110th Wing

110th Wing
110th Wing
	The 110th Wing, which formerly operated manned aircraft, now hosts an operations center for the MQ-1 Predator (shown above) and the MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicles.
Active	1 September 1956–present
Country	United States
Allegiance	United States; Michigan
Branch	United States Air Force; Air National Guard
Type	Wing
Part of	Air Combat Command; Michigan Air National Guard
Garrison/HQ	Battle Creek Air National Guard Base, Battle Creek, Michigan
Tail Code	BC
Commanders
Current; commander	Col James M. Rossi
Insignia
110th Wing emblem

The 110th Wing (110th WG) is a unit of the Michigan Air National Guard, stationed at Battle Creek Air National Guard Base, Battle Creek, Michigan. If activated to federal service the Wing would be gained by the United States Air Force Air Combat Command.

Overview

The main operations unit of the wing is the 110th Operations Group, a remote-split operations center for MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper operations for Third Air Force. The aircraft and a contingent of maintainers are deployed forward, along with some pilots to handle takeoffs and landings, but the majority of the pilots remain stateside and operate the aircraft via satellite communications links.

Units

110th Operations Group
- 172d Attack Squadron
- 110th Operations Support Squadron
- 272d Cyber Operations Squadron
110th Mission Support Group
110th Medical Group
217th Air Operations Group

History

In 1956 the 172d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (FIS) of the Michigan Air National Guard was authorized to expand to a group level, and the United States Air Force constituted the 110th Fighter Group (Air Defense) and associated support units and allotted them to the Air National Guard for activation. The 172d FIS became the group's flying squadron. Other squadrons assigned into the group were the 110th Material Squadron, 110th Air Base Squadron, and the 110th USAF Dispensary.

In 1957, the 172d FIS received a new aircraft, the RB-57 Canberra, and a new mission – tactical reconnaissance. The resulting reorganization cost the 110th Fighter Group 40 percent of its manpower and its name – the group was inactivated and the 172d, now the 172d Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, once again became Battle Creek's primary Air National Guard unit. The activation of a non-flying squadron, the 127th Reconnaissance Technical Squadron, helped prevent the loss of additional Guard members.

In 1962, the 110th Tactical Reconnaissance Group and support organizations were reactivated with Major Howard Strand serving as its commander. Major Strand departed in January 1965 to become deputy commander of the 127th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing at Selfridge AFB, Michigan. He returned again in 1974 to lead the 110th until 1981.

The 172d flew Canberras until 1971, when it undertook the radical and unexpected transformation from the RB-57 jets to the smaller, prop-powered Cessna O-2 Skymaster. On 11 June 1971, the 110th Tactical Reconnaissance Group became the 110th Tactical Air Support Group. In 1980, the 110th saw a return to jet power when it reequipped with OA-37 Dragonfly.

In 1991 the 110th Tactical Air Support Group transitioned from the Dragonfly to the OA-10 Thunderbolt II, and was redesignated the 110th Fighter Group. In June 1995 the 110th Fighter Group became the 110th Fighter Wing.

In 1997 the wing took part in Operation Deny Flight. The 110th Fighter Wing served in both Iraq and Afghanistan, supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.

In May 1999 the 110th Fighter Wing was deployed to Trapani Italy in support of Operation Noble Anvil, the air operations over Kosovo.

The 110th Fighter Wing underwent a major transition moving from the A-10 aircraft to the Learjet C-21A aircraft in 2008. The C-21, which arrived in October 2008, is a twin turbofan engine passenger aircraft, the military version of the Lear Jet 35A. With a crew of two, it can accommodate eight passengers and 42 cubic feet (1,200 L) of cargo. For aero medical evacuations, it can carry one little litter or five ambulatory patients plus one flight nurse and two medical technicians. The 110th Fighter Wing was redesignated as the 110th Airlift Wing with no change in station. It changed from an Air Combat Command unit to an Air Mobility Command unit on 1 December 2009.^[1]

The base also witnessed the creation of a new unit, the 217th Air Operations Group (AOG) on 1 April 2009. The 217th AOG is an organization supporting the 17th Air Force (AFAFRICA). The 217th AOG has four squadrons that include intelligence, communications, operations and Air Force Forces planning in a largely self-contained package.

On 13 December 2014, in a ceremony presided by Gov. Rick Snyder, the wing was redesignated as the 110th Attack Wing.

On 1 March 2019, the wing was officially renamed from the 110th Attack Wing to 110th Wing by the National Guard Bureau, Washington, D.C.^[2]

Lineage

Constituted as the 110th Fighter Group (Air Defense)and allotted to the Air National Guard on 15 April 1956

Extended federal recognition and activated on 1 September 1956

Inactivated c. 12 April 1958

Redesignated 110th Tactical Reconnaissance Group

Activated on 1 October 1962

Redesignated 110th Tactical Air Support Group on 11 June 1971

Redesignated 110th Fighter Group on 16 October 1991

Redesignated 110th Fighter Wing on 1 October 1995

Redesignated 110th Airlift Wing, 1 March 2009

Redesignated 110th Attack Wing, 13 December 2014

Redesignated 110th Wing

Assignments

127th Air Defense Wing, 1 September 1956 – 12 April 1958
127th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, 1 October 1962
Michigan Air National Guard, 11 June 1971
128th Tactical Fighter Wing (later 128th Fighter Wing), 16 October 1991
Michigan Air National Guard, 1 October 1995

Gaining Commands

Air Defense Command, 1 September 1956 – 12 April 1958

Tactical Air Command, 1 October 1962

Air Combat Command, 1 June 1992

Air Mobility Command, 1 March 2009

Air Combat Command, 1 October 2013

Components

Groups

110th Operations Group, 1 June 1992 – present
110th Logistics Group (later 110th Maintenance Group), 1 October 1995 – 30 September 2013
110th Medical Group, 15 October 1962 – present^[3]
110th Support Group (later 110th Mission Support Group), 1 October 1995 – present
217th Air Operations Group, 1 April 2009 – present

Operational Squadron

172d Airlift Squadron,^[4] 1 September 1956 – 30 June 1957; 1 October 1962 – 1 June 1992

Stations

W. K. Kellogg Airport, Michigan, 1 September 1956 – 30 June 1957; 1 October 1962–

Designated: Battle Creek Air National Guard Base, Michigan, 1991–present

Aircraft

MQ-9 Reaper (2013–present)
C-21A Learjet (2009–2013)
A-10A Thunderbolt II (1991–2009)
OA-10A Thunderbolt II (1991–2009)
OA-37B Dragonfly (1981–1991)

O-2A Skymaster (1971–1981)
RB-57 Canberra (1962–1971)
F-89C Scorpion (1956–1957)

References

Notes

^ "110th Airlift Wing, Michigan Air National Guard - History". Archived from the original on 22 July 2011. Retrieved 2 November 2010.
^ "New designation for Battle Creek Air Guard Wing seals mission relevance, versatility".
^ This unit was designated the 110th USAF Dispensary, 110th Tactical Dispensary, 110th Tactical Clinic, and 110th Medical Squadron before becoming a group in June 2004.
^ Earlier 172d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 172d Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, 110th Tactical Air Support Squadron, 110th Fighter Squadron

Bibliography

This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

110th Airlift Wing history webpage
110th Airlift Wing@globalsecurity.org
Rogers, B. (2006). United States Air Force Unit Designations Since 1978. ISBN 1-85780-197-0

[1] "110th Airlift Wing, Michigan Air National Guard - History". Archived from the original on 22 July 2011. Retrieved 2 November 2010.

[2] "New designation for Battle Creek Air Guard Wing seals mission relevance, versatility".

[3] This unit was designated the 110th USAF Dispensary, 110th Tactical Dispensary, 110th Tactical Clinic, and 110th Medical Squadron before becoming a group in June 2004.

[4] Earlier 172d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 172d Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, 110th Tactical Air Support Squadron, 110th Fighter Squadron

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