The group operates unmanned reconnaissance aircraft which provide real-time reconnaissance, surveillance, and precision attack against fixed and time-critical targets. The 432nd Air Expeditionary Wing is a provisional unit assigned to Air Combat Command and is the designation for components of the 432nd Wing when deployed into combat areas as part of the Global War on Terror.[4]
The wing has flown intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions in Operations Enduring and for the War in Iraq, flown by pilots and sensor operators in the United States.[9]
The 432nd is authorized 160 Predator and 60 Reapers. As of May 2007, 6 Reapers and about 85 Predators have been delivered with half of the Predators deployed forward in the United States Central Command area of operations. The wing is expected to fly 12 combat air mission in Iraq and Afghanistan each day.[10]
Units
As of 2022[update] the wing is made up of the following units:[1]
The 432nd Observation Group was activated on 22 February 1943. It served as the operational training unit (OTU) of the USAAF School of Applied Tactics at Keystone Army Air Field, Florida. The group trained and provided reconnaissance to assist fighter, bombardment, and ground units with their training. Aircraft included Bell P-39 Airacobra fighter and Aeronca L-3 Grasshopper light observation aircraft. The group was disbanded on 1 November 1943.[3]
Tactical Air Command
Martin RB-57A-MA AF Serial No. 52-1457 of the 43rd Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron. This aircraft is currently on static display at the Museum of Aviation, Robins AFB, Georgia.[11]
On 23 March 1953, the 432nd Tactical Reconnaissance Group was activated at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. The new group's mission was to assume the reconnaissance training mission previously carried out by the 363rd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing.[12]
When elevated to the 432nd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing on 8 February 1958, the wing operated the USAF Advanced Flying Training School, Tactical Reconnaissance. With the elevation to wing status, the 432nd TFW was realigned to a four squadron RF-101C wing (17th, 18th, 20th, 29th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadrons).[3][12] From 8 February 1958 to 18 June 1959 the wing was supervised by the 837th Air Division.
To reduce costs, the 432nd TRW was inactivated on 8 April 1959. The RF-101C equipped 17th and 18th TRSs were deployed to NATO, being reassigned to the 66th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing at Laon-Couvron Air Base, France and the 20th and 29th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadrons continued their training missions under the 363rd TRW.[3][13]
Vietnam War
A 13th TFS F-4D carrying a Pave Sword laser pod, in 1971.RF-4C of the 14th Tactical Reconnaissance SquadronMcDonnell F-4D-28-MC Phantom II, AF Serial No. 65-0683, of the 555th Tactical Fighter Squadron taken on 20 January 1972. This aircraft was retired to AMARC on 6 May 1988 and scrapped on 2 January 1997.[11][14]
On 18 September 1966, the 432nd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing was activated at Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand as a RF-4C Phantom II wing. The wing assumed the personnel, aircraft and equipment of the 6234th Tactical Fighter Wing, which was simultaneously discontinued. At Udon, it became one of the most diversified units of its size in the Air Force.[citation needed]
The mission of the wing was to provide intelligence information about hostile forces through tactical reconnaissance and use its fighter elements to destroy the targets earmarked by the intelligence data provided. The wing had numerous missions in the support area. The 432nd TRW accounted for more than 80 percent of all reconnaissance activity over North Vietnam.[citation needed]
In addition to the reconnaissance mission, the 432nd also had a tactical fighter squadron component, with two (13th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 555th Tactical Fighter Squadron) F-4C/D squadrons assigned. The squadrons flew strike missions over North Vietnam and the pilots and weapon systems officers of the 13 TFS and 555 TFS were credited with MiG kills.[citation needed]
On 19 March 1969, the wing proposed a new forward air control program to 7th Air Force. Calling for photo reconnaissance in conjunction with Fast FACs, it offered the advantage of speedier fresher intelligence from aerial photo interpretation. The mission was approved, and the Wing's volunteers were trained by "Misty" and "Stormy" FACs. The first combined FAC/photo mission was flown on 26 April 1969. The Fast FAC used call sign "Falcon"; the photo recce plane used "Atlanta". The call signs "Laredo" and "Whiplash" were also sometimes used. By July, they were asked to augment the efforts of the "Tiger" FACs in the Operation Barrel Roll area of Laos. While supporting Operation About Face, they improvised mass bombings by 16 to 20 fighter-bombers three times in September 1969. One of these mass raids inflicted heavy casualties on a concentration of about 1,000 communist troops. In November, they discovered 102 new targets; the following month, they found 172 more. To do this, they pressed lower than 4,000 feet altitude. In the last quarter of 1969, 21 of their aircraft suffered battle damage. They were then ordered to remain above 4,500 feet altitude to escape ground fire. Regardless of their operating altitude, their bomb damage assessment record was triple the average for 7th Air Force units.[15][16]
In the fall of 1970 the wing was phased down as part of the overall U.S. withdrawal from the Vietnam War; however, in 1972 tactical fighter strength was augmented by deployed Tactical Air Command CONUS-based tactical fighter squadrons being attached to the 432nd in response to the North Vietnamese invasion of South Vietnam. In addition, the 421st Tactical Fighter Squadron was reassigned from Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base. During Operation Linebacker, between May and October 1972, the 432nd TRW had seven F-4 tactical fighter squadrons assigned or attached, (13th, 56th, 308th, 414th, 421st, 523rd and 555th) making it the largest wing in the USAF. The three Vietnam era Airforce Aces all came from the 432nd – two from the 555th and one from the 13th. The CONUS-based squadrons returned to the United States in the fall of 1972.[citation needed]
Forces from the 432nd participated in the SS Mayaguez action in May 1975, sinking two Cambodian Khmer Rouge ships. By 1975, the political climate between Washington and Bangkok had become sour and the Royal Thai Government wanted the USAF out of Thailand by the end of the year. Palace Lightning was the plan under which the USAF would withdraw its aircraft and personnel from Thailand.[17]
The 432nd TFW was inactivated on 23 December 1975. The 13th TFSs F-4E aircraft and some support personnel were reassigned to the 3rd TFW at Clark AB, Philippines and the F-4D aircraft and support personnel to the 18th TFW at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa. The 14th TRS was inactivated and the RF-4Cs were sent to Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. The last USAF personnel departed Udorn RTAFB on 8 January 1976.[3]
Tactical Drone Group
The 432nd was reactivated at Davis–Monthan AFB, Arizona on 1 July 1976 as the 423nd Tactical Drone Group. The 432nd performed photographic reconnaissance to support tactical air and surface forces with tactical drones. Used AQM-34L/M/V drones, DC-130 launch vehicles, and CH-3 recovery helicopters. The group conducted follow-on testing and evaluation of the AQM-34V model drone and the initial operational testing and evaluation and developmental testing and evaluation of the DC-130H "mother ship." The 432nd also supported testing and evaluation of the BQM-34C drone at Hill AFB, Utah.
In July 1984 the 432nd was again reactivated as the 432nd Tactical Fighter Wing at Misawa Air Base, Japan. The 432nd controlled two General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon squadrons (13th Fighter Squadron, 14th Fighter Squadron) and the 39th Rescue Squadron, flying the HH-60 "Pave Hawk" helicopter.
The 432nd was replaced by the 35th Fighter Wing on 1 October 1994 at Misawa and again became inactive.[3]
Air Combat Command
The wing was reactivated at Creech Air Force Base, Nevada, on 1 May 2007 as the Air Force's first unmanned aircraft systems wing. It was renamed the 432nd Air Expeditionary Wing in May 2008.[8]
In support of relief for the victims of the 2010 Haiti earthquake, on 27 January 2010 the wing began flying two RQ-1 Predator orbits over Port-au-Prince with six Predators from a training unit flying out of Rafael Hernández Airport, a civilian airport in Puerto Rico, by a detachment of about 50 wing members.[18]
An additional operations group for the wing, the 732nd Operations Group, was constituted on 9 August 2012, and subsequently activated on 10 September 2012. It initially included three reconnaissance squadrons, the 17th, 22nd, and 30th, two of which later became attack squadrons.
Lineage
432nd Tactical Reconnaissance Group
Established as the 432nd Observation Group on 18 February 1943
Activated on 22 February 1943
Redesignated: 432nd Reconnaissance Group on 2 April 1943
Redesignated: 432nd Tactical Reconnaissance Group on 11 August 1943
Disestablished on 1 November 1943
Reestablished on 14 January 1954
Activated on 18 March 1954
Inactivated on 8 February 1958
Consolidated with the 432nd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing on 31 January 1984[3]
432nd Wing
Established as the 432nd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing on 23 March 1953
Activated on 8 February 1958
Inactivated on 18 June 1959
Activated on 19 August 1966 (not organized)
Organized on 18 September 1966
Redesignated 432nd Tactical Fighter Wing on 15 November 1974
Inactivated on 23 December 1975
Redesignated 432nd Tactical Drone Group on 24 May 1976
Activated on 1 July 1976
Inactivated on 1 April 1979
Consolidated with the 432nd Tactical Reconnaissance Group on 31 January 1984
Redesignated 432nd Tactical Fighter Wing on 5 June 1984
Activated on 1 July 1984
Redesignated 432nd Fighter Wing on 31 May 1991
Inactivated on 1 October 1994
Redesignated 432nd Air Expeditionary Group and converted to provisional status on 16 January 2002
Returned to permanent status and redesignated 432nd Fighter Wing on 16 February 2007
Redesignated 432nd Wing and activated on 1 May 2007[3]
Ninth Air Force, 18 March 1954 (attached to: 363rd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing until 30 October 1955 and after 10 December 1955, attached to: 6 Air Army (Sagebrush), 31 October – 10 December 1955)
Thirteenth Air Force, 18 September 1966 (attached to Seventh Air Force until c. 15 August 1973, United States Support Activities Group/Seventh Air Force until 30 June 1975)
Glasser, Jeffrey D. (1998). The Secret Vietnam War: The United States Air Force in Thailand, 1961–1975. McFarland & Company. ISBN0-7864-0084-6.
Martin, Patrick (1994). Tail Code: The Complete History of USAF Tactical Aircraft Tail Code Markings. Schiffer Military Aviation History. ISBN0-88740-513-4.
McAuliffe, Jerome J. (2005). US Air Force in France 1950–1967. San Diego, California: Milspec Press. pp. Chapter 13, Laon-Couvron Air Base. ISBN0-9770371-1-8.
Rowley, Lt Col Ralph A. (May 1975). FAC Operations: 1965–1970(PDF). The United States in Southeast Asia. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN978-1780396569. Retrieved 28 December 2016.
Schlight, Lt Col John (15 October 1969). Jet Forward Air Controllers in SEAsia. Project CHECO. Hickam AFB, HI: CHECO Division, Directorate of Tactical Evaluation, Hq Pacific Air Forces. ASINB00ARRLMEY. Archived from the original on 14 November 2016. Retrieved 6 January 2017. (Secret, declassified 15 August 2006)
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