8th Weapons Squadron

8th Weapons Squadron
E-3B/C/G AWACS E-8C JSTARS EC-130H Compass Call RC-135 Rivet Joint
Active	1942–Present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Squadron
Role	Advanced Command and Control Training
Part of	USAF Weapons School
Garrison/HQ	Nellis AFB, Nevada
Engagements	World War II (Asia-Pacific Theater) 1991 Gulf War (Defense of Saudi Arabia; Liberation of Kuwait)
Decorations	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (10x) Philippine Presidential Unit Citation (World War II)
Insignia
8th Weapons Squadron emblem

The 8th Weapons Squadron is a non-flying United States Air Force unit, assigned to the USAF Weapons School at Nellis AFB, Nevada.

The squadron inherited the lineage of the 8th Airborne Command and Control Squadron. The 8th’s history includes flying cargo aircraft to supply people and munitions around the South Pacific during WWII. Known then as the 8th Combat Cargo Squadron, the unit’s C-46s and C-47s likely shared “ramp space” with the 433rd Fighter Squadron’s (now the F-15C Weapons Squadron) P-38s in New Guinea and the Philippines in 1944 and 1945. The 8th Airborne Command and Control Squadron flew the EC-135 to provide airborne command and control for deploying fighter squadrons over the Atlantic Ocean, and supporting the movement of key Air Combat Command leadership.

Overview

Provides advanced training for Airborne Warning and Control System and Ground Theater Air Control System officers. Also includes training to weapons officers for the E-3 Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS), Command and Reporting Center (CRC), RC-135 Rivet Joint, EC-130H Compass Call and the E-8 Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (JSTARS) communities.

History

World War II

Ferried aircraft to combat theaters and to Brazil from the Southeast United States under the lend-lease program using the Air Transport Command South Atlantic air ferry route, Mar 1942-Mar 1944.

Aerial transportation in Southwestern and Western Pacific, Nov 1944-Sep 1945 as a Combat Cargo Squadron, operating under Fifth Air Force. Operated from Biak to fly passengers and cargo to US bases in Australia, New Guinea, the Admiralties, and the Philippines. Also dropped supplies to US and guerrilla forces in the Philippines. Moved to Leyte in May 1945. Maintained flights to bases in Australia, New Guinea, and the Philippines; transported personnel and supplies to the Ryukyus, and evacuated casualties on return flights. Transported personnel and equipment of the occupation forces to Japan and ferried liberated prisoners of war to the Philippines. Moved to Japan in September 1945 where it operated until being inactivated in January 1946.

Cold War

Reactivated under Caribbean Air Command in 1949. Operated cargo flights from Albrook AFB providing logistical and supply support to installations in Panama and Latin America, Oct 1949-Feb 1952.

Reactivated in 1972 as EC-121 Airborne command post for tactical deployments worldwide, Feb 1972-May 1996. Has been involved in every United States combat operation since the Vietnam War. Deployed personnel and equipment to Spain and airfield personnel and equipment into Saudi Arabia, Aug 1990-c. Mar 1991 as part of Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm.

Modern era

Its current squadron was formed in 1978, when the concept of Air Weapons Controller was added to the established concept of Fighter Weapons. The first Air Weapons Controllers graduated in December 1984 to become Fighter Weapons School instructors. Instruction at the 8th Weapons Squadron continues to this very day in the fields of United States Air Force tactical air control system (TACS), Air Battle Management (ABM), Electronic Warfare Support (ES), Electronic attack (EA) and their integration in operations. The course has graduated over 350 instructors who have been key to every conflict and contingency since 1985.

Lineage

Emblem of the 8th Airborne Command and Control Squadron

• Constituted 8th Air Corps Ferrying Squadron on 18 Feb 1942

Activated on 24 Mar 1942

Re-designated 8th Ferrying Squadron on 12 May 1943

Disbanded on 31 Mar 1944

• Reconstituted and consolidated (19 Sep 1985) with: 8th Combat Cargo Squadron

Constituted on 25 Apr 1944

Activated on 1 May 1944

Inactivated on 15 Jan 1946

Disbanded on 8 Oct 1948

• Reconstituted and consolidated (19 Sep 1985) with: 8th Helicopter Flight

Constituted on 7 Oct 1949

Activated on 27 Oct 1949

Inactivated on 19 Feb 1952

• Activated on 14 Mar 1952

Inactivated on 16 Dec 1952

• Reconstituted and consolidated (19 Sep 1985) with: 8th Tactical Deployment Control Squadron

Constituted 8th Airborne Command and Control Squadron on 14 Aug 1969

Activated on 15 Oct 1969

Inactivated on 8 Mar 1971

• Activated on 1 Feb 1972

Re-designated: 8th Tactical Deployment Control Squadron on 30 Apr 1974

Re-designated: 8th Air Deployment Control Squadron on 1 Nov 1990

Re-designated: 8th Airborne Command and Control Squadron on 1 Jul 1994

Inactivated on 15 May 1996

• Re-designated 8th Weapons Squadron on 24 Jan 2003

Activated on 3 Feb 2003.

Assignments

• Nashville Sector, Ferrying Command (later, Nashville Sector, Domestic Wing, Ferrying Command; 4th Ferrying Group), 24 Mar 1942-31 Mar 1944
• 2d Combat Cargo Group, 1 May 1944-15 Jan 1946

Attached to 5298th Troop Carrier Wing [Provisional], Nov-Dec 1944

• 5700th Air Base Group, 27 Oct 1949-19 Feb 1952
• Eighteenth Air Force (attached to 16th Troop Carrier Squadron), 14 Mar-16 Dec 1952
• 4500th Air Base Wing, 15 Oct 1969-8 Mar 1971
• Tactical Air Command, 1 Feb 1972
• 552d Airborne Warning and Control Wing (later, 552d Airborne Warning and Control Division; 552d Airborne Warning and Control Wing), 1 Jan 1978
• 28th Air Division, 1 Mar 1986
• 552d Operations Group, 29 May 1992 – 15 May 1996
• USAF Weapons School, 3 Feb 2003–Present

Stations

Aircraft

• None (ferried aircraft), 1942–1944
• C-46 Commando, 1944–1945
• C-47 Skytrain, 1944, 1945
• H-5 Dragonfly (Helicopter), 1949–1952
• H-19 Chickasaw (Helicopter), 1952
• EC-121 Warning Star, 1969–1970
• EC/C-135, 1972-1996.

References

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

• Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-89201-092-4.
• AFHRA 8th Weapons Squadron Factsheet

External links

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