303rd Aeronautical Systems Wing

History

Trained for strategic bombardment and air refueling operations to meet Strategic Air Command (SAC)'s global commitments and equipped with B-29 Superfortresses, the wing was deployed to Sidi Slimane Air Base, French Morocco, 5 Oct-6 Nov 1952.

The wing replaced the propeller-driven B-29s with new Boeing B-47E Stratojet swept-wing medium bombers in 1953, capable of flying at high subsonic speeds and primarily designed for penetrating the airspace of the Soviet Union. It flew numerous training missions and participated in various SAC exercises and deployments with the Stratojet, deploying to RAF Greenham Common, England, 17 Mar-28 Apr 1954; RAF Fairford, England, 28 Apr-5 Jun 1954; and Anderson Air Force Base, Guam, 4 Jul-4 Oct 1956 and 5 Apr-5 Jul 1958.

In the early 1960s, the B-47 was considered to be reaching obsolescence, and was being phased out of SAC's strategic arsenal. Began sending its Stratojets to AMARC in 1963, the last being retired in 1964. Wing was inactivated on 15 June 1964 after the last B-47 was retired.

The wing was reactivated as a BGM-109G Gryphon cruise missile wing in August 1986. It maintained 64 operational missiles in a combat-ready state. The wing was finally inactivated in January 1989 as a result of the INF treaty and the elimination of the BGM-109G missile from service.

As part of the Aeronautical Systems Center, the 303d designed, developed and delivered dominant aerospace weapon systems and capabilities for U.S. Air Force, other U.S. military, allied and coalition-partner warfighters, in support of Air Force leadership priorities.

Wing responsibilities also included identifying, coordinating, and implementing horizontal integration/capability planning across weapons systems in support of the Global Strike and Global Persistent Attack concept of operations.

The wing was reorganized as a directorate on 1 July 2010.

Lineage

; 303d Bombardment Wing

• Established as the 303d Bombardment Wing, Medium on 27 August 1951 : Activated on 4 September 1951 : Discontinued and inactivated, on 15 June 1964 : Re-designated 303d Tactical Missile Wing on 19 August 1986 : Activated on 12 December 1986 : Inactivated on 31 January 1989 : Consolidated with the 303d Reconnaissance Systems Wing as the 303d Reconnaissance Systems Wing on 23 June 2006

; 303d Aeronautical Systems Wing

• Established as the Reconnaissance Systems Wing on 23 November 2004 : Activated on 18 January 2005 : Consolidated with the 303d Tactical Missile Wing on 23 June 2006 : Redesignated 303d Aeronautical Systems Wing on 14 July 2006 : Inactivated on 1 July 2010

Assignments

• 36th Air Division, 4 September 1951 (attached to 5th Air Division, 5 October–6 November 1952, 7th Air Division, 4 March–5 June 1954, 3rd Air Division, 4 July–4 October 1956 and 5 April–4 July 1958
• 12th Air Division (later 12 Strategic Aerospace Division), 15 March 1960 – 15 June 1964
• Third Air Force, 12 December 1986 – 31 January 1989
• Aeronautical Systems Center, 18 January 2005 – 1 July 2010

Components

Group

• 303d Bombardment Group: 4 September 1951 – 16 Jun 1952 (not operational)
• 645th Aeronautical Systems Group

Squadrons

• 9th Air Refueling Squadron: attached 15 Jan-5 Oct 1952 and 15 Nov 1952 – 25 Apr 1953
• 43rd Air Refueling Squadron: 15 Mar-15 Nov 1960
• 303d Air Refueling Squadron: attached 4 Sep 1951 – 8 Apr 1952 (not operational); assigned 18 Feb 1953 – 1 Feb 1956 (detached 19 Apr-2 Jun 1955)
• 358th Bombardment Squadron: attached 4 Sep 1951 – 15 Jun 1952, assigned 16 Jun 1952 – 15 Jun 1964
• 359th Bombardment Squadron: attached 4 Sep 1951 – 15 Jun 1952, assigned 16 Jun 1952 – 15 Jun 1964
• 360th Bombardment Squadron: attached 4 Sep 1951 – 15 Jun 1952, assigned 16 Jun 1952 – 15 Jun 1964
• 427th Bombardment Squadron: 1 Dec 1958 – 1 Jan 1962 (not operational, 1 Sep 1961 – 1 Jan 1962)
• 87th Tactical Missile Squadron: 12 December 1986 to 31 January 1989
• 303d Tactical Missile Maintenance Squadron: 12 December 1986 to 31 January 1989

Detachments: Detachment, 96th Air Refueling Squadron: attached c. 4 July–c. 4 October 1956

Stations

• Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, 4 September 1951 – 15 June 1964
• RAF Molesworth, England, 12 December 1986 – 31 January 1989 : BGM-109G Missile site located at:
• Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, 18 January 2005 – 1 July 2010

Aircraft and missiles

• Boeing B-29 Superfortress, 1951–1953
• Boeing KB-29 Superfortress, 1952, 1952–1953
• Boeing B-47 Stratojet, 1953–1964
• Boeing KC-97 Stratofreighter, 1953–1956, 1956, 1960
• BGM-109G Ground Launched Cruise Missile, 1987–1988

References

• Ravenstein, Charles A. Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories, 1947–1977. Maxwell Air Force Base, Montgomery, Alabama: Office of Air Force History, 1984. .