Hubbry Logo
363rd Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing363rd Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance WingMain
Open search
363rd Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing
Community hub
363rd Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing
logo
8 pages, 0 posts
0 subscribers
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Be the first to start a discussion here.
363rd Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing
363rd Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing
363rd Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing
View on Wikipedia
from Wikipedia

363d Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing
Activation ceremony of the 363d Training Group, the wing's predecessor, in 2007
Active1947–1993; 2007–2011, 2015–present
Country United States
Branch United States Air Force
TypeIntelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing
RoleISR
Part ofAir Combat Command
Garrison/HQJoint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia.
MottosVoir c'est savoir[citation needed]
(French: "To see is to know")
Engagements
Operation Desert Storm
  • Defense of Saudi Arabia
  • Liberation and Defense of Kuwait

Global War on Terrorism
Decorations
Air Force Meritorious Unit Award (3x)

Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat "V" Device (4x)
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (9x)
Commanders
Current
commander		Col. John G. Thorne
Deputy CommanderCol. Michael D. Provins
Command ChiefCCM Annika J. L’Ecuyer
Insignia
363d ISR Wing emblem[note 1][2]
363d Flying Training Group emblem[note 2][2]
363d Air Expeditionary Wing emblem

The 363d Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing (363 ISRW) is a United States Air Force unit. The wing is assigned to the United States Air Force Sixteenth Air Force, stationed at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia.

The wing conducts lethal, resilient, and ready operations in four core missions areas: analysis for air, space, and cyber operations; full-spectrum targeting; special operations ISR; and ISR testing, tactics development, and advanced training.

In a ceremony on 11 July 2011, the group was inactivated and replaced by the AFCENT Air Warfare Center. On 13 February 2015, the 363d Flying Training Group was redesignated as the 363d Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing. The wing activated on 17 February 2015.

Mission

[edit]

The 363rd Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) Wing is based at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia. It is subordinate to the Sixteenth Air Force (Air Forces Cyber). The wing conducts operations in four core missions areas: analysis for air, space, and cyber operations; full-spectrum targeting; special operations ISR; and ISR testing, tactics development, and advanced training.[3]

The wing comprises three groups and two detachments with a footprint spanning fifteen states, the United Kingdom and Japan. The 363rd ISRW produces tailored geospatial and comprehensive threat analysis products to Air Force units employing air power. The wing's mission is to deliver integrated content-dominant analytical expertise, precision targeting, production, and special operations ISR support to the operational and tactical warfighter enabling combat power in air, space, and cyberspace.[3]

Component units

[edit]

Unless otherwise indicated, units are based at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, and subordinate units are located at the same location as their commanding group.[3]

361st Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Group (Hurlburt Field, Florida)

363rd Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Group

365th Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Group (Nellis AFB, Nevada)

History

[edit]
For lineage and history of the 363rd Operations Group, see 363rd Air Expeditionary Operations Group.

363rd Reconnaissance Wing

[edit]

The 363rd Reconnaissance Wing was activated on 15 August 1947 when the Army Air Forces introduced the experimental wing base organization which established a single wing on each base. It was stationed at Langley Field, Virginia in December 1947 by the newly established USAF. It was redesignated the 363rd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing on 27 August 1948. President Truman's reduced 1949 defense budget required reductions in the number of groups in the Air Force to 48 and the unit was inactivated on 26 April 1949.[4] Once North Korea invaded South Korea, this constraint was removed and the group was again activated on 1 September 1950 at Langley.

Due to the pressing needs of Far East Air Forces in Japan the 162nd TRS, flying RB-26s, and the photo-processing 363rd Reconnaissance Technical Squadron (RTS) were reassigned from Langley to Itazuke Air Base Japan for Korean War service and began operations in August 1950 as part of the 543rd Tactical Support Group.

President Kennedy presents AFOUA to the 363 TRW in 1962 in recognition of the unit's actions associated with the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Douglas RB-66B 53-475 of the 39th Tactical Electronics Warfare Training Squadron[note 3]
McDonnell RF-101C-65-MC Voodoo Serial No. 56-0068 of the 363rd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing.[note 4]
McDonnell RF-4C-34-MC Phantom II Serial No. 67-0436 of the 16th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron in October 1986.[note 5]

On 1 April 1951, the 363rd TRW was transferred to Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. The 363rd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing would remain at Shaw, under various designations, for the next 43 years. The wing's mission was to fly photographic, electronic and electronic intelligence missions to support air and ground operations by American or Allied ground forces through its operational component, the 363rd Tactical Reconnaissance Group. In addition, the 363rd provided combat crew training for reconnaissance aircrews.

In July 1954, the wing began to receive Martin RB-57A Canberra aircraft and achieved initial operational capability before the month was over. These were the first operational RB-57As in the Air Force, although the 345th Bombardment Wing had received a handful earlier to conduct transition training for its crews.[5]

In January 1956, the wing's 9th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron was the first in the Air Force to receive jet powered Douglas RB-66B Destroyers. The RB-66B was the first operational model of the B-66. Although initially, the RB-66B had a limited all weather capability, its arrival permitted the retirement of the obsolescent RB-26s and the early retirement of the problem-ridden RB-57As. Deliveries of the RB-66Bs permitted the activation of two additional squadrons in the wing's 363rd Tactical Reconnaissance Group, the 41st and 43rd Tactical Reconnaissance Squadrons.[6]

In 1958, the 363rd Tactical Reconnaissance Group was inactivated, and its components were assigned directly to the Wing.

In September 1957, the RF-101C began deliveries to Shaw. The C model combined the strengthened structure of the F-101C with the camera installation of the RF-101A. In addition, the RF-101C differed from the RF-101A in being able to accommodate a centerline nuclear weapon, so that it could carry out a secondary nuclear strike mission if ever called upon to do so. The RF-101Cs served for a brief time alongside the RF-101A, but quickly replaced them by May 1958.

In the autumn of 1962, the pilots of the 363rd played a major part in the Cuban Missile Crisis. Utilizing their RF-101s for low-altitude photo-reconnaissance missions, they helped identify and track activities at Cuban missile sites, airfields, and port facilities. In awarding the wing the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award for its achievements, President John F. Kennedy said, "You gentlemen have contributed as much to the security of the United States as any group of men in our history."

The last USAF RF-101C was phased out of the 31st TRTS, a replacement training unit at Shaw AFB, on 16 February 1971 and turned over to the Air National Guard.

In 1956, the RB-66 Destroyer was assigned to the 363rd TRW. They replaced the obsolescent RB-26 Invader. The USAF RB-66 force in the continental United States was concentrated at Shaw, with the first RB-66C arriving on 1 February 1956, and the aircraft would continue to operate from Shaw until its retirement in 1974.

Twelve RB-66Cs initially flew with the 9th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron (TRS), and then later with various training squadrons including the 4417th Combat Crew Training Squadron (CCTS), 4411th CCTS, and 39th Tactical Electronic Warfare Training Squadron (TEWTS), as well as the 4416th Test Squadron (TS).

In addition to their training function, Shaw personnel participated in all major exercises and tested and evaluated the RB/EB-B66 and equipment. The wing was also to augment, within 72 hours, either of the overseas tactical air forces (PACAF and USAFE) in case of crisis or war. Most early flying of the RB-66C was devoted to getting the aircraft and crew ready for deployment and operations. It took longer than expected to have the electronic gear on the RB-66C operational, as the equipment was continually being modified. Readiness rates for the RB-66C in the late fifties and early sixties were below average, especially when compared to other new aircraft, such as the RF-101, introduced into the wing at Shaw during that same time. The RB-66 eventually became the primary night photographic reconnaissance weapon system of the Tactical Air Command. 363rd TRW RB-66Cs carried out missions over Cuba during the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962.

They were first deployed for combat operations in Southeast Asia during April 1965 and shortly thereafter all were transferred to duty in Southeast Asia, where they carried most of the early electronic warfare operations during the early years of the US involvement in the war. Many B-66s were deployed on 90-day rotations to Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base and Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base during the Vietnam War. In Southeast Asia, these aircraft retained the Shaw tail code "JN". During the period 1 April 1969 through 1 January 1973 there was a 39th TEWS flying EB-66's at Spangdahlem Air Base West Germany which was a separate unit unrelated to the 39th TEWTS.

The McDonnell RF-4C Phantom II (Model 98DF) was the unarmed photographic reconnaissance version of the USAF's F-4C. The first production RF-4Cs went in September 1964 to the 363rd TRW's 33rd Tactical Reconnaissance Training Squadron. The first operational unit to receive the RF-4C was the 16th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron of the 363rd TRW, achieving initial combat-readiness in August 1965.

The RF-4C became the main USAF tactical reconnaissance aircraft for the next 25 years, before being phased out of active service in the early 1990s at the end of the Cold War.

On 15 July 1971, two EB-57Es were transferred along with the RF-4Cs of the 22nd TRS from Bergstrom AFB, Texas, then transferred to the 16th TRS when the 22nd TRS was inactivated. These aircraft were highly adapted to carry electronic countermeasures and were frequently deployed to Europe to support USAFE fighter activities. The 363rd operated these aircraft until September 1974 then transferring them to the Air National Guard. They were the last B-57s operated by the active-duty USAF.

363rd Tactical Fighter Wing

[edit]
17th Tactical Fighter Squadron General Dynamics F-16A Block 10D Fighting Falcon Serial No 80-0537.[note 6]
Fairchild Republic A-10A Thunderbolt II AF Serial No. 79-0206 of the 21st Fighter Squadron, 29 September 1993.

The aging and phaseout of the RF-4C aircraft fleet and the utility of the Lockheed TR-1 in Europe for tactical reconnaissance led to the decision by the USAF to realign the mission of the 363rd TRW. The reconnaissance training mission of the wing was terminated in 1981 and beginning in 1982, the wing would become 363rd Tactical Fighter Wing (363rd TFW), being equipped with General Dynamics F-16 aircraft. On 1 October 1981, the 363rd TRW was re-designated .

The 363rd TFW received its first F-16 on 26 March 1982. The 363rd TFW flew F-16A/B Block 10 aircraft until 1984 then converted to Block 15s; F-16C/D Block 25s in autumn 1985 and Block 42s in late 1991. All aircraft carried the "SW" Tail Code.

On 9 August 1990, the 17th and 33rd TFS of 363rd TFW became the first F-16 squadrons to deploy to the United Arab Emirates in Operation Desert Shield. Operating from Al Dhafra Air Base as the 363rd Tactical Fighter Wing, Provisional (along with the 10th TFS from the 50th TFW, Hahn Air Base, Germany), the wing flew combat missions to Iraq and Kuwait during Operation Desert Storm between 17 January and 28 February 1991.

Following Desert Storm, the 19th and 33rd Tactical Fighter Squadrons deployed to the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Southern Watch, a coalition effort to enforce the Iraqi "No Fly Zone" south of the 32nd parallel north. The 33rd TFS made history when one of its pilots downed an Iraqi aircraft with an AIM-120 missile. The incident marked the first time an AIM-120 missile was fired in combat and was the first U.S. F-16 air-to-air kill.

With the closure of Myrtle Beach Air Force Base South Carolina and the inactivation of the 354th Fighter Wing, the 21st Tactical Fighter Squadron was activated at Shaw and received 30 Republic A/OA-10 Thunderbolt IIs from the inactivating 355th Fighter Squadron on 1 April 1992. All A-10 aircraft with the 21st TFS were designated as OA-10A.

As a result of the August 1992 destruction of Homestead AFB Florida by Hurricane Andrew in September 1992, the 31st Fighter Wing's 309th Fighter Squadron was initially evacuated to Shaw AFB prior to the hurricane making landfall. With Homstead unusable for an extended period after the hurricane, on 1 October 1992 the squadron was permanently assigned to the 363rd Fighter Wing.

As a result of the end of the Cold War, the Air Force made several dramatic changes with the inactivation and re-designation of wings and their units. The 363rd FW and all of its squadrons were inactivated on 31 December 1993, being replaced at Shaw by the 20th Fighter Wing, being reassigned to Shaw from RAF Upper Heyford, England.

363rd Air Expeditionary Wing

[edit]
A 363rd Air Expeditionary Wing F-15 Eagle takes off at Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia, during Operation Southern Watch
An F-16 Fighting Falcon pilot assigned to the 363rd Air Expeditionary Wing, prepares for takeoff before a mission from a forward-deployed location in Southwest Asia on 27 March 2003 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

The 363rd Air Expeditionary Wing (363 AEW) was activated on 1 December 1998 and replaced the 4404th Wing (Provisional) when the United States Air Force inactivated all MAJCOM wings.[7] The 363 AEW was the primary United States Air Force Air Expeditionary Wing responsible for Operation Southern Watch (OSW), which involved patrolling the Southern No-Fly Zone over Iraq below the 33rd Parallel.

It appears that the 763rd Expeditionary Airlift Squadron served under the wing while operating from Seeb North Air Base, Oman (Muscat International Airport). In June 2001, Lieutenant Colonel Mark C. Vlahos arrived at Seeb for a one-year unaccompanied tour to command the squadron. Ir flew airlift and medical evacuation missions for Operation Southern Watch. After the September 11 terrorist attacks, "[l]ocated just four hours flying time from Afghanistan, the squadron nearly tripled in size, and Seeb North Air Base became a major cargo hub and home of the first field hospital supporting Operation Enduring Freedom."[8] Vlahos handed over the squadron colours as part of the squadron's inactivation in June 2002.[9]

Following Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003, US forces began to pull out of Prince Sultan Air Base. On 28 April the Combined Air Operations Center was shifted from PSAB to Al-Udeid in Qatar. On 29 April, US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld announced that US forces would begin pulling out of Saudi Arabia and that forces in the country would be diverted to other locations. Rear Admiral David Nichols, the deputy commander of the coalition air operations center stated that much of the assets associated with the 363rd AEW would be relocated by the end of the Summer 2003.

The 363rd AEW completed its last operational mission supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom on 28 May 2003 completing a 13-year, continuous mission USAF presence in Saudi Arabia. An E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System deployed to the 363rd Expeditionary Airborne Air Control Squadron from Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., flew the wing's last operational mission supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

U.S. officials transferred control of portions of Prince Sultan Air Base to Saudi officials at a ceremony 26 August 2003. The ceremony also marked the inactivation of the 363rd Air Expeditionary Wing.

363rd Flying Training Group

[edit]

Assuming the mission formerly performed by the Gulf Air Warfare Center, the 363rd Flying Training Group built partnerships, tactical capabilities, and improved interoperability to facilitate integrated air operations and missile defense. - Official website

On 12 March 2007, Air Combat Command designated and organized the 363rd Flying Training Group (Provisional) at Al Dhafra Air Base in the United Arab Emirates to facilitate the training of airmen from various nations. On 1 June, this organization was made permanent when the 363rd wing was redesignated the 363rd Flying Training Group and activated, assuming the mission, personnel and equipment of the provisional group.

On 21 July 2011, the 363rd Flying Training Group was inactivated.[10] Lt. Gen. Mike Hostage, the commander of U.S. Air Force Central Command, presided over a ceremony in which the AFCENT Air Warfare Center was activated and the 363rd Flying Training Group was inactivated.

Return to reconnaissance mission

[edit]

On 18 January 2015, the unit was activated again at Joint Base Langley-Eustis as the 363rd Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing uniting several units into a single wing dedicated to providing targeting information for a variety of strike platforms.[2]

51st Intelligence Squadron at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina

[edit]

The 51st Intelligence Squadron (51 IS), formerly known as the 21st Reconnaissance Technical Squadron, was reactivated in February 2015 after 31 years of inactivation. The 51 IS is considered a mission partner and is located at Shaw Air Force Base in South Carolina, falling under the command of the 363rd Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing. Its mission is to provide prompt, precise intelligence enabling warfighters to safely engage and achieve global objectives. Lt. Col. Ryan O'Neal officially assumed command of the 51 IS on 10 July 2015.[11] Lt. Col. Jason Kulchar assumed command of the 51st IS on 10 July 2017.[12] Lt. Col. Suzanne Barroqueiro assumed command of the 51st IS on 31 May 2019.

Lineage

[edit]
  • Designated as the 363rd Reconnaissance Wing on 29 July 1947
Organized on 15 August 1947
Discontinued on 27 August 1948
  • Constituted as the 363rd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing
  • Activated on 27 August 1948
Inactivated on 26 April 1949
  • Activated on 1 September 1950
Redesignated 363rd Tactical Fighter Wing on 1 October 1981
Redesignated 363rd Fighter Wing on 1 June 1992
Inactivated on 31 December 1993
  • Redesignated 363rd Air Expeditionary Wing, Converted to provisional status and allotted to Air Combat Command to activate or inactivate any time on 1 October 1998
Activated on 1 December 1998
Inactivated on 26 August 2003
Redesignated 363rd Flying Training Group and withdrawn from provisional status on 25 March 2007
Activated on 1 June 2007
Inactivated on 11 July 2011
Redesignated 363rd Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing on 13 February 2015
Activated on 17 February 2015[13]

Assignments

[edit]
  • Ninth Air Force, 15 August 1947 – 27 August 1948
  • Ninth Air Force, 27 August 1948 – 26 April 1949
Attached to First Air Force, 15 January-1 February 1949
  • Tactical Air Command, 1 September 1950
  • Ninth Air Force, 2 April 1951
  • Tactical Air Division Provisional, 25 April 1951
  • Ninth Air Force, 11 October 1951
Attached to Twenty-Ninth Air Force [Tactical] [Provisional], 31 October-10 December 1955

Components

[edit]

Groups

  • 361st Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Group: 17 February 2015 – present
  • 363d Reconnaissance Group 363rd Reconnaissance (later 363rd Tactical Reconnaissance Group, 363rd Operations Group, 363rd Expeditionary Operations, 363rd Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance Group): 15 August 1947 – 27 August 1948; 27 August 1948 – 26 April 1949; 1 September 1950 – 8 February 1958 (detached 25 April-10 October 1951); 1 May 1992 – 30 December 1993; 1 December 1998 – 26 August 2003; 17 February 2015 – present
  • 363rd Expeditionary Logistics Group, 1 October 1998 – 26 August 2003
  • 363rd Expeditionary Support Group, 1 October 1998 – 26 August 2003
  • 365th Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Group: 17 February 2105 – present
  • 432d Tactical Reconnaissance Group: attached 18 March 1954 – 30 October 1955; 10 December 1955 – 8 February 1958
  • 4402nd Tactical Training Group: 1 July 1966 – 20 January 1968
  • 4403rd Tactical Training Group: 1 July 1966 – 20 January 1968 (Never manned or equipped)[2]

Squadrons

Stations

[edit]
  • Langley Field (later Langley Air Force Base), Virginia, 15 August 1947 – 27 August 1948
  • Langley Air Force Base, Virginia, 27 August 1948 – 26 April 1949
  • Langley Air Force Base, Virginia, 1 September 1950 – 12 March 1951
  • Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, 2 April 1951 – 31 December 1993
  • Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia, 1 December 1998 – 26 August 2003
  • Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates, 1 June 2007 – 11 July 2011
  • Joint Base Langley-Eustis, 17 February 2015 – present[2]

Aircraft

[edit]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

363rd Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
The 363d Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Wing is a unit assigned to the (Air Forces Cyber), part of , and stationed at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, . It executes operations supporting global combatant commands through four primary mission areas: analysis for air, space, and cyber domains; full-spectrum targeting; indications and warnings; and processing, exploitation, and dissemination. Originally established as the 363d Fighter Group on 11 February 1943 and activated on 1 March 1943 for operations, the unit underwent multiple redesignations, including as the 363d Tactical Reconnaissance Group in 1946 and later focusing on electronic reconnaissance missions. In its modern ISR configuration, reactivated and realigned under , the wing delivers expert cross-domain kinetic and non-kinetic targeting solutions to air component commanders worldwide, enhancing lethality and readiness in contested environments. The wing has distinguished itself through contributions to combat operations, earning the Air Force Meritorious Unit Award for superior performance in global targeting, analysis, and support, as well as conducting no-notice exercises to validate rapid deployment and mission continuity. Historical highlights include a squadron member's achievement of the first U.S. F-16 aerial victory credit in December 1992 during Operations Southern Watch and Desert Storm.

Mission and Strategic Role

Core Mission Areas

The 363rd Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing executes lethal, resilient, and ready operations across four primary mission areas, providing integrated analytical expertise, precision targeting, and specialized ISR support to enhance joint force . These domains focus on delivering content-dominant products that fuse multi-domain data for decision superiority in contested environments. In analysis for air, space, and cyber operations, the wing performs real-time threat assessments by integrating intelligence from diverse sources, including satellite, aerial, and network data, to identify adversary capabilities and vulnerabilities. This involves advanced data fusion techniques to support operational planning and execution across domains, enabling commanders to anticipate and counter hybrid threats effectively. Full-spectrum targeting constitutes another core area, where the wing generates precise strike recommendations by analyzing targeteering data, collateral assessments, and effects modeling to provide forces with vetted options for kinetic and non-kinetic engagements. This process ensures compliance with legal and policy constraints while maximizing operational impact against high-value objectives. Airborne ISR for sensitive joint forces tailors collection and dissemination to support missions in denied or high-risk areas, employing persistent platforms to deliver timely, low-observable feeds that enable rapid force insertion, execution, and exfiltration. Finally, the wing advances ISR testing, tactics development, and advanced to refine methodologies against peer adversaries, incorporating simulation-based exercises and iterative feedback to bolster warfighter readiness and adapt to evolving threats like electronic warfare denial.

Contributions to National Security

The 363rd Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Wing bolsters U.S. national security by delivering specialized adversary analysis and cross-domain targeting solutions to combatant commands, enabling Air Component Commanders to execute operations worldwide with enhanced precision and lethality. Through its core focus on air, space, and cyber operations analysis, the wing identifies enemy weapons systems, tactics, and capabilities, providing actionable intelligence that underpins resilient decision-making in dynamic threat environments. This expertise facilitates the transition from intelligence collection to operational effects, prioritizing empirical validation over administrative hurdles. As the Air Force's center for precision targeting, the wing develops full-spectrum solutions—including kinetic strikes, weaponeering, battle damage assessments, and evaluations—that degrade adversarial integrated air defense systems and other high-value assets. Its multi-intelligence fusion efforts exploit vulnerabilities in state actors' defenses, such as those employed by and , generating options for both kinetic and non-kinetic disruptions that align with the demands of competition. Integration with combatant commands' elements ensures these outputs contribute directly to mission success metrics, like confirmed target neutralization, rather than isolated procedural compliance. The wing's emphasis on lethal, resilient operations counters sophisticated cyber and threats by establishing causal pathways from to executable actions, supporting contested domains without reliance on vulnerable fixed infrastructures. This approach sustains U.S. advantages against peer competitors by fostering adaptive tactics that withstand electronic warfare and denial efforts, ultimately tying ISR contributions to verifiable strategic disruptions.

Organization and Components

Subordinate Units

The 363rd Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Group serves as the wing's primary analytical hub at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, , specializing in precision targeting and ISR support as the Air Force's center of expertise for these functions. Subordinate to the group are several squadrons focused on specialized . The 17th Squadron, based at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, conducts ISR-related operations. The 20th Squadron, located at , , processes and exploits to deliver precise data enabling warfighter engagement of objectives. The 36th Squadron, also at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, supports ISR and tactics development. The 363rd Intelligence Support Squadron provides critical digital infrastructure, ensuring the , , and timely dissemination of targeting options and ISR analytical products across the wing. Recent organizational changes include the inactivation of the 20th Squadron, Detachment 1, on February 14, 2023, following its activation in February 2022 to provide specialized capabilities after the 15th Squadron's inactivation. The wing's structure also encompasses two additional groups and two detachments, extending its operational footprint across 15 states, , and , though specific functions of these elements align with distributed ISR and targeting support.

Leadership and Command Structure

The 363rd , , and Wing operates under the operational control of the 16th Air Force (Air Forces Cyber), which integrates , , , cyber, and electronic warfare capabilities to support Air Combat Command's priorities in multi-domain operations. This alignment positions the wing within a structure emphasizing synchronized effects across air, space, cyber, and electromagnetic domains to enable decisive combat power. At the wing level, command authority resides with the wing commander, a colonel who directs subordinate groups and squadrons in executing ISR missions while ensuring alignment with higher headquarters directives. Colonel Catherine Gambold assumed command on June 30, 2025, succeeding Colonel John Thorne during a ceremony presided over by 16th Air Force leadership. This transition maintained continuity in operational focus, with commanders responsible for fostering resilient forces capable of delivering persistent, lethal ISR support against peer adversaries. Supporting the commander is the Command Chief Master Sergeant, who advises on enlisted matters and personnel readiness. Theresa Fitzpatrick currently holds this position, serving as the senior enlisted advisor to ensure force sustainment and morale amid high-tempo demands. The deputy commander assists in oversight of wing-wide functions, including resource allocation and integration with joint and coalition partners.

Historical Evolution

World War II and Early Postwar Period

The 363rd Fighter Group was established on 11 February 1943 as a single-engine fighter unit and activated on 1 March 1943, initially training with P-39 aircraft while serving in air defense roles. Assigned to the , the group transitioned to P-51 Mustangs and deployed to , commencing combat operations in February 1944 with fighter sweeps, bomber escorts, and ground strafing missions across the European Theater. These efforts supported key campaigns, including the Normandy invasion and advances into , emphasizing tactics for aerial superiority and that proved effective against Axis forces. Following the conclusion of hostilities in Europe, the 363rd Fighter Group was inactivated in late 1945, reflecting the broader demobilization of U.S. Army Air Forces units. This period marked a temporary end to its operational role, though its combat experience informed subsequent Air Force doctrines on tactical air power. In the early postwar era, the lineage evolved toward reconnaissance capabilities amid rising tensions with the Soviet Union. The 363rd Reconnaissance Wing was established on 29 July 1947 and organized on 15 August 1947 at Langley Field, Virginia, becoming the first U.S. Air Force wing stationed there under an experimental base organization structure. Redesignated the 363rd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing on 14 June 1948, it shifted focus to photographic mapping and nascent electronic intelligence collection, laying groundwork for strategic reconnaissance missions to monitor potential adversaries. The wing was inactivated on 27 August 1948, but this brief activation established early protocols for integrating intelligence gathering with air operations in the Cold War context.

Cold War Reconnaissance and Fighter Operations

The 363rd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing was activated on 1 September 1950 at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, assuming responsibility for tactical aerial reconnaissance to support U.S. Air Force commitments during the early Cold War. Initially equipped with RF-80 Shooting Star fighters and RB-26 Invader light bombers adapted for reconnaissance, the wing conducted photographic, visual, and electronic intelligence missions essential for monitoring conventional and nuclear threats from the Soviet bloc. By the mid-1950s, it transitioned to jet-powered platforms including the RF-84F Thunderflash, enhancing speed and altitude capabilities for high-risk penetrations of contested airspace. These operations provided critical data for NATO targeting and deterrence strategies, adapting to the causal dynamics of potential Warsaw Pact aggression through undiluted emphasis on verifiable battlefield intelligence. In November 1957, four pilots from the wing's 17th and 18th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadrons set three world absolute speed records during Operation Sun Run, flying McDonnell RF-101 Voodoos at averages exceeding 1,200 mph over a 15/25-kilometer course, underscoring the unit's role in advancing supersonic reconnaissance tactics amid escalating East-West tensions. The RF-101's introduction in 1957-1958 replaced earlier types, enabling low-level, high-speed missions that simulated overflights of enemy territory to gather real-time imagery for nuclear strike planning and conventional force assessments. Deployments to Europe, such as EB-66 electronic reconnaissance detachments to France in the early 1960s, integrated the wing into NATO exercises focused on countering armored invasions and air defense networks. The wing's capabilities evolved further with the arrival of McDonnell Douglas RF-4C Phantom IIs in June 1965, assigned to the 16th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, which combined advanced cameras, side-looking , and electronic warfare sensors for all-weather operations. Squadrons deployed RF-4Cs to the , including Coltishall for Coronet exercises in the 1970s, contributing photographic and to simulate responses to Soviet incursions across the . Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, detachments supported operations by rotating personnel and aircraft, honing skills in contested environments while maintaining home-station readiness at Shaw for rapid reinforcement of flanks. This dual focus on reconnaissance platforms addressed causal realities of deterrence, prioritizing empirical data over doctrinal assumptions in an era of nuclear parity and proxy conflicts. As the intensified in the late 1970s, the 363rd retained its reconnaissance primacy but began integrating fighter elements, culminating in redesignation as the 363rd Tactical Fighter Wing on 1 October 1981, incorporating F-16 Fighting Falcons for air-to-ground strikes alongside lingering RF-4Cs. Exercises emphasized and interdiction scenarios mimicking offensives, with deployments reinforcing European bases to enhance and rapid response. Stationed primarily at Shaw, the wing's operations exemplified adaptations to hybrid threats, leveraging reconnaissance-derived intelligence for precise fighter employment in potential escalations short of full nuclear exchange.

Post-Cold War Transitions

Following the conclusion of the , the 363rd Wing adapted to a security environment characterized by diminished Soviet threats and emerging regional contingencies, exemplified by its rapid deployment of most personnel and F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft to , , , from August 1990 to March 1991. In this capacity, it functioned as an expeditionary unit under Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, executing over 1,000 combat sorties against Iraqi targets in support of coalition efforts to liberate . To align with Air Force reorganization emphasizing multirole fighter capabilities for post-Cold War and limited wars, the unit was redesignated the 363rd Fighter Wing on 1 October 1991, integrating its fighter squadrons—such as the 17th, 33rd, and 561st—under a streamlined objective wing structure at , . This shift reflected broader doctrinal changes prioritizing versatile airpower over specialized reconnaissance amid budget constraints and force reductions. The wing's subordinate units, including intelligence elements like the 51st Intelligence Squadron, maintained operations at Shaw AFB during this period, providing analytical support for tactical missions and adapting to expeditionary demands. However, as part of the U.S. military's post-Soviet drawdown—reducing active-duty fighter wings from 24 to 12 by the mid-1990s—the 363rd Fighter Wing was inactivated on 31 December 1993, with aircraft and personnel redistributed to other units, marking the end of its permanent fighter presence at Shaw and a pivot toward provisional expeditionary models.

Modern ISR Revival and Expansion

The 363rd Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Wing was reactivated on February 17, 2015, at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, , as part of the U.S. Air Force's broader transformation of its intelligence capabilities to meet evolving demands and peer competitor challenges. This revival repurposed the historic 363rd designation—previously inactivated on January 1, 1994—into a dedicated ISR entity under , consolidating distributed intelligence assets including the 361st ISR Group at , ; the 363rd ISR Group at Langley; and the 365th ISR Group at , . The restructuring emphasized scalable, multi-domain analysis to bridge operational gaps identified in environments like and , where persistent surveillance shortfalls hindered rapid kinetic responses. Subsequent expansion in the late integrated the wing into (Air Forces Cyber) upon that numbered air force's 2019 activation, fusing traditional ISR with cyber operations to counter advanced adversaries such as and . This alignment enabled cross-domain targeting solutions, including expert assessments of enemy weapons systems, tactics, and counter-ISR measures, thereby enhancing decision superiority in contested environments. The wing's structure supports verifiable pipelines from raw collection to actionable effects, prioritizing resilience against denial and tactics observed in peer-level competitions. A key aspect of this growth involved bolstering forces support, with dedicated ISR production tailored for time-sensitive, high-risk missions requiring precise geospatial and threat intelligence. By 2021, the wing operated across multiple global nodes, including detachments at Fort Bragg, , and , , to deliver full-spectrum targeting and weaponeering expertise directly informing joint force commanders. This evolution reflected a doctrinal shift toward integrated, effects-based ISR, distinct from legacy models, amid rising demands for peer-competitive deterrence.

Operational Capabilities

Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Platforms

The 363rd ISR Wing supports intelligence analysis derived from high-altitude manned and unmanned platforms, including the U-2S Dragon Lady, which operates above 70,000 feet to deliver all-weather, day-or-night reconnaissance with a mission endurance exceeding 12 hours. Equipped with modular sensor suites such as the Advanced System-2 (ASARS-2) for high-resolution ground mapping (sub-meter imagery) and the Electro-optical/ (EO/IR) payload for real-time targeting, the U-2 enables persistent surveillance over large areas, fusing electro-optical, infrared, and radar data to support tactical decisions in contested environments. These capabilities contribute to the wing's multi-domain awareness by processing U-2 feeds through systems like the Air Force (AF DCGS), which disseminates actionable intelligence from disparate sources. Complementing manned assets, the wing leverages data from the RQ-4 Global Hawk, a high-altitude, long-endurance unmanned system (UAS) cruising at approximately 60,000 feet with sorties lasting over 30 hours, providing near-real-time intelligence across global theaters. Its integrated sensor suite includes the (AESA) radar for (SAR) imaging with resolutions down to 0.3 meters, ground moving target indicator (GMTI) modes, and for wide-area surveillance, alongside SIGINT pods for communications interception. This persistence enhances deployment efficacy in denied airspace by minimizing manned risk while enabling continuous coverage, with the wing's analysts exploiting Global Hawk-derived products for indications, warnings, and targeting via AF DCGS integration. The wing emphasizes fusion of electronic intelligence (ELINT) and (SIGINT) from these platforms to achieve resilient multi-intelligence fusion, supporting operations resilient to electronic warfare through redundant data streams and advanced processing algorithms that yield high-fidelity threat assessments. For instance, ELINT collection on radar emitters and SIGINT on adversary communications from U-2 and Global Hawk payloads allows the wing to generate predictive battlespace models, with efficacy demonstrated in real-world applications like counter-ISIS targeting where integrated feeds from these systems informed precision strikes. Such systems prioritize endurance and resolution over stealth, relying on altitude and standoff range to penetrate contested areas while feeding into the wing's full-spectrum targeting enterprise.

Cyber and Targeting Integration

The 363rd ISR Wing employs full-spectrum targeting processes that fuse cyber analysis with kinetic operations, identifying digital vulnerabilities in adversary networks and space assets to inform cross-domain effects. This integration leverages predictive modeling of target systems to anticipate network behaviors and enable non-kinetic disruptions alongside physical strikes, serving as the Air Force's center of expertise for precision targeting, weaponeering, estimation, and battle damage assessment. Cyber operations analysis within the wing supports air campaigns by securing and disseminating targeting products in real time, powering precision through of for over 3,200 Airmen and 12 Air Operations Centers. This includes baseline testing of targeting systems deployed Air Force-wide and coordination with joint partners to neutralize cyber threats impacting operational networks. In training scenarios such as the 2023 Cyber Valhalla exercise, wing analysts—including target digital network and specialists—collaborated with units to detect intrusions from simulated adversaries, affected networks, and execute effects to restore mission capabilities, demonstrating causal pathways from cyber detection to kinetic response. Advanced tactics development emphasizes integration, where cyber-derived intelligence drives multi-domain targeting validated through operational exercises rather than solely simulated environments. This approach ensures resilient operations by linking electromagnetic and digital domain insights to air and space effects, enhancing lethality against peer adversaries.

Achievements and Readiness

Key Operational Contributions

The 363rd ISR Wing has provided critical targeting support for deliberate airstrikes during , with its Langley Target Development Cell delivering target materials to commanders to enable precision operations against threats. This content-driven analysis integrates multi-source intelligence to produce actionable target packages, contributing to the degradation of command structures and operational capabilities in and from 2015 onward. Wing personnel have deployed in support of these efforts, enhancing and operational security for partners. In contexts, the wing delivers tailored ISR to , facilitating raids and missions by fusing airborne and ground-based for real-time assessment and neutralization. This support has enabled joint special forces teams to execute high-risk operations with reduced exposure, though specific declassified metrics on threats neutralized remain limited due to classification. The wing's surge-to-war target production capabilities have been demonstrated in joint exercises, such as the no-notice Exercise and ACC Combat Readiness Inspection conducted in April 2025, where units rapidly deployed personnel and to austere locations while sustaining full-spectrum targeting and in simulated contested environments. These exercises validated the wing's ability to scale operations under duress, producing target sets at rates supporting high-intensity conflict scenarios against peer adversaries. Additionally, space and cyber from the wing bolsters Indo-Pacific deterrence by identifying adversarial expansions, integrating with joint commands to counter threats from authoritarian regimes.

Awards, Exercises, and Recent Developments

The 363d Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Wing earned the Meritorious Unit Award for the period June 1, 2023, to May 31, 2024, in recognition of its exceptional performance in providing resilient ISR support amid high operational demands. This accolade underscores the wing's sustained delivery of intelligence analysis, full-spectrum targeting, and readiness for contested environments. In April 2025, the wing conducted its inaugural no-notice Exercise across dispersed locations, evaluating rapid personnel and equipment deployment while ensuring uninterrupted mission execution. This unannounced evaluation, part of Air Combat Command's broader inspection regime, confirmed the unit's agility in generating combat power under simulated wartime stress. Recent leadership transitions bolstered the wing's focus on advanced targeting against peer adversaries. On June 27, 2025, Col. Melissa Gambold assumed command from Col. Derek Thorne during a ceremony at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, , emphasizing enhanced proficiency in ISR integration for multi-domain operations. Earlier, in September 2024, Air Combat Command's leadership immersed in wing operations, observing demonstrations of precision targeting expertise to refine tactics for high-threat scenarios. These developments affirm the wing's ongoing adaptation to evolving threats through rigorous training and command continuity.

Lineage and Heritage

Formal Lineage

The 363rd Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Wing perpetuates the lineage of the 363rd Fighter Group, constituted on 11 February 1943 and activated on 1 March 1943 at . The group was redesignated as the 363rd Tactical Reconnaissance Group on 20 July 1944, conducting operations until its inactivation on 24 November 1945. Postwar, the lineage continued with the establishment of the 363rd Reconnaissance Wing on 29 July 1947, organized on 15 August 1947 at Langley Field, . Redesignated as the 363rd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing on 14 June 1948, it was inactivated on 26 April 1949 before reactivation on 1 September 1950. Subsequent redesignations reflected evolving missions: to 363rd Tactical Fighter Wing on 8 February 1966; to 363rd Fighter Wing on 1 May 1991; inactivated on 1 July 1993. The unit was redesignated and activated as the 363rd Operations Group on 1 October 1993, then as 363rd Training Group on 2 July 1998, reverting to 363rd Operations Group on 1 October 2002, and inactivated on 7 June 2004. In the intelligence era, it was redesignated as the 363rd Intelligence Group on 1 October 2007 and activated on 6 November 2007; then as 363rd Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Group on 17 November 2010. The wing achieved its current designation as the 363rd Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Wing on 3 December 2014, with activation on 23 January 2015 at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, , linking fighter operations to contemporary ISR capabilities.

Assignments, Stations, and Aircraft

The 363rd Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Wing was initially assigned to upon its organization on 15 August 1947, remaining under that command until 26 April 1949. During the era, following redesignation as the 363rd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, it fell under from 1 July 1950 onward, supporting reconnaissance operations aligned with that command's structure. In its modern ISR configuration, activated on 17 February 2015, the wing is assigned to (Air Forces Cyber), a component of , focusing on integrated intelligence operations. Stations of the wing have evolved with its missions and activations. It was first organized at Langley Field, Virginia, in 1947, before relocating to Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, in 1951, where it remained the primary station through 1994 during its tactical reconnaissance and fighter phases. Expeditionary deployments included Al Kharj (later Prince Sultan) Air Base, Saudi Arabia, from 1998 to 2003, and Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates, from 2007 to 2011, supporting operations in Southwest Asia. Since reactivation as an ISR wing in 2015, its permanent station is Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia. The and its predecessor units have operated a range of and across eras. Early post-war involved RF-80 Shooting Star and RB-26 Invader platforms for photographic and electronic missions. In the 1950s and 1960s, squadrons flew RF-101 Voodoo for high-speed tactical and RB/EB/WB-66 Destroyer variants for electronic and weather roles. Later transitions included RF-4 Phantom II for advanced photo- from the 1970s through the 1980s. During its designation in the 1980s and early 1990s, F-16 Fighting Falcon was employed, alongside brief observation roles with OA-10 Thunderbolt II. In contemporary ISR operations, the supports intelligence from high-altitude platforms such as the U-2 Dragon Lady and RQ-4 Global Hawk, though it does not directly operate manned aircraft.

References

  1. https://www.16af.af.mil/About-Us/Unit-Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/1963033/363rd-isr-wing/
  2. https://www.jble.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/show/Article/843104/363d-isr-wing/
  3. https://www.dafhistory.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/862227/363-intelligence-surveillance-and-reconnaissance-group-acc/
  4. https://www.16af.af.mil/Newsroom/Article-Display/Article/3849328/363d-isr-group-change-of-command/
  5. https://www.acc.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/3924434/acc-command-team-gets-first-hand-look-at-isr-capabilities-with-363-isrw/
  6. https://www.16af.af.mil/Newsroom/Article-Display/Article/3588323/363d-isr-wing-recognized-with-meritorious-unit-award/
  7. https://www.16af.af.mil/Newsroom/Article-Display/Article/4156197/363d-isr-wing-executes-no-notice-combat-readiness-exercise-acc-combat-readiness/
  8. https://www.dafhistory.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/862035/363-intelligence-surveillance-and-reconnaissance-wing-acc/
  9. https://www.dvidshub.net/news/482087/acc-command-team-gets-first-hand-look-isr-capabilities-with-363-isrw
  10. https://www.16af.af.mil/Units/363ISRW/Tag/204299/363d-isr-wing/
  11. https://www.c4isrnet.com/battlefield-tech/it-networks/2019/11/12/how-a-new-air-force-unit-could-help-beat-russian-air-defense-systems/
  12. https://www.af.mil/About-Us/AF-75th-Anniversary/?videoid=634886&dvpTag=363rd
  13. http://usafunithistory.com/PDF/20-29/20%2520INTELLIGENCE%2520SQ.pdf
  14. https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=363ISRW&set=a.860725956100794
  15. https://www.dvidshub.net/news/431119/363d-iss-cyber-cats-digital-fuel-powering-precision-airpower
  16. https://www.16af.af.mil/Newsroom/Article-Display/Article/3297445/20th-intelligence-squadron-detachment-1-inactivates-in-the-363d-isr-wing/
  17. https://www.dvidshub.net/news/413933/15th-intelligence-squadron-inactivates-20th-detachment-1-activates-provide-specialized-analysis-and-sigint-capabilities
  18. https://www.dvidshub.net/news/502033/363d-isr-wing-bids-farewell-colonel-thorne-and-welcomes-colonel-gambold-new-commander
  19. https://www.acc.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/2564162/365th-isrg-breaking-ground-for-new-nellis-afb-facility/
  20. https://www.16af.af.mil/Newsroom/Article-Display/Article/4230080/363d-isr-wing-bids-farewell-to-colonel-thorne-and-welcomes-colonel-gambold-as-n/
  21. https://www.dvidshub.net/unit/363ISRW
  22. https://www.9af.org/363rd-tactical-recon-group.cfm
  23. https://www.16af.af.mil/About-Us/Unit-Fact-Sheets/Article/1963033/363rd-isr-wing/
  24. https://www.thisdayinaviation.com/tag/363rd-tactical-reconnaissance-wing/
  25. https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/tr/pdf/ADA385145.pdf
  26. https://www.key.aero/article/reinforcing-uk-usaf-cold-war-fighter-deployments
  27. https://usafunithistory.com/PDF/0300/363%20FLYING%20TRAINING%20GP.pdf
  28. https://www.key.aero/article/guard
  29. https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/facility/shaw.htm
  30. https://www.shaw.af.mil/About-Us/
  31. https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/104560/u-2stu-2s/
  32. https://www.lockheedmartin.com/en-us/products/u2-dragon-lady.html
  33. https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/104525/air-force-distributed-common-ground-system/
  34. https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/104516/rq-4-global-hawk/
  35. https://www.northropgrumman.com/what-we-do/aircraft/global-hawk
  36. http://www.killchain.org/j-distributed-common-ground-system.html
  37. https://www.military.com/daily-news/2017/02/22/strike-on-isis-drone-cell-highlights-airmans-novel-intel-method.html
  38. https://www.acc.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/1382006/airman-brings-reaper-isr-capabilities-closer-together/
  39. https://www.dvidshub.net/news/436198/363-isrw-2022-year-review
  40. https://www.jbsa.mil/News/News/Article/3582648/341st-cyberspace-operations-squadron-partners-with-363rd-isrw-for-cyber-valhall/
  41. https://www.acc.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/1279274/secaf-visits-isr-airmen-in-virginia/
  42. https://www.mitchellaerospacepower.org/app/uploads/2021/02/a2dd91_9f3574bd934e4e71b8a7cee001ffb047.pdf
  43. https://www.dvidshub.net/news/448162/363d-isr-wing-snco-receives-purple-heart
  44. https://www.jbsa.mil/News/News/Article/1329425/innovator-reconfigures-enhances-critical-intelligence-asset/
  45. https://www.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/4162371/363rd-isr-wing-executes-no-notice-combat-readiness-exercise-acc-combat-readines/
  46. https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/trecms/pdf/AD1054686.pdf
  47. https://www.16af.af.mil/Newsroom/Article-Display/Article/4015496/363d-isr-wing-recognized-with-meritorious-unit-award-from-june-1-2023-to-may-31/
  48. https://www.jbsa.mil/News/News/Article/3594358/363d-isr-wing-recognized-with-meritorious-unit-award/
  49. https://www.acc.af.mil/News/Tag/204299/363d-isr-wing/
Add your contribution
Related Hubs
User Avatar
No comments yet.