page_title: 198th Airlift Squadron
section_title: Tactical Fighter mission
hierarchical_section_title: 198th Airlift Squadron / History / Puerto Rico Air National Guard / Tactical Fighter mission
caption_attribution_description: A U.S. Air Force Lockheed F-104D Starfighter of the 198th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 156th Tactical Fighter Group, Puerto Rico Air National Guard at Munez ANGB, Puerto Rico. The 198th TFS flew the F-104 from 1967 to 1975.
context_page_description: The 198th Airlift Squadron was the last flying squadron of the Puerto Rico Air National Guard 156th Airlift Wing located at Muñiz Air National Guard Base, in Carolina, Puerto Rico. The 198th last assigned aircraft was the WC-130H Hercules. The 198th was established in October 1944 as the 463d Fighter Squadron, was re-designated as the 198th and allotted to the PRANG in May 1946, re-designated from fighter to airlift in October 1998, and was disbanded on 31 December 2019.
context_section_description: On 15 October 1962, the Puerto Rico Air National Guard was expanded to a Group status, and the 156th Tactical Fighter Group was recognized and activated by the National Guard Bureau.  The 156th was transferred to Tactical Air Command, with the 198th becoming at Tactical Fighter Squadron and assigned to the 156th TFG.  Other squadrons assigned into the group were the 156th Headquarters, 156th Material Squadron (Maintenance), 156th Combat Support Squadron, and the 156th USAF Dispensary.  With the transfer to TAC, the 198th received F-86H Sabre tactical fighters.
  In 1967, F-104C Starfighers (and an F-104D two-seat trainer) were assigned to the 156th, upgrading the group to Mach-2 supersonic tactical fighter-bombers, replacing the elderly F-86H Sabre fighter-bombers.  The F-104C was equipped to carry bombs or rocket pods on under-wing and fuselage points. The upward-firing Lockheed C-2 rocket-boosted ejector seat was standard. The internal 20-mm rotary cannon of the F-104A was retained, as well as the ability to carry an AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missile on each wingtip to fill an air defense interceptor mission.
  In 1975, the F-104s were retired, the 198th being the last USAF unit to fly the Starfighters.  They were replaced by A-7D Corsair II ground support aircraft.  Although designed primarily as a ground attack aircraft, it also had limited air-to-air combat capability.
  The terrorist attack was the largest on American Air Force Base since the Vietnam War. The hostage situation in Iran at the time overshadowed this incident in the news media.  The eleven National Guard planes at Muñiz Air Base were alleged by socialist organizations to be destined for use against popular insurgents in El Salvador. These allegations were never proven and may have been self-serving.
  In 1992 the A-7Ds were being retired, and they were replaced by Block 15 F-16A/B Fighting Falcons modified for Air Defense.  The F-16 ADF was a standard block 15 model converted to air defense fighters for the Air National Guard, and would take over the fighter interception mission, providing the primary defense of North America against bombers and cruise missiles.
  In March 1992, with the end of the Cold War, the 156th adopted the Air Force Objective Organization plan, and the unit was re-designated as the 156th Fighter Group. A few months later, on 1 June, Tactical Air Command was inactivated as part of the Air Force reorganization after the end of the Cold War. It was replaced by Air Combat Command (ACC).
  In October 1995, in accordance with the Air Force "One Base – One Wing" policy, the status of the 156th was upgraded to a Wing; the 198th Fighter Squadron being assigned to the new 156th Operations Group.
caption: F-104D Starfighter of the 198th Tactical Fighter Squadron.
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