303rd Aeronautical Systems Wing

The 303rd Aeronautical Systems Wing, sometimes written as 303d Aeronautical Systems Wing, (303 ASW) is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Force Material Command Aeronautical Systems Center. It is stationed at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio as a tenant unit.

303rd Aeronautical Systems Wing
Emblem of the 303rd Aeronautical Systems Wing
Active1951–1964; 1986–1989; 2005–present
CountryUnited States
BranchAir Force
TypeAeronautical Systems
Part ofAir Force Material Command
Garrison/HQWright-Patterson Air Force Base

The wing is the successor organization to the World War II Eighth Air Force 303rd Bombardment Group. The group was one of the first VIII Bomber Command B-17 Flying Fortress units in England. The "Hell's Angels" were the first B-17 group to complete 25 combat missions in June 1943, going on to fly more than 300 combat missions, more than any other group. The 359th BS B-17F 41-24605 "Knock-out Dropper" was the first aircraft in Eighth Air Force to complete 50, then 75 missions.

During the Cold War, the Strategic Air Command 303rd Bombardment Wing was a B-47 Stratojet medium bomber wing in the 1950s, and in the 1980s became a Tactical Missile Wing assigned to the United States Air Forces in Europe.

Overview

The 303 ASW has responsibility for program execution to develop, acquire, field and modernize capabilities; and support for life-cycle management for the United States and coalition partners.

Wing responsibilities also include identifying, coordinating and implementing horizontal integration/capability planning across weapons systems in support of the Global Strike and Global Persistent Attack concept of operations.

History
For additional history and lineage, see 303d Bombardment Group
Emblem of the 303d Bombardment Wing (Medium)
303d Tactical Missile Wing Emblem

Trained for strategic bombardment and air refueling operations to meet Strategic Air Command's global commitments, equipped with B-29 Superfortresses. Deployed to Sidi Slimane AB, French Morocco, 5 Oct-6 Nov 1952.

Replaced the propeller-driven B-29s with new B-47E Stratojet swept-wing medium bombers in 1953, capable of flying at high subsonic speeds and primarily designed for penetrating the airspace of the Soviet Union. Flew numerous training missions and participated in various SAC exercises and deployments with the Stratojet, deploying to Greenham Common RAF Station, England, 17 Mar-28 Apr 1954; Fairford RAF Station, England, 28 Apr-5 Jun 1954; and Anderson AFB, Guam, 4 Jul-4 Oct 1956 and 5 Apr-5 Jul 1958.

In the early 1960s, the B-47 was considered to be reaching obsolescence, and was being phased out of SAC's strategic arsenal. Began sending its stratojets to AMARC in 1963, the last being retired in 1964. Wing was inactivated on 15 June 1964 after the last B-47 was retired.

Reactivated as a BGM-109G Gryphon Cruise Missile wing in August 1986. Maintained 64 operational missiles in a combat-ready state. Inactivated in January 1989 as a result of the INF treaty and the elimination of the BGM-109G missile from service.

As part of the Aeronautical Systems Center, the 303d designs, develops and delivers dominant aerospace weapon systems and capabilities for U.S. Air Force, other U.S. military, allied and coalition-partner warfighters, in support of Air Force leadership priorities.

Lineage
  • Established as 303d Bombardment Wing, Medium, on 27 August 1951
Activated on 4 September 1951
Discontinued, and inactivated, on 15 June 1964
  • Redesignated 303d Tactical Missile Wing on 19 August 1986
Activated on 12 December 1986
Inactivated on 31 January 1989
  • Consolidated (23 Jun 2006) with the 303d Reconnaissance Systems Wing, which was established on 23 November 2004.
Activated on 18 January 2005
Redesignated 303d Aeronautical Systems Wing on 14 July 2006.
Inactivated on 1 July 2010 as it was re-stood up as ASC/WI (Aeronautical Systems Center, ISR Directorate) on the same date.

Assignments
Attached to: 5th Air Division, 5 Oct-6 Nov 1952
Attached to: 7th Air Division, 4 Mar-5 Jun 1954
Attached to: 3rd Air Division, 4 Jul-4 Oct 1956 and 5 Apr-4 Jul 1958

Components

Group

  • 303d Bombardment Group: 4 Sep 1951 – 16 Jun 1952 (not operational)

Squadrons

  • 9th Air Refueling Squadron: attached 15 Jan-5 Oct 1952 and 15 Nov 1952 – 25 Apr 1953
  • 43rd Air Refueling Squadron: 15 Mar-15 Nov 1960
  • 303d Air Refueling Squadron: attached 4 Sep 1951 – 8 Apr 1952 (not operational); assigned 18 Feb 1953 – 1 Feb 1956 (detached 19 Apr-2 Jun 1955)
  • 358th Bombardment Squadron: attached 4 Sep 1951 – 15 Jun 1952, assigned 16 Jun 1952 – 15 Jun 1964
  • 359th Bombardment Squadron: attached 4 Sep 1951 – 15 Jun 1952, assigned 16 Jun 1952 – 15 Jun 1964
  • 360th Bombardment Squadron: attached 4 Sep 1951 – 15 Jun 1952, assigned 16 Jun 1952 – 15 Jun 1964
  • 427th Bombardment Squadron: 1 Dec 1958 – 1 Jan 1962 (not operational, 1 Sep 1961 – 1 Jan 1962)
  • 87th Tactical Missile Squadron: 12 December 1986 to 31 January 1989
  • 303d Tactical Missile Maintenance Squadron: 12 December 1986 to 31 January 1989

Detachments: Det, 96th Air Refueling Squadron: attached c. 4 Jul-c. 4 October 1956.

Stations
  • Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona, 4 Sep 1951 – 15 Jun 1964
  • RAF Molesworth, England, 12 Dec 1986 – 31 Jan 1989
BGM-109G Missile site located at: 52°22′55″N 000°25′41″W
  • Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, 18 Jan 2005–present

Aircraft and missiles
  • B-29 Superfortress, 1951–1953
  • KB-29 Superfortress (Tanker), 1952, 1952–1953
  • B-47 Stratojet, 1953–1964
  • KC-97 Stratotanker, 1953–1956, 1956, 1960
  • BGM-109G, GLCM, 1987–1988.
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See also

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.

    • Ravenstein, Charles A. Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories, 1947–1977. Maxwell Air Force Base, Montgomery, Alabama: Office of Air Force History, 1984. ISBN 0-912799-12-9.
    • Grier, Peter (2002). "The Short, Happy Life of the Glick-Em" (PDF). Volume 85 (Issue 7). Air Force Magazine. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 March 2016. Retrieved 5 December 2016.
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