83d Fighter Weapons Squadron The 83d Fighter Weapons Squadron is an United States Air Force unit , assigned to the 53rd Weapons Evaluation Group , being stationed at Tyndall AFB , Florida . Overview . The 83d Fighter Weapons Squadron is a non - flying unit that conducts the Air Force Air - to - Air Weapon System Evaluation Program . The squadron evaluates the total air - to - air weapons system including aircraft , weapon delivery system , weapon , aircrew , support equipment , technical data and maintenance actions . The squadron hosts 38 air - to - air WSEP deployments annually at Tyndall AFB . The annual firing of 300 missiles evaluates all Air Force air - to - air missile capabilities for the AIM - 120 Advanced Medium Range Air - to - Air Missile , AIM - 7 Sparrow missile , AIM - 9 Sidewinder missile and aircraft guns , and also provides live missile training for combat Air Force crews as a secondary objective . Squadron personnel verify weapon system performance , determine reliability , evaluate capability and limitations , identify deficiencies , recommend corrective action , and maintain Combat Air Force - wide data . The squadron investigates missile envelopes and evaluates capabilities and limitations to determine future firing requirements . They provide liaison support for pre - deployment , employment , and redeployment of Air Combat Command , United States Air Forces Europe , Pacific Air Forces , Air National Guard , U . S . Air Force Reserve and Canadian Forces participating in WSEP , William Tell and WIC missile firing programs . History . World War II . Established in early 1942 as a IV Fighter Command squadron , initially equipped with P - 38 Lightning s . After training in California was deployed overseas to the European Theater of Operations ( ETO ) in England . Was initially assigned to RAF Goxhill for European transition training with the Royal Air Force , then assigned to its operational station at RAF Duxford . Was assigned to VIII Fighter Command for heavy bomber escort duties of B - 17 Flying Fortress and B - 24 Liberator s , engaged in long range strategic bombardment of military and industrial targets in Occupied Europe and Nazi Germany . Engaged in air - to - air combat with Luftwaffe interceptors over France and the Low Countries , the extended range of the P - 38 could not extend over Germany . Replaced P - 38s with P - 47 Thunderbolt s in mid - 1943 ; later with P - 51D Mustang s in 1944 which enabled the squadron to fly escort missions deep into Germany and also engage in fighter sweeps over enemy airfields , bridges , railroads , road transport and other targets of opportunity . Continued combat operations until the German Capitulation in May 1945 . Demobilized in England during the summer of 1945 ; returned to the United States and was inactivated largely as a paper unit , October 1945 . Was reactivated by the United States Air Forces in Europe in 1946 as an occupation unit at Army Air Force Station Strubing , Germany in 1946 - 1947 . Air Defense Command . The 83d was transferred from USAFE to Air Defense Command in June 1947 , being stationed at Mitchell Field , New York . Prior to being equipped it was transferred to Hamilton AFB , California where it received F - 51D Mustangs and F - 84B Thunderjets . In the fall of 1950 it was upgraded to F - 84Ds and in August 1951 it transitioned into F - 89B Scorpions . In July 1952 the squadron moved to Paine Field , Washington and received F - 86D Sabres . In August 1955 the 83d FIS designation was transferred back to Hamilton AFB to another F - 86D squadron , and the organization at Paine Field was reassigned . In December 1957 the 83d FIS received F - l04A Starfighters to become the first operational F - 104 squadron in ADC . In addition , the squadron received the two - seat , dual - control , combat trainer F - 104B . The performance of the F - 104B was almost identical to that of the F - 104A , but the lower internal fuel capacity reduced its effective range considerably . It was found that the F - 104A was not very well suited for service as an interceptor . Its low interception range was a problem for North American air defense , and its lack of all - weather capability made it incapable of operating in conjunction with the SAGE ( Semi - Automatic Ground Environment ) system . Service with the F - 104s consequently quite brief , and the Starfighters were replaced by more heavily - armed all - weather McDonnell F - 101B Voodoo in July 1960 . The F - 101B proved to be a quite successful interceptor . assigned alongside the F - 101B interceptor was the F - 101F operational and conversion trainer . The two - seat trainer version was equipped with dual controls , but carried the same armament as the F - 101B and were fully combat - capable . On 1 July 1963 the squadron was inactivated , the aircraft being passed along to other Air Defense Command squadrons . It was reactivated at Loring AFB , Maine in July 1971 replacing the 27th FIS which was equipped with F - 106 Delta Darts . The 83d FIS was inactivated in June 1972 as part of the draw - down of Air Defense Command . Reactivated in 1972 as a T - 38 Talon Undergraduate Pilot Training squadron at Webb AFB , Texas . Inactivated with the closing of Webb in 1977 . Reactivated at Tyndall AFB , Florida as a weapons evaluation squadron in 1991 .