178th Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing The 178th Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing ( 178 ISRW ) is a unit of the Ohio Air National Guard , stationed at Springfield Air National Guard Base , Springfield , Ohio . If activated to federal service , the Wing is gained by the United States Air Force Air Combat Command ( ACC ) , with elements of the wing gained by the Air Force Intelligence , Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency ( AFISRA ) . Overview . The 178th ISRW is currently in transition from a Fighter Wing to an Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing . It supports MQ - 1B Predator Unmanned Aerial Systems combat support sorties , which provide theater and national - level leadership with critical real - time Intelligence , Surveillance , and Reconnaissance and air - to - ground munitions and strike capability . Also , the Air Support Operations Squadron provides terminal control for weapons employment in a close air support scenario integrating combat air and ground operations . The Wing is under the control of the Air Combat Command . Pilots based in Springfield are be able to fly MQ - 1s on the other side of the world in Iraq or Afghanistan . The second component is under Administrative Control of the Ohio Air National Guard while Operationally Controlled by AFISRA Air Force Intelligence , Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency and Directly supporting National Air and Space Intelligence Center , ( NASIC ) . Units . The 178th ISRW consists of four groups ( 178th Intelligence Group , 178th Reconnaissance Group , 178th Mission Support Group , and 178th Medical Group ) . During the transition , the 178th Operations Group was re - designated as the 178th Reconnaissance Group and consists of the 162d Reconnaissance Squadron and the 178th Operational Support Squadron with 131 traditional and 81 full - time personnel . The 178th maintenance group was re - designated as the 178th Intelligence Group with the Air Force ISR Agency ( AFISRA ) as the gaining major command . In addition to its 900 personnel , the 178 FW also supports 320 members of the Headquarters , 251st Communications Group , the 269th Combat Communications Squadron ( both co - located with the 178 FW ) , and the 123d Air Control Squadron , located in Cincinnati , Ohio . History . On 15 October 1962 , the Ohio Air National Guard 162d Tactical Fighter Squadron was authorized to expand to a group level , and the 178th Tactical Fighter Group was established by the National Guard Bureau . The 162d TFS becoming the group ' s flying squadron . Other squadrons assigned into the group were the 178th Headquarters , 178th Material Squadron ( Maintenance ) , 178th Combat Support Squadron , and the 178th USAF Dispensary . Tactical Air Command . Equipped with F - 84F Thunderstreak s , the new group was assigned to the Ohio ANG 121st Tactical Fighter Wing at Lockbourne AFB , Ohio . The 178th TFG was tasked with a tactical fighter - bomber mission in support of Tactical Air Command . In 1967 , the 162d TFS deployed to Hickam AFB , Hawaii for Tropic Lighting III , an exercise designed to assist in the training of Army ground units prior to their deployment to South Vietnam . This deployment required two over - water air refuelings in either direction . 1968 was the first time the 162d participated in a North Atlantic Treaty Organization ( NATO ) exercise . It deployed to Greece , participating in Operation Deep Furrow 68 at Larrossa Air Base . On this exercise fourteen F - 84Fs were deployed , staging though Lajes Field , Azores and Torrejon Air Base , Spain . During Deep Furrow , they performed air - to - ground maneuvers with the United States Navy ' s Sixth Fleet . Upon their return , the 162d TFS deployed eight aircraft to Alaska in November for Operation Punch Card IV . F - 100 Super Sabre . In the spring of 1970 , the F - 84F Thunderstreak s were sent to Davis - Monthan AFB for storage , the squadron receiving Vietnam War Veteran F - 100D / F Super Sabre s . Concentration on the qualifications of aircrews , munitions load crews and the attainment of a C - 3 combat readiness rating were the primary objectives for 1971 . The squadron achieved C - 3 on 30 August , a " first " for F - 100D - equipped Air Guard units . January 1972 saw the squadron in extensive practice for their pending 9th Air Force Operational Readiness Inspection ( ORI ) . The ORI was conducted in March and the 9th Air Force did not agree with the unit ' s C - 3 rating . A retake was scheduled in June , with the 162d coming away with the TAC - confirmed rating of C - 1 , the first F - 100D squadron to achieve this feat . During April 1973 , the squadron participated in " Gallant Hand ' 73 , " a large - scale U . S . Readiness Command Joint Forces Training exercise at Fort Hood , Texas . Flying a 98 percent sortie rate . In August , the 162d took part in another joint training exercise called Operation Ember Dawn / Punch Card XIX at Eielson AFB , Alaska . In October , the TAC Unit Achievement Award was received for the fourth consecutive time , and the General Frank P . Lahm Air Safety Trophy was awarded for the second consecutive year . 31 May 1974 saw the 162d ' s accident - free flying streak end at 69 months when a pilot was forced to eject from his out - of - control F - 100D . The unit participated in " Sentry Guard Strike V " at Volk Field , Wisconsin during July 13 – 27 the same year . In September 1975 , the 162d was selected as a replacement for another unit to participate in NATO ' s " Reforger ' 75 " Cornet Razor exercise at Ramstein AB , West Germany as part of a series of NATO exercises called " Autumn Forge . " Deploying thirteen F - 100D aircraft , 162d pilots provided close air support as the aggressor in exercise " Captain Trek , " flying 121 sorties with 198 hours of flying time . January 1976 saw the unit preparing for Operation Snowbird and the pending April ORI . " Snowbird " was conducted at Davis - Monthan AFB , Arizona . and was designed to give pilots favorable weather locations for clear weather flying opportunities . To provide its pilots with proficiency for real combat conditions , the 162d took part in " Red Flag 77 - 9 . " Captain Edward J . Mechenbier , a former Vietnam War POW , was selected as the outstanding fighter pilot for 1977 . A - 7D Corsair II . January 1978 initiated the conversion to the Vought Corporation ' s A - 7D Corsair II attack aircraft . The conversion from the F - 100 to the A - 7 was accomplished in less than three months , the fastest ever for an Air Force or Air National Guard unit . The first major deployment with the A - 7 was to Patrick AFB , Florida , on 12 August in support of Forward Air Controller training . Also in 1978 , the 162d participated in " Red Flag 78 - 9 " on September 23 , and " Tequilla Shooter " at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma , Arizona , from November 14 to 20 . The first deployment in 1979 was " Operation Snowbird " again as 118 enlisted and 30 officers deployed to Davis - Monthan AFB , Arizona . in support of the exercise . " Sabre Sluff 79 - 2 , " a locally generated version of " Red Flag " was conducted at Springfield during April 26 – 28 , providing realistic training for the 162d ' s flying , communications , and radar control units . September 13 – 15 saw a second " Sabre Sluff " exercise , now known as " Buckeye Flag , " carried out . The 1980 exercise year started with " Empire Glacier " at Fort Drum , New York . The 162d was awarded the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award for its meritorious service from 1 March 1978 to 28 February 1979 . In April , the 162d was teamed with the Ohio ANG 166th Tactical Fighter Squadron in support of exercise " Cope Elite . " The exercise which was carried out at NAS Barbers Point , Hawaii , involved combat training for U . S . Army and Air Force units based in Hawaii . In February 1981 , Major John Smith commanded a six - aircraft deployment to the 49th TFW at Holloman AFB , New Mexico for Dissimilar air combat training ( DACT ) . In March , the squadron flew close air support ( CAS ) missions for opposing forces during " Eagle Strike I , " an exercise involving two brigades for the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell , Kentucky . During the May exercise " Maple Flag 7 , " support was given to the Ohio ANG 112th Tactical Fighter Squadron for a 30 - day rotation TDY to Howard AFB , Panama . This deployment provided the only operational fighters in the Southern Command . In July , the 162d participated in the Michigan - based combat readiness exercise " Sentry Buckeye XI , " the first " Sentry Buckeye " to be flown from the Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center . 1982 was a busy year with the unit taking part in eight individual exercises , including " Red Flag 82 - 4 " at Nellis AFB , Nevada . The 162d won the annual Ohio ANG " Turkey Shoot " competition in October at the Jefferson Proving Ground air - to - ground range . The squadron also celebrated its 35th anniversary with an open house and a military ball . More deployments were in store for 1983 , starting with " Coronet Castle " in April . In June , the 162d completed five and one - half years of accident - free flying and earned the Tactical Air Command Flight Safety Award . 1984 ' s first deployment was the Panama rotation . In April , it was up to Canada for exercise " Maple Flag . " The June " Sentry Buckeye " at Alpena Mich . pitted " friendly " forces against " aggressor " forces from the Missouri ANG 131st Tactical Fighter Wing , St . Louis . A deployment in December for another Operation Snowbird at Davis - Monthan AFB , Arizona . rounded out the year . A " Red Flag " exercise at Nellis AFB , Nevada was the first deployment for 1985 . " Solid Shield , " a joint exercise with the 166th TFS was conducted in May at the Naval Air Station , Key West , Florida . In June , it was off to the Panama Canal Zone for a deployment involving 50 personnel and four aircraft . In 1986 , DACT missions were conducted from January to April at various locations . Also in April , CAS sorties were flown for the Canadian Forces Operation School . " Coronet Miami , " a six - week NATO exercise , was begun at RAF Sculthorpe , England . There the 162d trained with military elements of NATO and the U . S . Air Forces in Europe . In November , 14 aircraft and 149 personnel supported " Operation Snowbird . " The final 162d deployment for 1986 was at CFB Chatham , New Brunswick . There , CAS missions were provided for the school that trains forward controller for the Canadian Armed Forces . With all of the flying , the 162d ended the year with the prestigious Tappan Memorial Trophy , awarded to Ohio ' s outstanding Air National Guard Unit . On 28 February 1987 , the 162d deployed five A - 7D aircraft and 41 personnel to MacDill AFB , Florida in support of the 9th Air Force FAC ( Forward Air Controller Training ) . In March 1987 , the 162d rotated to support CORNET COVE XII , a 30 - day mission to Howard AFB , Panama in which the 162d maintained the only operational fighter in the Southern Air Command . Nine officers and 43 members deployed four A - 7D aircraft to provide the 24th Composite Wing the support they needed . In 1988 , the 162d took twelve aircraft to participate in SNOWBIRD for the December deployment that allowed the jets to schedule heavy air operations in Davis - Monthan AFB , Arizona . 1989 saw the 162d participate in Panama for the 11th time in 19 years to support CORONET COVE . Nine officers and 46 enlisted provided five aircraft to support the 24th Composite Wing operations . In May 1989 , the 162d deployed in support of CORONET PINE I and II at RAF Sculthorpe , England . After a series of groundings , the 162d deployed five aircraft and 295 personnel to participate in a major NATO exercise called CENTRAL ENTERPRISE at RAF Boscombe Down , England . In 1990 , Operation Desert Storm saw 93 unit members deploy to the Middle East , but the A - 7D aircraft remained in Ohio as by then , they were considered second - line aircraft , being replaced by the A - 10 Thunderbolt II in front - line combat service . In September 1990 , the 162d deployed to the Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center , Michigan for field training . The 162d ended 1990 at Davis - Monthan AFB , Arizona , in support of the December exercise SNOWBIRD . In March 1991 , the 162d deployed to the Gulfport Combat Readiness Training Center , Mississippi and flew a total of 219 sorties during the deployment exercise . In September 1991 , the 162d deployed seven aircraft to Nellis AFB , Nevada , to participate in AIR WARRIOR exercise . The 162d deployed again to support SNOWBIRD at Davis - Monthan AFB in November 1991 . In 1992 the 162d deployed to Savannah Air National Guard Base , Georgia to support practicing units for the William Tell Competition and then traveled to Otis Air National Guard Base , Massachusetts for DACT training soon after . In May 1993 the 162d hosted a farewell to the A - 7D Corsair II . The SLUF Salute was an Air Force sanctioned event to say farewell to this great aircraft that the 162d flew from 1978 to 1993 . The 162d flew the last public demonstration of the A - 7D Corsair II in the United States . While assigned to the unit , the aircraft flew a total of 55 , 357 . 4 hours . Air Combat Command . In March 1992 , the unit adopted the USAF Objective Wing organization and the 178th Tactical Fighter Group became simply the 178th Fighter Group ; the 162d as a Fighter Squadron . On 1 June of that year , Tactical Air Command was inactivated as part of the Air Force re - organizing after the end of the Cold War . Air Combat Command ( ACC ) became the gaining major command for the 178th . During May 1993 the squadron marked the end of 15 years of A - 7D operations with the 162d Fighter Squadron . Later in the year the conversion to the Block 30 F - 16C Fighting Falcon . The 162d took twelve F - 16 ' s , 20 pilots and over 600 personnel to Operation WINTERBASE at the Gulfport Combat Readiness Training Center , Mississippi , to perform flight training for the first big deployment with the new F - 16Cs . During the month long deployment , 30 aircrew certifications were attained and the sortie generation was the largest ever by the 178th Fighter Group . For LONGSHOT 94 , the 162d launched four F - 16 ' s in support of the competition . The mission was for the aircraft to rendezvous with the various units fly to Nellis AFB , Nevada to drop ordinance on target and on time . Opposing Red Air Enemy attempted to thwart the attack . The 162d was part of the outstanding 3d place team . In 1995 , Operation SNOWBIRD occurred in February , with the 162d flying 223 sorties for live weapons and desert combat simulations . Later in April 1995 , the 162d provided RED AIR for Tyndall AFB , Florida air training in Dissimilar air combat training ( DACT ) called LONGSHOT 95 . In June 1995 , the 162d deployed to Karup Air Base , Denmark to participate in NATO exercises BALTOP 95 and CENTRAL ENTERPRISE . The 162d provided RED AIR for the BALTOP exercise and flew 225 sorties in CENTRAL ENTERPRISE with eight of the F - 16 aircraft from the 162d . On 11 October 1995 , in accordance with the Air Force One Base - One Wing directive , the 178th Fighter Group was expanded and changed in status to the 178th Fighter Wing . Under the Objective Wing organization , the 162d Fighter Squadron was assigned to the 178th Operations Group . Support groups to the wing were the 178th Maintenance Group , 178th Mission Support Group and the 178th Medical Group . In December 1995 , DACT training occurred again for the 162d at the Gulfport CRTC , Mississippi . During the period of 1995 to 1998 , the 162d took first place in the " Turkey Shoot " Competition in Indiana , taking on units from the Ohio ANG and other participating states showing the 162d skill and accuracy in air to ground employment . 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 August 1996 , the 162d Expeditionary Fighter Squadron ( 162d EFS ) was first formed from 178th personnel and aircraft and deployed to Al Jaber Air Base , Kuwait to support Operation Southern Watch and Operation Desert Strike with the mission to enforce the southern no - fly zone imposed by the United Nations over Iraq . In 1997 , the 162d Fighter Squadron deployed to Tyndall AFB , Florida for a COMBAT ARCHER exercise to perform supersonic air to air combat with drones . In May 1997 , the 162d EFS was again formed , deploying to Incirlik Air Base , Turkey to support Operation Northern Watch . Later in 1997 , the 162d Fighter Squadron invited past members to attend the 50th Anniversary Celebration of the squadron at Springfield . In 1998 the 162d deployed to Eielson Air Force Base , Alaska and underwent Cope Thunder arctic training . Air Education and Training Command . In 1998 the mission of the 178th Fighter Wing was changed to become a flying training unit under Air Education and Training Command ( AETC ) . Its new mission was to skillfully train and support Active Duty , Guard and Reserve F - 16 pilots as an Advanced Flight Training Unit . Its gaining command was officially changed from Air Combat Command to AETC on 17 March 1999 . As part of the new mission , the 162d received Block 30 F - 16D twin - seat trainers which provided the aircraft required for training . Courses included the Basic Course , or also known as the B - course , which was for students who have never flown a fighter aircraft , but are graduates of Air Force Undergraduate Pilot Training . Students were put through an 8 . 5 month training module . This included in class time , simulator training and in - flight training . In 2000 the 162d took their F - 16 ' s to Savannah Air National Guard Base , Georgia for Annual Training . In 2001 , the 162d went back to Hickam AFB , Hawaii for the first time in 20 years to participate in exercise SENTRY ALOHA 01 . In September 2001 , while on Annual Training at the Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center , Michigan , the September 11 , 2001 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon occurred . The 162d flew numerous missions in support of homeland defense and for Operation Noble Eagle . BRAC 2005 and closeout of F - 16 operations . Under the 2005 Base Closure and Realignment Commission ( BRAC ) , a decision came down that the parent 178th Fighter Wing would lose its sixteen F - 16s and ultimately convert to a drone squadron . The Springfield aircraft would be distributed to the 132d Fighter Wing , Des Moines IAP AGS , IA ( nine aircraft ) ; the 140th Wing ( ANG ) , Buckley AFB , CO ( three aircraft ) and 149th Fighter Wing ( ANG ) , Lackland AFB , TX ( four aircraft ) . It was later revealed that the decision may have been a mistake as the 2005 BRAC decision did not take into account that the 162d FS was indeed a training squadron , however the decision stood . In the interim , through the Foreign Military Sales program , the 178th was able to obtain another training mission with the Royal Netherlands Air Force . In April 2007 the Dutch 306 Detachment from Tucson Air National Guard Base , Arizona moved to Springfield to provide a different training environment . The detachment was not associated directly to the 162d FS . However the Springfield facilities were F - 16 ready so as a result , when the 162d FS shut down their F - 16 operations , the Dutch detachment would leave shortly after . The current RNlAF training mission at Springfield ANGB ended in 2010 when the unit returned for Arizona . About 6 classes graduated out of the Dutch detachment while at Springfield . The 162d FS graduated its final American F - 16 Basic Course class on December 12 , 2009 . The class had started on 30 March 2009 . In the squadron ' s tenure , as a training squadron , a total 77 pilots went through the B - course . Another 273 people went for pilots upgrading to operational or formal training instructor pilot . This made a total of 350 pilots that received any pilot training at Springfield . Knowing the American training mission would be ending soon , the 178th pursued another foreign military training mission with the Singapore Air Force . However , in 2009 it became apparent that mission would not be coming to Springfield due to economic limitations . Just prior to the squadron closing out Viper operations , on April 22 , 2010 the squadron had a more unique deployment in Hungary . The fifteen day deployment allowed USAF F - 16s to fly with Hungarian Air Force Saab JAS 39 Gripen s , MiG - 29 s and the Mi - 24 s . The American pilots and Hungarian AF pilots had the opportunity to engage in various air - to - air scenarios . For the 162d FS the final sortie was on July 30 , 2010 . To celebrate the squadron ' s history , F - 16C # 86 - 0364 was painted up in special markings and incorporated some markings from the famous Second World War P - 51 Mustang ' Old Crow ' . On the last flight four of the most senior pilots in the squadron with the most hours in the F - 16 flew . The four pilots had a combined 100 years in fighters and topped out at 15 , 920 hours in fighters with 12 , 380 of those hours in the Viper . Although the last sortie had been a few months earlier , the last American aircraft departed Springfield on 20 September 2010 . This ended the manned flying mission of the 162d FS . The Dutch detachment was scheduled to return to Tucson AGB , Arizona by January 2011 . Instead they pulled out early and were gone from Springfield by 15 November 2010 when the last Dutch F - 16 departed . Reconnaissance mission . On 7 May 2010 the DoD and the Air Force have decided to assign the 178th a new mission as a ground control station for the General Atomics MQ - 1 Predator and an extension of the intelligence analysis mission from the National Air and Space Intelligence Center . Conversion to the MQ - 1 began in 2010 . The mission is under the control of the Air Combat Command . Pilots based in Springfield are be able to fly MQ - 1s on the other side of the world in Iraq or Afghanistan . A second component works under the National Air and Space Intelligence Center ( NASIC ) .