fleets...
, 1962–1973;
- F-4 Phantom IIF-4 Phantom IIThe McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is a tandem two-seat, twin-engined, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor fighter/fighter-bomber originally developed for the United States Navy by McDonnell Aircraft. It first entered service in 1960 with the U.S. Navy. Proving highly adaptable,...
, 1973–1985; - F-15 EagleF-15 EagleThe McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle is a twin-engine, all-weather tactical fighter designed by McDonnell Douglas to gain and maintain air superiority in aerial combat. It is considered among the most successful modern fighters with over 100 aerial combat victories with no losses in dogfights...
, 1985–1993; 1994–1995; (rotational aircraft), 1995–2006 - HH-60 Pave HawkHH-60 Pave HawkThe Sikorsky MH-60G/HH-60G Pave Hawk is a twin turboshaft engine helicopter in service with the United States Air Force. It is a derivative of the UH-60 Black Hawk and incorporates the US Air Force PAVE electronic systems program...
, 1994–2006 - KC-135 StratotankerKC-135 StratotankerThe 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...
(rotational aircraft), 1994–2006 - HC-130P/N (rotational aircraft), 1994–2006
- F-16 Fighting FalconF-16 Fighting FalconThe General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a multirole jet fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force . Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft. Over 4,400 aircraft have been built since...
(rotational aircraft), 1997 and 1999.