163d Reconnaissance Wing The 163d Reconnaissance Wing ( 163 RW ) is a unit of the California Air National Guard , stationed at March Joint Air Reserve Base , Riverside , California . If activated to federal service , elements of the Wing are gained by the United States Air Force Air Combat Command and Air Education and Training Command . Overview . The 163 RW is one of the first ANG units to fly the MQ - 1 Predator . The unit was featured in an ABC News story on January 12 , 2010 . The mission of the 163 RW is to execute global unmanned aerial systems , combat support , and humanitarian missions by Air National Guard men and women . Units . The 163d Reconnaissance Wing consists of the following units : History . On 17 May 1958 , the California Air National Guard 196th Fighter - Interceptor Squadron was authorized to expand to a group level , and the 163d Fighter - Interceptor Group was established by the National Guard Bureau . The 196th FIS becoming the group ' s flying squadron . Other squadrons assigned into the group were the 163d Headquarters , 163d Material Squadron ( Maintenance ) , 163d Combat Support Squadron , and the 163d USAF Dispensary . Initially flying F - 86A Sabre day interceptors , ADC upgraded the squadron to F - 86H Sabre day interceptors in 1959 and F - 102 Delta Dagger s in 1965 . The F - 102 was being phased out of active - duty units in the early 1960s , the 196th being one of the last units to replace their F - 86 Sabres . The aircraft , however , was obsolete as an interceptor by the time it was received by the 196th . The Delta Darts soldiered into the early 1970s with the squadron as they were being retired to AMARC at Davis - Monthan AFB . Serving with distinction , the unit received two Air Force Outstanding Unit Award s for extended periods ending in 1964 and 1974 . Tactical Air Command . On 8 March 1975 , the unit once again took on the challenge of a new mission and was reassigned under the Tactical Air Command as the 163d Tactical Air Support Group . The 163d received the 0 - 2A / B " Super Skymaster " to accomplish the unit ' s new role . In October 1982 , the 163d officially assumed a tactical fighter role flying the F - 4C Phantom II . The group concurrently moved to March AFB , near Riverside into new facilities built for the unit . The 163d transitioned to the upgraded F - 4E on 1 April 1987 . This newer aircraft incorporated more sophisticated electronics and weaponry . On 21 March 1987 , Captain Dean Paul Martin ( son of entertainer Dean Martin ) , a pilot in the 196th Tactical Fighter Squadron crashed his F - 4C into San Gorgonio Mountain , California shortly after departure from March AFB . Both Martin and his weapons system officer ( WSO ) were killed . In July 1990 , the unit once again changed missions and was redesignated the 163d Tactical Reconnaissance Group . The 163d was equipped with RF - 4C Phantom II unarmed reconnaissance aircraft and maintained a dual state / federal mission . The unit ' s primary mission was to provide tactical reconnaissance to all friendly forces . The unit was also actively involved in state wide missions . This was accomplished by using a system of visual , optical , electronic , and other sensory devices . During this time the aircrews accumulated over 30 , 000 hours of flying time and the unit deployed across both the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans . The 163d deployed to Pisa Airport , Italy , in support of Operation Decisive Endeavor . During that period , the unit also flew as the lead unit in support of flight operations over Bosnia . Air Refueling . After the end of Operation Desert Storm in 1991 , the phaseout of the RF - 4C Phantom II with the Air National Guard was accelerated In 1993 , the 163d was transferred to Air Mobility Command and the RF - 4s were retired to Davis - Monthan AFB . It became an Air Refueling Group and was equipped with KC - 135E Stratotanker s . In 1999 , the 163rd deployed nearly 100 members and three KC - 135R aircraft in support of Operation Allied Force . The 163d flew combat missions around - the - clock refueling NATO aircraft , including complex night formation sorties with the F - 117A . 1999 also saw the 163d ' s Pacer CRAG conversion begin in June and complete by the end of the year . This extensive aircraft modernization project meant intensive aircrew training and is expected to extend the life of the 40 year - old Boeing jet beyond the year 2020 . In one of the highest profile military events of the year , nearly 100 members and three KC - 135R aircraft from the 163d Air Refueling Wing deployed in support of Operation Allied Force . The 163d flew combat missions around - the - clock refueling NATO aircraft , including complex night formation sorties with the F - 117A Nighthawk Stealth Fighter . The 196th ARS were widely recognized for Wing and Squadron achievements in 1999 and earned the prestigious Air Force Outstanding Unit Award for the fourth time . The award covers a period during which the unit deployed 300 personnel and three aircraft to Pisa Airport , Italy in support of Operation Decisive Endeavor and also flew as the lead unit in support of flight operations over Bosnia . The 163d Operations Support Flight , 163d Logistics Group , 163d Logistics Squadron , and the 196th Air Refueling Squadron all earned the Governor ' s Outstanding Unit Citation . The 163d ARW provided support to NATO ' s Operation Joint Forge while deployed to Istres Air Base , France from 31 October through 3 December 2000 , deploying three KC - 135 Stratotanker air refueling aircraft along with nearly 210 personnel . Under Air Expeditionary Force 9 , the Grizzlies also sent personnel to Kuwait , Germany , France , Saudi Arabia and Turkey from October through December 2000 . Unmanned Aerial Vehicle operations . The Air National Guard formally stood up the first of several units that will operate the MQ - 1 Predator armed unmanned reconnaissance aircraft . During a ceremony 28 November 2007 , at March Air Reserve Base in southern California , the 163d Air Refueling Wing officially became the 163d Reconnaissance Wing ( RW ) , taking on the Predator mission in place of operating KC - 135R Stratotanker aerial refueling aircraft . The wing ' s last KC - 135R tanker left in April 2008 The Wing was the first Air National Guard unit to receive the MQ - 1 Predator and was the first to become a fully functional ANG Flying Training Unit ( FTU ) and Field Training Detachment ( FTD ) for the Predator . The wing operates its MQ - 1s out of March but also uses the restricted airspace near Edwards AFB , also in southern California , for training . The 163 RW flies its Predators under the service ' s " remote split operations " approach . This means that the aircraft and a contingent of maintainers are deployed forward , along with some pilots to handle takeoffs and landings . However , the majority of the pilots remains stateside and operates the aircraft via satellite communications links . The FTU falls under Air Combat Command and trains pilots and sensor operators to become Predator aircrew . The FTD , which falls under Air Education and Training Command , trains enlisted personnel to build , maintain and repair the Predator .