110th Attack Wing

110th Attack Wing
The 110th Attack Wing, which formerly operated manned aircraft, now hosts an operations center for the MQ-1 Predator (shown above) and the MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicles.
Active	1 September 1956–present
Country	United States
Allegiance	Michigan
Branch	Air National Guard
Type	Wing
Part of	Michigan Air National Guard
Garrison/HQ	Kellogg Air National Guard Base, Battle Creek, Michigan
Tail Code	Blue tail stripe, "Michigan" in yellow letters
Insignia
110th Airlift Wing emblem	125px

The 110th Attack Wing (110th ATKW) is a unit of the Michigan Air National Guard, stationed at Kellogg Air National Guard Base, Battle Creek, Michigan. If activated to federal service the Wing would be gained by the United States Air Force Air Combat Command.

Overview

The main operations unit of the wing is the 110th Air Operations Group, a remote-split operations center for MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper operations for Third Air Force. The aircraft and a contingent of maintainers are deployed forward, along with some pilots to handle takeoffs and landings, but the majority of the pilots remains stateside and operates the aircraft via satellite communications links.

Units

• 110th Operations Group
  • 172nd Air Support Squadron
• 110th Air Operations Group
• 110th Maintenance Group
• 110th Mission Support Group
• 110th Medical Group

History

In 1956 the 172d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (FIS) of the Michigan Air National Guard was authorized to expand to a group level, and the United States Air Force constituted the 110th Fighter Group (Air Defense) and associated support units and allotted them to the Air National Guard for activation. The 172d FIS became the group's flying squadron. Other squadrons assigned into the group were the 110th Material Squadron, 110th Air Base Squadron, and the 110th USAF Dispensary.

In 1957, the 172d FIS received a new aircraft, the RB-57 Canberra, and a new mission – tactical reconnaissance. The resulting reorganization cost the 110th Fighter Group 40 percent of its manpower and its name – the group was inactivated and the 172d, now the 172d Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, once again became Battle Creek's primary Air National Guard unit. The activation of a non-flying squadron, the 127th Reconnaissance Technical Squadron, helped prevent the loss of additional Guard members.

In 1962, the 110th Tactical Reconnaissance Group and support organizations were reactivated with Major Howard Strand serving as its commander. Major Strand departed in January 1965 to become deputy commander of the 127th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing at Selfridge AFB, Michigan. He returned again in 1974 to lead the 110th until 1981.

The 172d flew Canberras until 1971, when it undertook the radical and unexpected transformation from the RB-57 jets to the smaller, prop-powered Cessna O-2 Skymaster. On 11 June 1971, the 110th Tactical Reconnaissance Group became the 110th Tactical Air Support Group. In 1980, the 110th saw a return to jet power when it reequipped with OA-37 Dragonfly.

In 1991 the 110th Tactical Air Support Group transitioned from the Dragonfly to the OA-10 Thunderbolt II, and was redesignated the 110th Fighter Group. In June 1995 the 110th Fighter Group became the 110th Fighter Wing.

In 1997 the wing took part in Operation Deny Flight. The 110th Fighter Wing served in both Iraq and Afghanistan, supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.

In May 1999 the 110th Fighter Wing was deployed to Trapani Italy in support of Operation Noble Anvil, the air operations over Kosovo.

The 110th Fighter Wing underwent a major transition moving from the A-10 aircraft to the Learjet C-21A aircraft in 2008. The C-21, which arrived in October 2008, is a twin turbofan engine passenger aircraft, the military version of the Lear Jet 35A. With a crew of two, it can accommodate eight passengers and 42 cubic feet (1,200 L) of cargo. For aero medical evacuations, it can carry one little litter or five ambulatory patients plus one flight nurse and two medical technicians. The 110th Fighter Wing was redesignated as the 110th Airlift Wing with no change in station. It changed from an Air Combat Command unit to an Air Mobility Command unit on 1 December 2009.

The base also witnessed the creation of a new unit, the 217th Air Operations Group (AOG) on 1 April 2009. The 217th AOG is an organization supporting the 17th Air Force (AFAFRICA). The 217th AOG has four squadrons that include intelligence, communications, operations and Air Force Forces planning in a largely self-contained package.

On 13 December 2014, in a ceremony presided by Gov. Rick Snyder, the wing was redesignated as the 110th Attack Wing.

Lineage

• Constituted as the 110th Fighter Group and allotted to the Air National Guard ca. 15 April 1956

Extended federal recognition and activated, 1 September 1956

Inactivated on 30 June 1957

• Redesignated 110th Tactical Reconnaissance Group

Activated on 1 October 1962

Redesignated 110th Tactical Air Support Group, 1 July 1971

Redesignated 110th Fighter Group, 16 October 1991

Redesignated 110th Fighter Wing, 1 October 1995

Redesignated 110th Airlift Wing, 1 March 2009

Redesignated 110th Attack Wing, 13 December 2014

Assignments

• Michigan Air National Guard, 1 September 1956 – 30 June 1957

Gained by: Air Defense Command

• Michigan Air National Guard, 1 October 1962 – Present

Gained by: Tactical Air Command, 1 October 1962

Gained by: Air Combat Command, 1 June 1992

Gained by: Air Mobility Command, 1 March 2009

Gained by: Air Combat Command, 1 October 2013

Components

Groups

• 110th Operations Group, 1 June 1992 – Present
• 110th Logistics Group (later 110th Maintenance Group), 1 October 1995 – 30 September 2013
• 110th Medical Group, 15 October 1962 – Present
• 110th Support Group (later 110th Mission Support Group), 1 October 1995 – Present
• 217th Air Operations Group, 1 April 2009 – Present

Operational Squadron

• 172d Airlift Squadron, 1 September 1956 – 30 June 1957; 1 October 1962 – Present

Stations

• W. K. Kellogg Airport, Michigan, 1 September 1956 – 30 June 1957; 1 October 1962–

Designated: Kellogg Air National Guard Base, Michigan, 1991–Present

Aircraft

• MQ-9 Reaper (2013–Present)
• C-21A Learjet (2009–2013)
• A-10A Thunderbolt II (1991–2009)
• OA-10A Thunderbolt II (1991–2009)
• OA-37B Dragonfly (1981–1991)

• O-2A Skymaster (1971–1981)
• RB-57 Canberra (1962–1971)
• F-89C Scorpion (1956–1957)

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.

• 110th Airlift Wing history webpage
• 110th Airlift Wing@globalsecurity.org
• Rogers, B. (2006). United States Air Force Unit Designations Since 1978. ISBN 1-85780-197-0