169th Fighter Wing
Encyclopedia
The United States Air Force
's 169th Fighter Wing (169 FW) is an Air National Guard
(ANG) fighter unit located at McEntire Joint National Guard Station
, South Carolina
. It is the operational flying organization of the South Carolina Air National Guard
(SCANG).
is to maintain wartime readiness and the ability to mobilize and deploy expeditiously to carry out tactical air missions or combat support activities in the event of a war or military emergency. More specifically, the wing specializes in the Suppression and Destruction of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD). The SCANG operates as part of the Total Force of the U.S. military and is fully integrated with the active duty U.S. Air Force to perform its military mission.
The wing flies the F-16 Fighting Falcon, a single-seat, multipurpose fighter with the ability to fly at up to twice the speed of sound. It is capable of performing air-to-air and air-to-ground tactical missions. The 169th flew the F-16A from 1983 to 1994 and, in 1994, transitioned to the single seat F-16C Block 52 (and a small number of twin seat F-16D Block 52), also known as the F-16CJ, the newest, most advanced F-16 in the U.S. Air Force.
The SCANG's state mission under Title 32 USC
is to respond to the call of the Governor of South Carolina
in the event of natural disasters or domestic disturbances within the state of South Carolina.
About 900 of those personnel assigned to the SCANG are traditional Guard members who leave their full-time positions as civilian professionals, workers and students to train part-time with the Air National Guard. Approximately another 300 are federal employees serving as full-time Air Reserve Technicians
(ART) at McEntire and drill with their respective Air Guard units, primarily those which are part of the 169 FW. Close to 50 South Carolina state employees also work at McEntire, some of whom also either active or retired members of the Air National Guard. An additional 150 active duty USAF personnel, both Regular Air Force and Active Guard and Reserve
(AGR), round out the SCANG's Total Force fighter wing, as McEntire is home to the largest Active Associate program between the Regular Air Force and the Air National Guard in the nation's Combat Air Forces.
The primary unit of the SCANG since its inception, the 169th Fighter Wing (169 FW) is currently assigned to 1st Air Force (1 AF) and operationally gained by the Air Combat Command
(ACC). It comprises the 169th Operations Group (to include the 157th Fighter Squadron
as its operational flying unit), the 169th Maintenance Group, the 169th Mission Support Group and the 169th Medical Group. The organization is nicknamed the "Swamp Foxes," in honor of Francis Marion
, a South Carolina Militia and Continental Army officer during the American Revolution.
Over the past six decades, the SCANG has been called to active military service for numerous historic contingencies. In 1950, SCANG Airmen were called to serve during the Korean War
at various installations in the United States and abroad. In late 1961, the SCANG was called to active duty during the Berlin Crisis, and the then-169th Tactical Fighter Group was stationed at Moron Air Base
, Spain. In late 1990, units of the SCANG were activated and deployed to Saudi Arabia for Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, flying 2,000 combat missions and dropping 4 million pounds of munitions, while maintaining the highest USAF F-16 aircraft mission capable rate in the theater.
In 2002, F-16 aircraft and personnel from the 169th Fighter Wing deployed to Southwest Asia in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and participated directly in combat operations. Also that year, 50 SCANG Airmen, then assigned to the 240th Combat Communications Squadron, deployed to Central Asia for six months in support of the Global War on Terrorism, while the 245th Air Traffic Control Squadron deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
In 2003, nearly 400 Airmen from the 169th and all its F-16s were mobilized and deployed to Southwest Asia as part of what became Operation Iraqi Freedom. The 169th was attached to the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, stationed at Al Udeid Air Base
in Qatar, and flew more than 400 combat missions, performing the Suppression and Destruction of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD) mission and flying numerous precision bombing missions over Iraq.
Over the years, the 169th also deployed for Operation Southern Watch (Saudi Arabia, 1996), Operation Northern Watch (Turkey, 2000) and again for Southern Watch (Saudi Arabia, 2001). This made the 169th the first Air National Guard unit to deploy alongside active duty U.S. Air Force units to comprise an Air Expeditionary Force.
In 2005, the Base Realignment and Closure Commission (BRAC) announced an historic expansion at McEntire. Five more F-16C/Ds would arrive at the base in 2006 and five more the following year. Then, in 2007, Regular Air Force personnel began arriving at McEntire as the base prepared to host and operate the largest Active Association unit in the nation's Combat Air Forces, bringing about 150 active duty USAF personnel on board to work, train and deploy with the 169th Fighter Wing.
Since then, the many components of the SCANG have continued to support the Global War on Terrorism and have lent their muscle to Total Force operations and Air Expeditionary Force deployments all over the world. Airmen from the 169th Civil Engineer Squadron deployed to Southwest Asia, Airmen from the 169th Security Forces and 169th Force Support Squadron to Kyrgyzstan and the list goes on.
Meanwhile, the Swamp Fox team has maintained a rigorous pace of operations on the home front. In addition to highly rated performances in recent Phase I and Phase II Operational Readiness Inspections and achieving record outstanding scores on Standardization and Evaluation and Logistics Compliance Assessment Program inspections, McEntire also hosted the state's first-ever Air Ground Expo for the community. Plus, the 169th represented the United States and U.S. Air Forces Central (USAFCENT) in 2009's Falcon Air Meet at Mwaffaq Salti Air Base in Azraq, Jordan, where it was declared the overall winner of the three-nation F-16 competition. This was the first time an Air National Guard unit was selected to participate in the event.
In 2010, thanks to the wing's groundbreaking Active Associate program, the 169th became the first Air Guard unit to support an AEF mission for a full 120 days. While simultaneously deploying Airmen for Operation Enduring Freedom, the wing deployed more than 300 Airmen in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, during which the 169th flew more than 800 combat air patrol missions over Iraq. The unprecedented deployment also allowed the Swamp Fox team to escort the last Army combat forces out of Iraq on the last day of Operation Iraqi Freedom (fitting, as the 169th had been there for day one of the operation in 2003).
In 2011, in the midst of major construction, improvements and expansions across the base, the Air Sovereignty Alert mission migrates from nearby Shaw AFB to McEntire. As the 169th assumes responsibility for this vital continental air defense mission, the men and women of the SCANG remain poised and ready to support their nation and the state of South Carolina at home and abroad in the years to come.
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...
's 169th Fighter Wing (169 FW) is an Air National Guard
Air National Guard
The Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
(ANG) fighter unit located at McEntire Joint National Guard Station
McEntire Joint National Guard Station
McEntire Joint National Guard Base or McEntire JNGB is a military airport located in Richland County, South Carolina, United States, 10 miles west of the town of Eastover and approximately 15 miles southeast of the city of Columbia. It is owned by the U.S...
, South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
. It is the operational flying organization of the South Carolina Air National Guard
South Carolina Air National Guard
The South Carolina Air National Guard is the air force militia of the U.S. state of South Carolina. It is, along with the South Carolina Army National Guard, an element of the South Carolina National Guard...
(SCANG).
Mission
The federal mission of the 169 FW in accordance with Title 10 USCTitle 10 of the United States Code
Title 10 of the United States Code outlines the role of armed forces in the United States Code.It provides the legal basis for the roles, missions and organization of each of the services as well as the United States Department of Defense...
is to maintain wartime readiness and the ability to mobilize and deploy expeditiously to carry out tactical air missions or combat support activities in the event of a war or military emergency. More specifically, the wing specializes in the Suppression and Destruction of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD). The SCANG operates as part of the Total Force of the U.S. military and is fully integrated with the active duty U.S. Air Force to perform its military mission.
The wing flies the F-16 Fighting Falcon, a single-seat, multipurpose fighter with the ability to fly at up to twice the speed of sound. It is capable of performing air-to-air and air-to-ground tactical missions. The 169th flew the F-16A from 1983 to 1994 and, in 1994, transitioned to the single seat F-16C Block 52 (and a small number of twin seat F-16D Block 52), also known as the F-16CJ, the newest, most advanced F-16 in the U.S. Air Force.
The SCANG's state mission under Title 32 USC
Title 32 of the United States Code
Title 32 of the United States Code outlines the role of the United States National Guard in the United States Code.—Organization—Personnel—Training—Service, Supply, And Procurement—Homeland Defense Activities-External links:...
is to respond to the call of the Governor of South Carolina
Governor of South Carolina
The Governor of the State of South Carolina is the head of state for the State of South Carolina. Under the South Carolina Constitution, the Governor is also the head of government, serving as the chief executive of the South Carolina executive branch. The Governor is the ex officio...
in the event of natural disasters or domestic disturbances within the state of South Carolina.
About 900 of those personnel assigned to the SCANG are traditional Guard members who leave their full-time positions as civilian professionals, workers and students to train part-time with the Air National Guard. Approximately another 300 are federal employees serving as full-time Air Reserve Technicians
Air Reserve Technician Program
Air Reserve Technicians, commonly referred to as ARTs, are a nucleus of managers, planners and trainers who have knowledge and expertise to smooth Air Force Reserve Command and Air National Guard units' transition from a peacetime to a wartime environment...
(ART) at McEntire and drill with their respective Air Guard units, primarily those which are part of the 169 FW. Close to 50 South Carolina state employees also work at McEntire, some of whom also either active or retired members of the Air National Guard. An additional 150 active duty USAF personnel, both Regular Air Force and Active Guard and Reserve
Active Guard Reserve
Active Guard Reserve , also known as "Active Guard and Reserve," refers to a United States Army and United States Air Force federal military program which places Army National Guard and Army Reserve soldiers and Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve airmen on federal active duty status under...
(AGR), round out the SCANG's Total Force fighter wing, as McEntire is home to the largest Active Associate program between the Regular Air Force and the Air National Guard in the nation's Combat Air Forces.
History
Formed in 1946, the South Carolina Air National Guard (SCANG) consists today of more than 1,500 Airmen who work and drill at McEntire Joint National Guard Base. The 2,400-acre base is located approximately 12 miles east of Columbia.The primary unit of the SCANG since its inception, the 169th Fighter Wing (169 FW) is currently assigned to 1st Air Force (1 AF) and operationally gained by the 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 ....
(ACC). It comprises the 169th Operations Group (to include the 157th Fighter Squadron
157th Fighter Squadron
The 157th Fighter Squadron , also known as the "Swamp Foxes," is the primary flying unit of the 169th Fighter Wing of the South Carolina Air National Guard . The 157th FS is one of the few Air National Guard F-16 units in the U.S...
as its operational flying unit), the 169th Maintenance Group, the 169th Mission Support Group and the 169th Medical Group. The organization is nicknamed the "Swamp Foxes," in honor of Francis Marion
Francis Marion
Francis Marion was a military officer who served in the American Revolutionary War. Acting with Continental Army and South Carolina militia commissions, he was a persistent adversary of the British in their occupation of South Carolina in 1780 and 1781, even after the Continental Army was driven...
, a South Carolina Militia and Continental Army officer during the American Revolution.
Over the past six decades, the SCANG has been called to active military service for numerous historic contingencies. In 1950, SCANG Airmen were called to serve during the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
at various installations in the United States and abroad. In late 1961, the SCANG was called to active duty during the Berlin Crisis, and the then-169th Tactical Fighter Group was stationed at Moron Air Base
Morón Air Base
Morón Air Base is located at in southern Spain, approximately southeast of the city of Seville and northeast of Naval Station Rota. The base gets its name from the nearby town of Morón de la Frontera - although its is actually located in the municipality of Arahal.Morón's massive flight line,...
, Spain. In late 1990, units of the SCANG were activated and deployed to Saudi Arabia for Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, flying 2,000 combat missions and dropping 4 million pounds of munitions, while maintaining the highest USAF F-16 aircraft mission capable rate in the theater.
In 2002, F-16 aircraft and personnel from the 169th Fighter Wing deployed to Southwest Asia in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and participated directly in combat operations. Also that year, 50 SCANG Airmen, then assigned to the 240th Combat Communications Squadron, deployed to Central Asia for six months in support of the Global War on Terrorism, while the 245th Air Traffic Control Squadron deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
In 2003, nearly 400 Airmen from the 169th and all its F-16s were mobilized and deployed to Southwest Asia as part of what became Operation Iraqi Freedom. The 169th was attached to the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, stationed at Al Udeid Air Base
Al Udeid Air Base
Al Udeid Air Base is a military base west of Doha, Qatar. It houses foreign coalition personnel and assets. It is host to a forward headquarters of United States Central Command, headquarters of United States Air Forces Central Command, and home to both No. 83 Expeditionary Air Group RAF and the...
in Qatar, and flew more than 400 combat missions, performing the Suppression and Destruction of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD) mission and flying numerous precision bombing missions over Iraq.
Over the years, the 169th also deployed for Operation Southern Watch (Saudi Arabia, 1996), Operation Northern Watch (Turkey, 2000) and again for Southern Watch (Saudi Arabia, 2001). This made the 169th the first Air National Guard unit to deploy alongside active duty U.S. Air Force units to comprise an Air Expeditionary Force.
In 2005, the Base Realignment and Closure Commission (BRAC) announced an historic expansion at McEntire. Five more F-16C/Ds would arrive at the base in 2006 and five more the following year. Then, in 2007, Regular Air Force personnel began arriving at McEntire as the base prepared to host and operate the largest Active Association unit in the nation's Combat Air Forces, bringing about 150 active duty USAF personnel on board to work, train and deploy with the 169th Fighter Wing.
Since then, the many components of the SCANG have continued to support the Global War on Terrorism and have lent their muscle to Total Force operations and Air Expeditionary Force deployments all over the world. Airmen from the 169th Civil Engineer Squadron deployed to Southwest Asia, Airmen from the 169th Security Forces and 169th Force Support Squadron to Kyrgyzstan and the list goes on.
Meanwhile, the Swamp Fox team has maintained a rigorous pace of operations on the home front. In addition to highly rated performances in recent Phase I and Phase II Operational Readiness Inspections and achieving record outstanding scores on Standardization and Evaluation and Logistics Compliance Assessment Program inspections, McEntire also hosted the state's first-ever Air Ground Expo for the community. Plus, the 169th represented the United States and U.S. Air Forces Central (USAFCENT) in 2009's Falcon Air Meet at Mwaffaq Salti Air Base in Azraq, Jordan, where it was declared the overall winner of the three-nation F-16 competition. This was the first time an Air National Guard unit was selected to participate in the event.
In 2010, thanks to the wing's groundbreaking Active Associate program, the 169th became the first Air Guard unit to support an AEF mission for a full 120 days. While simultaneously deploying Airmen for Operation Enduring Freedom, the wing deployed more than 300 Airmen in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, during which the 169th flew more than 800 combat air patrol missions over Iraq. The unprecedented deployment also allowed the Swamp Fox team to escort the last Army combat forces out of Iraq on the last day of Operation Iraqi Freedom (fitting, as the 169th had been there for day one of the operation in 2003).
In 2011, in the midst of major construction, improvements and expansions across the base, the Air Sovereignty Alert mission migrates from nearby Shaw AFB to McEntire. As the 169th assumes responsibility for this vital continental air defense mission, the men and women of the SCANG remain poised and ready to support their nation and the state of South Carolina at home and abroad in the years to come.
Major Command
- Air National GuardAir National GuardThe Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
/Air Combat CommandAir Combat CommandAir 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 ....
(1992–Present) - Air National GuardAir National GuardThe Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
/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...
(1946–1992)
Previous designations
- 169th Fighter Wing (1995–Present)
- 169th Fighter Group (1992–1995)
- 169th Tactical Fighter Group (???-1992)
Units Assigned
- 169th Operations Group
- 169th Operations Support Flight
- 157th Fighter Squadron157th Fighter SquadronThe 157th Fighter Squadron , also known as the "Swamp Foxes," is the primary flying unit of the 169th Fighter Wing of the South Carolina Air National Guard . The 157th FS is one of the few Air National Guard F-16 units in the U.S...
- 169th Maintenance Group
- 169th Maintenance Squadron
- 169th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron
- 169th Maintenance Operations Flight
- 169th Medical Group
- 169th Mission Support Group
- 169th Mission Support Flight
- 169th Communications Flight
- 169th Security Forces Squadron
- 169th Civil Engineering Squadron
- 169th Logistics Readiness Squadron
- 169th Services Flight
- Tenant Units
- 245th Air Traffic Control Squadron
- Det 1, 20th Operations Group
- Det 1, 20th Maintenance Operations Squadron
Bases stationed
- McEntire Joint National Guard Base, South CarolinaSouth CarolinaSouth Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
(1946–Present)
Aircraft & Missiles Operated
- F-16C Fighting Falcon {F-16C/D Block 52Q} (1994–Present)
- WC-130H (2005–Present)
- F-16A Fighting Falcon {F-16A/B} (1983–1994)
- A-7D Corsair II (1975–1983)
- 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...
(1963–1975) - F-104 StarfighterF-104 StarfighterThe Lockheed F-104 Starfighter is a single-engine, high-performance, supersonic interceptor aircraft originally developed for the United States Air Force by Lockheed. One of the Century Series of aircraft, it served with the USAF from 1958 until 1969, and continued with Air National Guard units...
(1960–1963) - F-86 SabreF-86 SabreThe North American F-86 Sabre was a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as America's first swept wing fighter which could counter the similarly-winged Soviet MiG-15 in high speed dogfights over the skies of the Korean War...
(1958–1960) - F-80 Shooting Star (1950–1958)
- P-51 MustangP-51 MustangThe North American Aviation P-51 Mustang was an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II, the Korean War and in several other conflicts...
{F-51 after 1947} (1946–1950) - T-33 Shooting StarT-33 Shooting StarThe Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star is an American-built jet trainer aircraft. It was produced by Lockheed and made its first flight in 1948, piloted by Tony LeVier. The T-33 was developed from the Lockheed P-80/F-80 starting as TP-80C/TF-80C in development, then designated T-33A. It was used by the...
(???-???) - A-26 InvaderA-26 InvaderThe Douglas A-26 Invader was a United States twin-engined light attack bomber built by the Douglas Aircraft Co. during World War II that also saw service during several of the Cold War's major conflicts...
(???-???) - C-131 SamaritanC-131 SamaritanThe Convair C-131 Samaritan was an American military transport produced from 1954 to 1956. It is the military version of the Convair CV-240.-Design and development:...
(???-1990) - C-54 SkymasterC-54 SkymasterThe Douglas C-54 Skymaster was a four-engined transport aircraft used by the United States Army Air Forces and British forces in World War II and the Korean War. Besides transport of cargo, it also carried presidents, British heads of government, and military staff...
(???-???) - C-47 SkytrainC-47 SkytrainThe Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota is a military transport aircraft that was developed from the Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II and remained in front line operations through the 1950s with a few remaining in operation to this day.-Design and...
(???-???) - C-45 Expeditor (???-???)