966th Airborne Air Control Squadron

The 966th Airborne Air Control Squadron 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
Active1942–1944; 1944–1945; 1961–1969; 1976–present
Country United States
Branch United States Air Force
RoleAirborne Command and Control
Part ofAir Combat Command
Garrison/HQTinker Air Force Base
Motto(s)Protection by Professionals (1963-1989)
EngagementsChina-Burma-India Theater[1]
DecorationsAir Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat "V" Device
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm[1]
Commanders
Current
commander
Lt Col Martin J. Slovinsky
Insignia
966th Airborne Air Control Squadron emblem (approved 14 May 1989)</ref>[1]
966th Airborne Early Warning & Control Squadron emblem (approved 14 June 1963)</ref>[1]

The squadron is the E-3 Sentry formal training unit (FTU) for all Airborne Warning and Control System aircrew and currently falls under the authority of Air Combat Command and Fifteenth Air Force.[2][3]

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.[4]

Provide the Combat Air Force with airborne systems and personnel for surveillance, warning and control of strategic, tactical, and special mission forces.[5]

History

World War II

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.[1]

Airborne warning and control

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.[1]

Lineage

466th Bombardment Squadron
  • Constituted as the 466th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 9 July 1942
Activated on 15 July 1942
Inactivated on 1 April 1944
Consolidated with the 166th Liaison Squadron and the 966th Airborne Warning and Control Training Squadron as the 966th Airborne Warning and Control Training Squadron on 19 September 1985[1]
166th Liaison Squadron
  • Constituted as the 166th Liaison Squadron (Commando) on 9 August 1944
Activated on 3 September 1944
Inactivated on 3 November 1945
Consolidated with the 466th Bombardment Squadron and the 966th Airborne Warning and Control Training Squadron as the 966th Airborne Warning and Control Training Squadron on 19 September 1985[1]
  • 966th Airborne Early Warning and Control Squadron
  • Constituted as the 966th Airborne Early Warning and Control Squadron and activated on 18 December 1961 (not organized)
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
  • Consolidated with the 166th Liaison Squadron and the 466th Bombardment Squadron on 19 September 1985
Redesignated 966th Airborne Air Control Squadron on 1 July 1994[1]

Assignments

Stations

Aircraft

Operations

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

Notes

  1. "Factsheet 966 Airborne Air Control Squadron". Air Force Historical Research Agency. 31 March 2008. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  2. "Unit Spotlight on 966th Airborne Air Control Squadron". Retrieved 8 March 2020.
  3. Rangel, 2Lt Danny (11 May 2020). "966th Airborne Air Control Squadron Continues Mission Despite COVID-19". 72nd Air Base Wing Public Affairs. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  4. "966 Airborne Air Control Squadron" (PDF). USAF Unit History. 18 March 2020. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
  5. "Library: Factsheets 552nd Operations Group". 552nd Air Control Wing Public Affairs. 1 June 2007. Archived from the original on 24 January 2016. Retrieved 4 January 2021.

Bibliography

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


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