The 178th Wing is a unit of the Ohio Air National Guard, stationed at the Springfield-Beckley Municipal Airport ANG complex, Springfield, Ohio. If activated to federal service, the wing is gained by the United States Air Force Air Combat Command (ACC), with elements of the wing gained by the Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency (AFISRA).
The 178th Wing transitioned from a Fighter Wing to an Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing. It supports MQ-1B Predator Unmanned Aerial Systems combat support sorties, which provide theater and national-level leadership with critical real-time intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance and air-to-ground munitions and strike capability. Also, the Air Support Operations Squadron provides terminal control for weapons employment in a close air support scenario integrating combat air and ground operations.
The Wing is under the control of the Air Combat Command. Pilots that are based in Springfield are able to fly MQ-1s on the other side of the world in Iraq or Afghanistan. The second component is under Administrative Control of the Ohio Air National Guard while Operationally Controlled by AFISRA Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency and Directly supporting National Air and Space Intelligence Center, (NASIC).
Units
The 178th Wing consists of four groups (178th Intelligence Group, 178th Operations Group, 178th Mission Support Group, and 178th Medical Group).
During the transition, the 178th Operations Group was re-designated as the 178th Reconnaissance Group and consists of the 162d Reconnaissance Squadron and the 178th Operational Support Squadron with 131 traditional and 81 full-time personnel.
The 178th maintenance group was re-designated as the 178th Intelligence Group with the Air Force ISR Agency (AFISRA) as the gaining major command.
In addition to its 900 personnel, the 178 Wing also supports 320 members of the Headquarters, 251st Communications Group, the 269th Combat Communications Squadron (both co-located with the 178 Wing), and the 123d Air Control Squadron, located in Cincinnati, Ohio.
History
On 15 October 1962, the Ohio Air National Guard 162d Tactical Fighter Squadron was authorized to expand to a group level, and the 178th Tactical Fighter Group was established by the National Guard Bureau. The 162d TFS becoming the group's flying squadron. Other squadrons assigned into the group were the 178th Headquarters, 178th Material Squadron (Maintenance), 178th Combat Support Squadron, and the 178th USAF Dispensary.
Tactical Air Command
Equipped with F-84F Thunderstreaks, the new group was assigned to the Ohio ANG 121st Tactical Fighter Wing at Lockbourne AFB, Ohio. The 178th TFG was tasked with a tactical fighter-bomber mission in support of Tactical Air Command.
In 1967, the 162d TFS deployed to Hickam AFB, Hawaii for Tropic Lighting III, an exercise designed to assist in the training of Army ground units prior to their deployment to South Vietnam. This deployment required two over-water air refuelings in either direction.
1968 was the first time the 162d participated in a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) exercise. It deployed to Greece, participating in Operation Deep Furrow 68 at Larrossa Air Base. On this exercise fourteen F-84Fs were deployed, staging though Lajes Field, Azores and Torrejon Air Base, Spain. During Deep Furrow, they performed air-to-ground maneuvers with the United States Navy's Sixth Fleet. Upon their return, the 162d TFS deployed eight aircraft to Alaska in November for Operation Punch Card IV.
F-100 Super Sabre
In the spring of 1970, the F-84F Thunderstreaks were sent to Davis-Monthan AFB for storage, the squadron receiving Vietnam War Veteran F-100D/F Super Sabres. Concentration on the qualifications of aircrews, munitions load crews and the attainment of a C-3 combat readiness rating were the primary objectives for 1971. The squadron achieved C-3 on 30 August, a "first" for F-100D-equipped Air Guard units. January 1972 saw the squadron in extensive practice for their pending 9th Air Force Operational Readiness Inspection (ORI). The ORI was conducted in March and the 9th Air Force did not agree with the unit's C-3 rating. A retake was scheduled in June, with the 162d coming away with the TAC-confirmed rating of C-1, the first F-100D squadron to achieve this feat.