159th Fighter Wing The 159th Fighter Wing ( 159 FW ) is a unit of the Louisiana Air National Guard , stationed at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans , Louisiana . If activated to federal service , the Wing is gained by the United States Air Force Air Combat Command . The 122d Fighter Squadron , assigned to the Wings 159th Operations Group , is a descendant organization of the 122d Observation Squadron , established on 30 July 1940 . It is one of the 29 original National Guard Observation Squadrons of the United States Army National Guard formed before World War II . Overview . The Air National Guard ' s premier F - 15 Unit , the 159th Fighter Wing , nicknamed " The Bayou Militia , " is a trained force of more than 1500 men and women has proudly served the United States in almost every conflict in America ' s history . The 159th Fighter Wing is an Air National Guard fighter unit located at NAS New Orleans , Louisiana . The 159th Fighter Wing , along with its operational flying unit , the 122nd Fighter Squadron , is tasked with providing air superiority over Louisiana and the Gulf Coast while supporting USNORTHCOM and NORAD ( North American Aerospace Defense Command ) . The title " Coonass Militia " was changed to " Cajun Militia " in 1992 because of concerns about its " political incorrectness " . In the late 1990s the Cajun Militia title was changed to the current " Bayou Militia . " The Louisiana Air Guard is unique compared to other reserve force components in that it is tasked with dual missions . The LA ANG ' s state and federal missions are to provide trained , well - equipped personnel who can augment the active forces during both national emergencies and / or war , and to provide assistance during national disasters and civil disturbances . The LA ANG use Warning Area airspace over the Gulf of Mexico for most of their training . Supersonic flight , necessary for realistic training , is conducted away from the shoreline in a manner that does not disturb the public . Generally speaking , they have good airspace within which to train . Some forms of chaff , however , do interfere electronically with the Houston FAA ARTCC . However , the 159FW has a good working relationship with Houston ARTCC . A modification of Warning Area W - 59 to a north / south orientation would impact the 159FW ability to train effectively and efficiently . Training would be hampered by long distances to and from the southern end of the Warning Area . Safety would be compromised since air / sea rescue could not respond in a timely manner at the greater distances . 159th Fighter Wing / Louisiana Air National Guard was awarded the coveted " Outstanding Air National Guard Unit " in 2003 . This prestigious award is given annually to the Air National Guard unit which meets or exceeds the criteria from the National Guard Bureau . The 159th Fighter Wing has shown extreme professionalism and dedication to the mission of protecting the United States and its allies . Units . The 159th Fighter Wing consists of the following units : History . In 1958 , the Louisiana Air National Guard 122d Fighter - Interceptor Squadron was authorized to expand to a group level , and the 159th Fighter Interceptor Group was established by the National Guard Bureau on 1 April 1958 . The 122d FIS becoming the group ' s flying squadron . Other support squadrons assigned into the group were the 159th Headquarters , 159th Material Squadron ( Maintenance ) , 159th Combat Support Squadron , and the 159th USAF Dispensary . The 122d FIS was equipped with the F - 86L Sabre Interceptor . Air Defense mission . With the F - 86L , the squadron stood a runway alert program on full 24 - hour basis - with armed jet fighters ready to " scramble " at a moment ' s notice . This event brought the 159th into the daily combat operational program of the USAF , placing it on " the end of the runway " alongside regular USAF - Air Defense Fighter Squadrons . In July 1960 , the 159th converted to the F - 102 Delta Dagger s . In 1962 , the 122d Fighter - Interceptor Squadron was assigned to the Gulfport Combat Readiness Training Center , Mississippi , for six weeks of intensive flying training . Involved were 150 officers and airmen , including support elements from the 159th Consolidated Aircraft Maintenance Squadron , 159th Material Squadron and 159th Air Base Squadron . Tactical Air Command . In December 1970 the 159th was transferred from Aerospace Defense Command to Tactical Air Command . ADC was phasing down its manned interceptor force as the chances of a Soviet Bomber attack on the United States seemed remote . The unit was re - designated the 159th Tactical Fighter Group , and the 122d Tactical Fighter Squadron was re - equipped with F - 100D / F Super Sabre s . In 1970 , the F - 100 was still considered a first - line aircraft , and most of the F - 100s in the inventory were serving in South Vietnam flying combat missions . The Super Sabres received by the 122d came from the USAFE 20th Tactical Fighter Wing which was transitioning to the General Dynamics F - 111F . With the conversion to the F - 100s , the ADC 24 - hour alert status ended and retraining in tactical fighter missions began . The 159th flew the F - 100s for almost a decade , retiring the aircraft beginning in April 1979 when the 122d began receiving F - 4C Phantom II aircraft from active - duty units . In 1979 Aerospace Defense Command was inactivated , with Tactical Air Command taking over the Continental US Air Defense Mission . The 159th was assigned to Air Defense , Tactical Air Command ( ADTAC ) , a named unit at the Numbered Air Force level under TAC . Under ADTAC , the 122d began to fly Air Defense missions again with the F - 4C , although the squadron was dual - hatted and continued to fly Tactical Fighter training missions with the Phantom . The Phantoms were ending their service life in the mid - 1980s , and in 1986 , the F - 4Cs were replaced by F - 15A / B Eagles . As the F - 15s had no tactical bombing capability at the time , the 122d continued the Air Defense mission under TAC . Modern era . In March 1992 the 159th Tactical Fighter Group became the 159th Fighter Group when the unit adopted the USAF Objective Organization , and the 122d Fighter Squadron was assigned to the new 159th Operations Group . Later in June , Tactical Air Command stood down and was replaced by Air Combat Command ( ADC ) . No change in mission was made and the 159th continued in the air defense role . In the early 1990s , squadron aircraft and personnel were deployed to Aviano Air Base , Italy , flying combat missions over the former Yugoslavia during the Kosovo War as part of Operation Allied Force . On October 11 , 1995 , in accordance with the " one base - one wing " policy , the 159th Fighter Group was changed in status and was re - designated as the 159th Fighter Wing . In mid - 1996 , the Air Force , in response to budget cuts , and changing world situations , began experimenting with Air Expeditionary organizations . The Air Expeditionary Force ( AEF ) concept was developed that would mix Active - Duty , Reserve and Air National Guard elements into a combined force . Instead of entire permanent units deploying as " Provisional " as in the 1991 Gulf War , Expeditionary units are composed of " aviation packages " from several wings , including active - duty Air Force , the Air Force Reserve Command and the Air National Guard , would be married together to carry out the assigned deployment rotation . In the late 1990s , the 122d Expeditionary Fighter Squadron was activated on several occasions , sending packages of personnel and aircraft Incirlik Air Base , Turkey , to fly Combat Air Patrol missions over Iraq as part of Operation Northern Watch . Also the 122d EFS was activated with a deployment to Prince Sultan Air Base , Saudi Arabia , flying CAP missions over Southern Iraq as part of Operation Southern Watch . On June 25 , 1999 , members of the 159th Fighter Wing , New Orleans ANG , while on deployment to NAS Keflavik , Iceland , flying F - 15A aircraft , intercepted two Russian TU - 95 " Bear - H " aircraft . In response to the 9 / 11 attacks in 2001 , the 122d Fighter Squadron engaged in Combat Air Patrols over major United States Cities as part of Operation Noble Eagle ( ONE ) . ONE patrols continued into 2002 before being scaled down . In 2006 , the F - 15A models were retired and the 122d was upgraded to the more capable F - 15C Eagle . As part of the Global War on Terrorism , the 122d EFS has been deployed to support Operation Iraqi Freedom ( OIF ) ; Operation Enduring Freedom ( OEF ) in Afghanistan , Operation New Horizons in Central and South America and Operation New Dawn in Afghanistan . The most recent deployment of the 122d Expeditionary Fighter Squadron was completed in October 2012 when the squadron deployed to at Al Dhafra Air Base , United Arab Emirates , and as part of the 380th Expeditionary Operations Group , the 122d EFS flew missions in support of the Joint Air Defense of the Persian Gulf and Operation Enduring Freedom . The mission included providing air superiority in support of national military objectives and flying Fighter Integration Sorties with F - 22 Raptor s and F - 15E Strike Eagle s . BRAC 2005 Recommendations . In its 2005 BRAC Recommendations , the Department of Defense recommended to realign the 142d Fighter Wing ( ANG ) at Portland IAP AGS , Oregon , by distributing the wing ' s F - 15 aircraft to the 159th Fighter Wing ( ANG ) , New Orleans ARS , Louisiana ( nine aircraft ) and another installation . New Orleans had above average military value for reserve component bases , and realigning aircraft from Portland would create another optimum - sized fighter squadron at New Orleans . By relocating the geographically separated Air National Guard squadron onto New Orleans , the air force would best utilize available facilities on the installation while reducing the cost to the government to lease facilities in the community .