544th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group

The 544th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group (544 ISRG) was a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Force Space Command Fourteenth Air Force. It is stationed at Peterson AFB, Colorado. It was de-activated in the summer of 2020 as part of the establishment of an independent U.S. Space Force.

544th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group
544th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group emblem
Active1958–1992 1992—present
CountryUnited States
BranchUnited States Air Force
TypeCombat support
RoleIntelligence
Part ofAF ISR Agency/70th ISR Wing[1]
Garrison/HQPeterson Air Force Base
Decorations AFOUA

A space-based intelligence organization, the 544 ISRG was a team of approximately 500 Air Force members who deliver global, space-related information to national agencies and warfighting commands; provide policy guidance and functional assistance to assigned organizations; and develop mission-based facilities, communications and manpower requirements to improve quality of life.

History

The 544th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group was initially activated as the 544th Reconnaissance Technical Squadron on 16 November 1950 at Bolling AFB. Initial personnel came from the 4203d Photographic Technical Squadron. The 544th moved to Offutt AFB in April 1952, although a small unit (Detachment 1) continued operation at Bolling AFB. On 11 July 1958, the unit was redesignated the 544th Reconnaissance Technical Group. The 544th provided photo interpretation during the Cuban Missile Crisis (October 1962) for the National Command Authority.

The next designation was as the 544th Aerospace Reconnaissance Technical Wing when it was activated on 1 January 1963 at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska. It was assigned directly to Strategic Air Command. In Vietnam, the RC-135C reconnaissance aircraft, equipped with the ASD-1 reconnaissance system, a number of programmable SIGINT receivers, created much of the 544th ARTW's work, an activity known as 'Finder'.[2] In 1979 the 544th was designated as a Major Command Special Activity and on 15 October 1979, was redesignated the 544th Strategic Intelligence Wing. The 544th SIW was redesignated the 544th Intelligence Wing on 1 September 1991, still at Offutt AFB, and then inactivated on 1 June 1992.

On 7 September 1993, Colonel Eric Larson became the commander of the newly reactivated 544th IG at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo, part of Air Force Space Command. The current commander of the 544th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group is Colonel Maurizio Calabrese.[3]

In 2000, the 544th received the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award. The award did not extend to the detachments' host commands such as the Naval Security Group Activities Sabana Seca and Sugar Grove. Their support in terms of infrastructure, technical equipment and facilities, allowed the detachments to accomplish their mission.

Units

Lineage, assignments, and stations
544th Aerospace Reconnaissance Technical Wing logo

Lineage
  • Constituted as 544th Reconnaissance Technical Squadron on 2 November 1950
Activated on 16 November 1950
Redesignated as: 544th Reconnaissance Technical Group on 11 July 1958
Redesignated as: 544th Aerospace Reconnaissance Technical Wing on 1 January 1963
Redesignated as: 544th Strategic Intelligence Wing on 15 October 1979
Redesignated as: 544th Intelligence Wing on 1 September 1991
Inactivated on 1 June 1992
  • Redesignated 544th Intelligence Group on 3 September 1993
Activated on 7 September 1993
Redesignated as: 544th Information Operations Group on 1 August 2000
Redesignated as: 544th Intelligence Group on 1 April 2007
Redesignated as: 544th Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Group on 1 January 2009

Assignments

Stations

References

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

  1. "USAF 70th Intelligence Wing Factsheet". Afisr.af.mil. Retrieved 27 September 2012.
  2. [Orbis, WARPLANE No.27, 'Sigint over Vietnam']
  3. https://www.peterson.af.mil/News/Article/1571903/col-calabrese-assumes-command-of-544-isrg/
  4. "AIA Spokesman August 1997". Fas.org. Retrieved 27 September 2012.
  5. "Naval Security Group Activity Puerto Rico" (PDF). Retrieved 27 September 2012.
  6. AIA Spokesman April 2006 p. 15
  7. "AIA Spokesman November 2004". Findarticles.com. Retrieved 27 September 2012.
  8. AIA Spokesman March 2004
  9. "AIA Spokesman August 1999". Fas.org. 30 May 2008. Retrieved 27 September 2012.
  10. "AIA Spokesman June 2005". Findarticles.com. Retrieved 27 September 2012.
  11. 70th Intelligence Wing Fact Sheet Archived 12 February 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  12. AIA Spokesman November 2005 Archived 27 February 2006 at the Wayback Machine
  13. "AIA Spokesman June 2004". Findarticles.com. Retrieved 27 September 2012.
  14. 460th Space Wing Fact Sheet Archived 29 June 2007 at the Wayback Machine
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.