350th Electronic Systems Wing

The 350th Electronic Systems Wing is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was last active in 2010 as an electronic systems support unit located at Hanscom AFB, Massachusetts.

350th Electronic Systems Wing
350th Electronic Systems Wing emblem
Active1941–1949
2004–2010
CountryUnited States
BranchUnited States Air Force
Garrison/HQHanscom AFB, Massachusetts

The wing developed, acquired, fielded, and sustained systems for C2, ISR and communication capabilities for Air Force, joint and coalition operations. It serviced five major commands, three U.S. services, seven combatant commanders, three national agencies, NORAD and NATO. The 350th ELSW executed $14 billion in programs.

Units

The 350th ELSW consisted of three groups:

  • 350th Electronic Systems Group
Acquired, fielded, modernized, integrated, standardized and sustained unit- and theatre-level C2 warfighting capabilities to the Combined Joint Forces Air Component Commander and foreign military customers. Primarily located at Hanscom AFB, Mass., a contingent of the group is also located at Langley AFB, Va. The group administers a contract budget valued at $4.1 billion per fiscal year defense plan.
  • 850th Electronic Systems Group
Based at Peterson AFB, Colorado, the group acquired, fielded, and sustained global sensing, communication and decision-making capabilities, including missile warning and defense sensors, global command and control systems, space control sensors and battle management systems. The squadron also had operating locations at Offutt AFB, Nebraska, Scott AFB, Illinois, and Dahlgren, Virginia. The group administered a contract budget valued at $6.4 billion fiscal year defense plan.
  • 950th Electronic Systems Group
The group developed, acquired, and integrated Information Surveillance and Reconnaissance systems to provide kill chain and information operations capabilities for the Air Force, joint and coalition combat operations. The group led integration and transition and fielding of highly-classified technologies to meet warfighter requirements and administered a contract budget valued at $5.4 billion fiscal year defense plan.

History

The 350th ELSW, formerly the Command and Control, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Systems Wing, traces its history back to the early establishment of information superiority in the United States Army Air Forces. The newly defined role of the aircraft for reconnaissance purposes resulted in the birth of multiple observation groups in the USAAF.

The 26th Observation Group, the direct predecessor of the 350 ELSW, was activated 1 September 1941, and assigned to the First Air Force. The group, stationed at Fort Devens, Massachusetts, flew various types of missions, including photographic, reconnaissance, tow target, and coast artillery spotting. This was done in cooperation with units along the Eastern seaboard.

The group was later redesignated the 26th Reconnaissance Group, and took part in the Carolina and Tennessee Maneuvers in the fall of 1941 and 1942 in support of Army field training exercises. In both exercises, observation aircraft were used to detail strategic ground positioning and provide an opportunity to train senior commanders and staff in the operational elements of combat.

With Pearl Harbor deeply entrenched in the minds of military leaders, it was clear there was a greater need for coastal surveillance and anti-submarine patrols. The 26th Reconnaissance Group, stationed out of Reading Army Air Field, Pennsylvania, was given that responsibility for the northeastern North American sector of the Atlantic Ocean.

Various aircraft, including the O-46 and O-52 Owl, flew anti-submarine patrols off the East Coast after the United States entered World War II. Other more notable aircraft that flew reconnaissance missions with modifications to their existing frames included the P-39 and B-25, which was designated as the F-10 after being modified for photographic reconnaissance work. The group was disbanded at the end of 1943

The 26th Reconnaissance Group was reestablished as an Air Force Reserve organization in 1947 near Buffalo. New York and was inactivated on 27 June 1949, when Continental Air Command implemented the wing base organization (Hobson Plan) for its reserve organizations. It was redesignated the 350th Tactical Electronics Group in 1985, but remained in inactive status.

The group was redesignated as the 350th Electronics Systems Wing, delivering and sustaining transformational capabilities for operational-level command, control, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance information dominance.

The 350th Electronics Systems Group, formerly the Operational Command and Control Systems Group, acquired and sustained operational-level command and control assets including the Air and Space Operations Center and Theater Battle Management Core Systems.

The 850th Electronic Systems Group, formerly the Combatant Commanders Command and Control Systems Group, acquired, fielded and sustained global sensing, communication and decision-making capabilities, including missile warning and defense sensors, global command and control systems, space control sensors and battle management systems.

The 950th Electronic Systems Group, formerly the Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group developed, acquired, and integrated network-centric intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance information and decision-support systems to fuse data at multiple security levels for Air Force, joint and coalition warfighters. The 950th ELSG was recognized with the AF Outstanding Unit Award for the period of 1 April 2006 to 31 March 2008.[1]

Lineage

350th Tactical Electronic Group

  • Constituted as 26th Observation Group on 21 August 1941
Activated on 1 September 1941
Redesignated 26th Reconnaissance Group on 2 April 1943
Redesignated 26th Tactical Reconnaissance Group on 11 August 1943.
Disbanded on 11 November 1943
  • Reconstituted, redesignated 26th Reconnaissance Group and allotted to the Air Force Reserve, on 27 December 1946
Activated on 23 October 1947
Inactivated on 27 June 1949
Redesignated 350th Tactical Electronic Group on 31 July 1985
  • Consolidated with Command and Control, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing on 6 April 2006.

350th Electronic Systems Wing

  • Constituted as Command and Control, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing on 23 November 2004
Activated on 17 December 2004
  • Consolidated with 350th Tactical Electronic Group on 6 April 2006
Redesignated 350th Electronic Systems Wing on 17 April 2006
Inactivated on 30 June 2010.

Assignments

Components

Groups

  • Operational Command and Control Systems Group (later 350th Electronic Systems Group), 17 December 2004 – 30 June 2010
  • Combatant Commanders Command and Control Systems Group (later 850th Electronic Systems Group), 17 December 2004 – 30 June 2010
  • Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group (later 950th Electronic Systems Group), 17 December 2004 – 30 June 2010

Squadrons

Stations

Aircraft

References
  1. "653 ELSW, 950 ELSG earn AF Outstanding Unit honors". hanscom.af.mi. 1 December 2008. Retrieved 21 February 2016.
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