193d Special Operations Wing
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The 193rd Special Operations Wing (193 SOW) is a special operations wing assigned to the Pennsylvania Air National Guard. As part of the United States Air National Guard, the command executes both state and Federal missions as directed. As part of the Air Reserve Component (ARC) of the United States Air Force, its primary wartime and contingency operations mission is psychological operations (PSYOP) as a gained unit of the Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC).
The unit's role is to broadcast radio and television signals to target populations from an airborne transmitter, jamming existing television and radio signals where necessary. Messages are not developed within the wing itself, but are provided by staff of the U.S. Army's 4th Psychological Operations Group (Airborne), based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.[1]
The 193 SOW is home-based at Harrisburg International Airport, the former Olmstead Air Force Base near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Its primary aircraft is the EC-130 Commando Solo, a C-130 Hercules heavily modified to support its airborne broadcast mission.
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[edit] History
The unit began life in 1947 as the 148th Fighter Squadron, flying the P-47 Thunderbolt from a base at Reading Municipal Airport, Pennsylvania. In 1956, the unit was redesignated the 140th Aeromedical Transport Squadron, flying the C-46 Commando and later the C-119 Flying Boxcar. In 1961, the unit relocated to its current location at Harrisburg International Airport, then Olmsted Air Force Base, flying the C-121 Lockheed Constellation. In 1964, it was again redesignated, this time as the 168th Military Air Transport Group. In 1967, it was transferred to Tactical Air Command (TAC) and redesignated the 193rd Tactical Electronic Warfare Group. Four of its C-121s were converted to EC-121S Coronet Solos for its electronic warfare mission. The unit transitioned to the EC-130E Commando Solo in 1977 and was redesignated the 193rd Special Operations Group, assigned to TAC. In the mid-1980s, along with all other USAF special operations units, it was assigned to the 23rd Air Force of the Military Airlift Command (MAC). Following the creation of the Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) in the 1990s, the unit was reassigned to AFSOC and redesignated the 193rd Special Operations Wing. In 2001, the wing transitioned from the EC-130E to the EC-130J Commando Solo.
The wing has seen extensive overseas service, to include Operation Just Cause in Panama, Operations Support Democracy and Uphold Democracy and Operation Desert Storm, as well as more recent service in Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.
[edit] Units
The 193rd Special Operations Wing operates the following Geographically Separated Units (GSUs) under the 193rd Regional Support Group (193 RSG):
- 112th Air Operations Squadron, State College
- Detachment 1, 193 SOW, Bollen Air-to-Ground Weapons Range, Fort Indiantown Gap
- 201st RED HORSE Flight, Fort Indiantown Gap
- 203rd Weather Flight, Fort Indiantown Gap
- 211th Engineering Installation Squadron, Fort Indiantown Gap
- 271st Combat Communications Squadron, Fort Indiantown Gap
- 553rd Air Force Band/Air National Guard Band of the Mid-Atlantic, Fort Indiantown Gap
The 258th Air Traffic Control Squadron (formerly the 114th Tactical Control Flight) at Johnstown-Cambria County Airport was assigned to the 193 SOW, but was realigned into the ANG's 171st Air Refueling Wing (171 ARW) at Pittsburgh International Airport/Air Reserve Station shortly after moving to Johnstown.
[edit] References
- ^ Harold Kennedy (February 2002). Why Special Ops Prefer C-130s for Many Missions. National Defense Magazine.
[edit] External links
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