966th Airborne Air Control Squadron

The 966th Airborne Air Control Squadron (966 AACS) is an active United States Air Force unit, part of the 552d Air Control Wing at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma. It operates the E-3 Sentry (AWACS) aircraft conducting airborne command and control missions.

966th Airborne Air Control Squadron
552d Air Control Wing Boeing E-3 Sentry
Active	15 July 1942 – 1 April 1944 3 September 1944 – 3 November 1945 18 December 1961 – 31 December 1969 1 July 1976 – present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Airborne Command and Control
Part of	Air Combat Command 12th Air Force 552d Air Control Wing 552d Operations Group
Garrison/HQ	Tinker Air Force Base
Decorations	AFOUA w/ V Device RVGC w/ Palm
Insignia
966th Airborne Air Control Squadron emblem

The squadron is the E-3 Sentry formal training unit (F.S.U.) for all Airborne Warning and Control System aircrew and currently falls under the authority of Air Combat Command and Twelfth Air Force.[1]

Mission

The 966th Airborne Air Control Squadron is Air Combat Command's largest flying training unit, providing training for all active and reserve E-3 Sentry pilots and mission crew. Training approximately 500 students every year.[2]

Provide the Combat Air Force with airborne systems and personnel for surveillance, warning and control of strategic, tactical, and special mission forces.[3]

History

The squadron conducted replacement training from August 1942 – November 1943 and flew evacuation missions and light transport services for ground forces in Burma from 13 November 1944 – 10 May 1945. It provided airborne radar surveillance from 1962–1969 and rotated aircrews to Southeast Asia from c. 4 April 1965 – c. December 1969. The 966th has trained aircrews since 1977.[4]

Lineage[4]

• 466th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy)
  • Constituted on 9 July 1942

Activated on 15 July 1942

Inactivated on 1 April 1944

• 166th Liaison Squadron (Commando)
  • Constituted on 9 August 1944

Activated on 3 September 1944

Inactivated on 3 November 1945

• 966th Airborne Early Warning and Control Squadron
  • Constituted and Activated on 18 December 1961

Organized on 1 February 1962

Inactivated on 31 December 1969

Redesignated 966th Airborne Warning and Control Training Squadron on 5 May 1976

Activated on 1 July 1976

• 466th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) consolidated with 166th Liaison Squadron (Commando) and 966th Airborne Warning and Control Training Squadron as 966th Airborne Warning and Control Training Squadron on 19 September 1985
  • Redesignated 966th Airborne Air Control Squadron on 1 July 1994

Assignments[4]

• 333d Bombardment Group, 15 July 1942 – 1 April 1944
• 1st Air Commando Group, 3 September 1944 – 3 November 1945
• Air Defense Command, 18 December 1961
• 551st Airborne Early Warning and Control Wing, 1 February 1962
• 552d Airborne Early Warning and Control Wing, 1 May 1963
• 551st Airborne Early Warning and Control Wing, 1 July 1969
• 552d Airborne Early Warning and Control Wing, 15 November-31 December 1969
• 552d Airborne Warning and Control Wing (later, 552d Airborne Warning and Control Division; 552d Airborne Warning and Control Wing; 552d Air Control Wing), 1 July 1976
• 552d Operations Group, since 29 May 1992

Bases stationed[4]

Topeka Army Air Base, Kansas, 15 July 1942 Dalhart Army Air Field, Texas, 22 February 1943 – 1 April 1944 Burnpur Airfield, India, 3 September 1944 Yazagyo Airfield, Burma, 13 November 1944 Inbaung Airfield, Burma, 12 December 1944 Burnpur Airfield, India, 19 December 1944 Detachment operated from Arakan Airfield, Burma, c. 29 December 1944 – 23 January 1945 Sinthe Airfield, Burma, 4 February 1945

Burnpur Airfield, India, 14 March 1945 Ondaw Airfield, Burma, 29 March 1945 Meiktila Airfield, Burma, 5 April 1945 Toungoo Airfield, Burma, 27 April 1945 Burnpur Airfield, India, 14 May – 6 October 1945 Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, 1–3 November 1945 McCoy AFB, Florida, 1 February 1962 – 31 December 1969 Tinker AFB, Oklahoma, since 1 July 1976

Aircraft operated[4]

B-17 Flying Fortress (1942) B-24 Liberator (1942–1943) L-5 Sentinel (1944–1945) C-64 Norseman (1944–1945) RC-121 (1962–1963)

TC-121 (1962–1963) EC-121 Warning Star (1963–1969) WC-135 (1977–1979) E-3 B/C/G Sentry (since 1977)

Operations[4]

• World War II
• Vietnam War

B-17 Flying Fortress (1942)	B-24 Liberator (1943–1944)	L-5 Sentinel (1944–1945)	UC–64 Norseman (1944–1945)
RC-121 (1962–1963)	EC-121 Warning Star (1963–1969)	WC-135 (1977–1979)	E-3 Sentry (since 1977)

References

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

1. "Unit Spotlight on 966th Airborne Air Control Squadron". Retrieved 8 March 2020.
2. "966th AIRBORNE AIR CONTROL SQUADRON" (PDF). Retrieved 8 March 2020.
3. 552 OG Fact Sheet Archived 22 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine
4. "AFHRA 966 AACS Page". Archived from the original on 2 August 2011. Retrieved 22 January 2012.

• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556.
• AFHRA 966th Airborne Air Control Squadron History
• 552d Operations Group Fact Sheet