453d Electronic Warfare Squadron
The 453d Electronic Warfare Squadron is a United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 53d Wing and is stationed at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas.
Overview
The 453d provides electronic warfare support to Department of Defense and coalition warfighters. It provides EW support through four flights, operating to provide radio frequency and other EW analyses and create a realistic training environment for the warfighter. Its products and services are utilized in a variety of areas, including mission planning, training, and exercises.- The Flagging Analysis flight provides tactical comparison of current expectations to current reality to prepare warfighters to deploy and operate. It monitors worldwide threat environment to detect and identify of new or changed threat radars that may impact the performance of aircraft EW systems.
- The Operations flight analyses active and passive RF-based Sensor, EW & Command, Control & Communications and Intelligence Surveillance & Reconnaissance systems' performance in support of operational, acquisition, and training activities. Its Improved Many-on-Many family of analysis tools support mission planners with comprehensive EW & Command, Control & Communications and Intelligence Surveillance & Reconnaissance analyses, including radar detection, threat engagement, communications & jamming, Intelligence Surveillance & Reconnaissance collection, psychological operations broadcast, and passive detection capabilities. Additionally, the flight provides computer-based EW target sets and various other modeling and simulation-based training scenarios.
- In 2015, The squadron's Data flight became a part of the 57th Intelligence Squadron. It developed and maintained the Combat Support Database, Blue Airborne Target Signatures Database, US Electromagnetic Systems Database, Commercial Emitter Database, and the Next-Generation Electronic Warfare Integrated Reprogramming Database.
History
World War II
Organization and training in the United States
The squadron was first activated as the 453d Bombardment Squadron at Columbia Army Air Base, South Carolina on 4 August 1942 as one of the four original squadrons of the 323d Bombardment Group. After Phase I training at MacDill Field, Florida with Martin B-26 Marauders, the squadron trained for combat at Myrtle Beach Bombing Range, South Carolina until late April 1943, when the ground echelon departed Myrtle Beach for England, sailing on the on 5 May. The air echelon of the squadron had moved to Baer Field, Indiana in February. At Baer, it received new B-26Cs, then proceeded to the United Kingdom via the south Atlantic ferry route by June.Combat in Europe
The squadron began operations with Eighth Air Force in July 1943 as part of the first raid on the European continent by B-26s. When Ninth Air Force moved to the United Kingdom in the fall of 1943, the squadron became part of it. It attacked airports, industrial factories, marshalling yards and military targets in France and the Low Countries. During Big Week the squadron attacked Leeuwarden and Venlo Airfields. The squadron also attacked V-weapons launch sites in France.In preparation for Operation Overlord, the Invasion of Normandy, the 453d attacked coastal defenses and other targets in northwestern France. on D-Day it attacked lines of communication and fortifications on the coast. It was part of the aerial barrage during the opening stage of Operation Cobra, the breakout at Saint Lo.
In late August 1944, the squadron left England for Lessay Airfield, an advanced landing ground in France. From the continent, it began flying night missions, with its first night mission against batteries near Saint-Malo. It also carried out night missions against ammunition dumps and fuel storage areas. In September, it attacked fortifications near Brest, France, and as allied forces advanced across France, toward the Siegfried Line shifted its operations primarily to targets in eastern France. The squadron was awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation for striking transportation hubs used by the Wehrmacht to bring reinforcements to the Ardennes during the Battle of the Bulge.
The 453d flew interdiction missions in the Ruhr as the Allies drove across Germany and attacked enemy communications. It flew its last combat in April 1945, then moved to Kempten, Germany, where it participated in the program to disarm Germany. It returned to the United States in November and was inactivated at Camp Myles Standish, Massachusetts, the Port of Embarkation, a day later.
Air Force Reserve
The squadron was reactivated under Continental Air Command as a reserve unit at Tinker Air Force Base in June 1949, when ConAC reorganized its reserve units under the wing base organization system. At Tinker, it trained under the supervision of ConAC's 2592d Air Force Reserve Training Center. The squadron flew a mix of trainers and Douglas A-26 Invaders. The unit was manned at only 25% of its normal strength. All reserve combat units were mobilized for the Korean war. The squadron was mobilized on 10 March 1951. Its personnel and aircraft were used as fillers for other organizations ond the squadron was inactivated a week later.Flying training
- Was reformed as the 453d Flying Training Squadron at Mather AFB in 1973. As part of the 323d Flying Training Wing, the 453 FTS provided electronic warfare officer training to newly-winged or transitioning USAF Navigators destined for EWO assignments in the B-52, B-1, EF-111, F-105D WILD WEASEL, F-4G WILD WEASEL IV/V, RC-135 RIVET JOINT, COBRA BALL and COMBAT SENT, AC-130 SPECTRE, MC-130 COMBAT TALON and COMBAT SHADOW, EC-130 ABCCC and COMPASS CALL, or other selected USAF aircraft from 1973–1993.
Current role
- Is the fusion of the core EW functions from the original AF EW Center
- Was formed from the AF Special Communications Center of Excellence's EW Effectiveness Analysis Mission
Lineage
- Constituted as the 453d Bombardment Squadron on 19 June 1942
Assignments
- 323d Bombardment Group, 4 August 1942 – 12 December 1945
- 323d Bombardment Group, 27 June 1949 – 17 March 1951
- 323d Fighter-Bomber Group, 8 August 1955 – 1 September 1957
- 323rd Flying Training Wing, 1 April 1973 – 15 December 1991
- 323d Operations Group, 15 December 1991 – 31 May 1993
- 318th Information Operations Group, c. May 2000 – 5 August 2009
- 53d Electronic Warfare Group, 5 Aug 2009 –
Stations
- Columbia Army Air Base, South Carolina, 4 August 1942
- MacDill Field, Florida 21 August 1942
- Myrtle Beach Bombing Range, South Carolina 2 November 1942 – 25 April 1943
- RAF Earls Colne, England, 14 June 1943
- RAF Beaulieu, England, 21 July 1944
- Lessay, France, 26 August 1944
- Chartres, France, 21 September 1944
- Laon-Athies Airfield, France 13 October 1944
- Denain-Prouvy Airfield, France, 9 February 1945
- Augsburg, Germany, 15 May 1945
- Haunstetten, Germany, 12 July 1945
- Clastres, France, c. 1 October 1945
- Camp Myles Standish, Massachusetts, 13 December 1945 – 14 December 1945
- Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, 27 June 1949 – 17 March 1951
- Bunker Hill Air Force Base, Indiana, 8 August 1955 – 1 September 1957
- Mather Air Force Base, California, 1 April 1973 – 31 May 1993
- Lackland Air Force Base, Texas
Aircraft
- Martin B-26 Marauder 1942–1945
- North American F-86 Sabre 1956
- Douglas B-26 Invader, 1949–1951
- North American T-6 Texan, by 1949–1951
- Beechcraft T-7 Navigator, 1950–1951
- Beechcraft T-11 Kansan, by 1949–1951
- North American F-100 Super Sabre 1956–1957
- Convair T-29 1973–1975
- Boeing T-43 1975–1993