Jump to content

Outline of the U.S. Air Force in Europe at the end of the Cold War

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The following is a hierarchical outline for the elements of the United States Air Force in Europe at the end of the Cold War. This list is intended to convey the connections and relationships between units and formations. In case of war with the Warsaw Pact, all would have been assigned to NATO.

Below, are listed all United States Air Force units based in Europe on 30 June 1989 and, where required, lists changes that occurred during 1989. The primary source for this listing of units is O.W. Dragoner's United States Air Force 1989, with additions and amendments from the official fact sheets of the Air Force Historical Research Agency. Where the two sources disagree, AFHRA data has been used.

The United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE) was a major command of the U.S. Air Force based at Ramstein Air Base in West Germany. In 1989 the commanded had a strength of 60,471 men (6,876 officers and 53,595 enlisted), which were supported by 9,982 civilian contractors and employees. This does not include the personnel of other major commands (i.e. Strategic Air Command, Military Airlift Command, Electronic Security Command, etc.) that operated in Europe too.[1]

The Commander in Chief of USAFE double-hatted as NATO's Commander Allied Air Forces Central Europe (COMAAFCE). The Vice Commander in Chief of USAFE was based along with the commander in Germany, while the Deputy Commander in Chief USAFE was based in Naples at NATO's Allied Forces Southern Europe Headquarters, where he double hatted as Commander Allied Air Forces, Southern Europe (COMAIRSOUTH).

United States Air Forces in Europe

[edit]

Third Air Force

[edit]
A F-111F aircraft from 493rd Tactical Fighter Squadron takes off from Hahn Air Base for a mission over West Germany during Exercise REFORGER '86.
An A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft from 78th Tactical Fighter Squadron takes off during Exercise REFORGER '86.

Sixteenth Air Force

[edit]
A F-111F aircraft from 494th Tactical Fighter Squadron releases its load of Mark 82 high-drag bombs over the Bardenas Reales Air-to-Ground Range.

Seventeenth Air Force

[edit]
A F-4G Phantom II Wild Weasel from 480th Tactical Fighter Squadron and a F-16C Block 25 Falcon from 52nd Tactical Fighter Wing Commander fly over Germany in June 1989
Seventeenth Air Force bases in Central West Germany 1989

7455th Tactical Intelligence Wing

[edit]

Strategic Air Command

[edit]

Military Airlift Command

[edit]

Military Airlift Command (MAC)

Twenty-First Air Force

[edit]

Twenty-Third Air Force

[edit]

At the beginning of 1989 the US Air Force's special forces and air rescue units were under command of Twenty-Third Air Force. As Twenty-Third Air Force's two types of units did not fit well together the Air Force decided to split it in two. In August 1989 Search and Rescue (SAR) units were moved to the newly established Air Rescue Service, which came under direct command of MAC, while special forces remained under Twenty-Third Air Force, which was redesignated Air Force Special Operations Command and elevated to major command on 22 May 1990.[31][32] Here below only units of Twenty-Third Air Force are listed which were based in Europe.

Air Weather Service

[edit]

The Air Weather Service provided weather and meteorological services to all branches of the US military.

Aerospace Audiovisual Service

[edit]

The Aerospace Audiovisual Service was the Air Forces audiovisual production arm. It consisted of seven squadron, one of which was based in Europe.

European Communications Division, AFCC

[edit]

The Deputy Chief of Staff, Communications of United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE) double-hatted as Commander European Communications Division.

Electronic Security Command

[edit]

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Dragoner, O. W. (September 2013). "United States Air Force 1989" (PDF): 529. Retrieved 1 November 2016. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  2. ^ AFHRA shows direct assignment to HQ USAFE; Dragoner shows under 17 AF
  3. ^ "Third Air Force (USAFE) Fact Sheet". US Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
  4. ^ "10 Air Base Wing (USAFA) Fact Sheet". US Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
  5. ^ "20 Fighter Wing (ACC) Fact Sheet". US Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
  6. ^ "48 Fighter Wing (USAFE) Fact Sheet". US Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
  7. ^ "81 Mission Support Group (AETC) Fact Sheet". US Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
  8. ^ "513 Air Control Group (AFRC) Fact Sheet". US Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
  9. ^ "303 Aeronautical Systems Wing (AFMC) Fact Sheet". US Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
  10. ^ "501 Combat Support Wing (USAFE) Fact Sheet". US Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
  11. ^ Dragoner, O. W. (September 2013). "United States Air Force 1989" (PDF): 176. Retrieved 1 November 2016. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  12. ^ Dragoner, O. W. (September 2013). "United States Air Force 1989" (PDF): 176. Retrieved 1 November 2016. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  13. ^ Dragoner, O. W. (September 2013). "United States Air Force 1989" (PDF): 184–190. Retrieved 1 November 2016. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  14. ^ Butler, William M. (1 May 2004). Fifty Years On Nato's Southern Flank - A History Of Sixteenth Air Force 1954 – 2004. Office of History Headquarters, Sixteenth Air Force United States Air Forces in Europe Aviano Air Base, Italy. p. 43.
  15. ^ "Sixteenth Air Force (USAFE) Fact Sheet". US Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
  16. ^ Dragoner, 184.
  17. ^ "Factsheet 65 Air Division (Defense)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. 5 October 2007. Archived from the original on 14 October 2012. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
  18. ^ "52 Fighter Wing (USAFE) Fact Sheet". US Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
  19. ^ "377 Air Base Wing (AFMC) Fact Sheet". US Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
  20. ^ "36 Wing (PACAF) Fact Sheet". US Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
  21. ^ "50 Space Wing (AFSPC) Fact Sheet". US Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
  22. ^ "38 Combat Support Wing (USAFE) Fact Sheet". US Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
  23. ^ Dragoner, 193.
  24. ^ "4 Air Support Operations Group (USAFE) Fact Sheet". US Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
  25. ^ Dragoner, O. W. (September 2013). "United States Air Force 1989" (PDF): 175. Retrieved 1 November 2016. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  26. ^ "50 Intelligence Squadron (AFRC) Fact Sheet". US Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 2 November 2016.
  27. ^ "Factsheet 7 Air Division". Air Force Historical Research Agency. 4 October 2007. Archived from the original on 30 October 2012. Retrieved 17 March 2014.
  28. ^ Dragoner, p.219
  29. ^ "Factsheet 322 Airlift Division". Air Force Historical Research Agency. 12 October 2007. Archived from the original on 30 October 2012. Retrieved 3 March 2014.
  30. ^ Dragoner, p.229
  31. ^ "Air Force Special Operations Command Fact Sheet". US Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 4 November 2016.
  32. ^ Dragoner, p.243
  33. ^ Dragoner, 256.
  34. ^ Dragoner, 211.
  35. ^ Dragoner, p.282
  36. ^ Dragoner, p.296

References

[edit]