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366th Fighter Wing

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366th Fighter Wing

The 366th Fighter Wing (366 FW) is a fighter wing of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command stationed at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho.

The wing comprises four groups: the 366th Operations Group, 366th Maintenance Group, 366th Mission Support Group and 366th Medical Group.

The wing is home to three fighter squadrons: the 389th Fighter Squadron and 391st Fighter Squadron flying the F-15E Strike Eagle aircraft and the 428th Fighter Squadron which flies the Republic of Singapore Air Force F-15SG. Until September 2010, a fourth squadron, the 390th Fighter Squadron flew the F-15C Eagle in an air superiority mission. The 417th Tactical Fighter Squadron flew F-4D Phantoms and later F-111's. In September 2010 the redesignated 390th Electronic Combat Squadron assumed the mission of the 388th Electronic Combat Squadron and its F-15C/D aircraft redistributed to other F-15 units pursuant to a 2005 BRAC decision.

The 726th Air Control Squadron assigned here gives an air picture to the aircraft as they train. This is a mobile radar unit that routinely deploys to various theaters to operate command and control functions. Structured as a Control and Reporting Center, able to accommodate Control and Reporting Post function. Air Weapons Controller personnel often deploy without home-system to support flying units in various scenarios and exercises throughout the U.S. and European theater. An active Air National Guard unit, the 266th Range Squadron, controls and maintains emitter sites within the 7,412-square-mile (19,200 km2) operational training range located in southern Idaho.[citation needed]

Additionally, the 390th Electronic Combat Squadron, located at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington, is assigned to the 366th Operations Group. The squadron, consisting of USAF flight crews flying U.S. Navy EA-6B Prowler and EA-18G Growler aircraft, is responsible for suppression of enemy air defenses in support of expeditionary aircraft and ground troops by disrupting enemy electronic activity and obtaining tactical electronic intelligence.[citation needed]

The wing was activated on 1 January 1953 as the 366th Fighter Bomber Wing at Alexandria Air Force Base, Louisiana. It replaced the Federalized Iowa Air National Guard 132d Fighter Bomber Wing which was being returned to state control after a twenty-one-month period of activation as a result of the Korean War. Initially using the former ANG F-51D Mustangs, the 366th received F-86F Sabres which were returned from Korea in the summer of 1953, then received new swept-wing F-84F Thunderstreaks in early 1954. On 18 March 1954, the KB-29 equipped 420th Air Refueling Squadron was attached to the Wing to provide air refueling for the Thunderstreaks. The B-29s were later replaced with KB-50 aerial tankers.[citation needed]

The Wing became first TAC unit to perform six-month TDY rotations with NATO at Aviano AB, Italy, with rotations continuing to both Italy and France for six-month stretches. As it did so, the wing also began converting to the F-84F Thunderstreak. The 366th Fighter Day Group was inactivated in September 1957 when parent wing adopted Tri-Deputate organization and assigned operational squadrons directly to the wing.[citation needed]

In late 1957, the wing began conversion to the F-100 Super Sabre to its inventory while continuing to operate the F-84. Redesignated 366th Tactical Fighter Wing 1 July 1958 as part of Air Force-Wide naming change. Inactivated 1 April 1959 as part of a general budgetary reduction of USAF wings. Aircraft transferred to Air National Guard.[citation needed]

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