8th Weapons Squadron The 8th Weapons Squadron is a non - flying United States Air Force unit , assigned to the USAF Weapons School at Nellis AFB , Nevada . The squadron inherited the lineage of the 8th Airborne Command and Control Squadron . The 8th ’ s history includes flying cargo aircraft to supply people and munitions around the South Pacific during WWII . Known then as the 8th Combat Cargo Squadron , the unit ’ s C - 46s and C - 47s likely shared “ ramp space ” with the 433rd Fighter Squadron ’ s ( now the F - 15C Weapons Squadron ) P - 38s in New Guinea and the Philippines in 1944 and 1945 . The 8th Airborne Command and Control Squadron flew the EC - 135 to provide airborne command and control for deploying fighter squadrons over the Atlantic Ocean , and supporting the movement of key Air Combat Command leadership . Overview . Provides advanced training for Airborne Warning and Control System and Ground Theater Air Control System officers . Also includes training to weapons officers for the RC - 135 Rivet Joint , EC - 130H Compass Call and the E - 8 Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System communities . History . World War II . Ferried aircraft to combat theaters and to Brazil from the Southeast United States under the lend - lease program using the Air Transport Command South Atlantic air ferry route , Mar 1942 - Mar 1944 . Aerial transportation in Southwestern and Western Pacific , Nov 1944 - Sep 1945 as a Combat Cargo Squadron , operating under Fifth Air Force . Operated from Biak to fly passengers and cargo to US bases in Australia , New Guinea , the Admiralties , and the Philippines . Also dropped supplies to US and guerrilla forces in the Philippines . Moved to Leyte in May 1945 . Maintained flights to bases in Australia , New Guinea , and the Philippines ; transported personnel and supplies to the Ryukyus , and evacuated casualties on return flights . Transported personnel and equipment of the occupation forces to Japan and ferried liberated prisoners of war to the Philippines . Moved to Japan in September 1945 where it operated until being inactivated in January 1946 . Cold War . Reactivated under Caribbean Air Command in 1949 . Operated cargo flights from Albrook AFB providing logistical and supply support to installations in Panama and Latin America , Oct 1949 - Feb 1952 . Reactivated in 1972 as EC - 121 Airborne command post for tactical deployments worldwide , Feb 1972 - May 1996 . Has been involved in every United States combat operation since the Vietnam War . Deployed personnel and equipment to Spain and airfield personnel and equipment into Saudi Arabia , Aug 1990 - c . Mar 1991 as part of Operation Desert Shield / Desert Storm . Modern era . Its current squadron was formed in 1978 , when the concept of Air Weapons Controller was added to the established concept of Fighter Weapons . The first Air Weapons Controllers graduated in December 1984 to become Fighter Weapons School instructors . Instruction at the 8th Weapons Squadron continues to this very day in the fields of United States Air Force tactical air control system ( TACS ) , Air Battle Management ( ABM ) , Electronic Warfare Support ( ES ) , Electronic attack ( EA ) and their integration in operations . The course has graduated over 350 instructors who have been key to every conflict and contingency since 1985 .