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Twelfth Air Force gains three wings under Nuclear Enterprise Transformation

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Eric Petosky
  • 12th Air Force (Air Forces Southern) Public Affairs
As part of the ongoing Nuclear Enterprise Transformation, 12th Air Force (Air Forces Southern) gained the 9th Reconnaissance Wing at Beale AFB, the 55th Wing at Offutt AFB and the 552nd Air Control Wing at Tinker AFB Oct. 1.

This is the last realignment of non-bomber units from 8th Air Force to other Numbered Air Forces in an ongoing process to transfer 8th Air Force from Air Combat Command to Global Strike Command in 2010.

Ten active-duty wings now fall under 12th AF (AFSOUTH). The units gained will provide Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance, Command and Control, Battle Management and Cyberspace Operations capabilities. Twelfth Air Force now commands 10 active-duty wings and one direct reporting unit. These subordinate commands operate more than 520 combat aircraft with more than 42,000 uniformed and civilian Airmen. Additionally, Twelfth Air Force is also responsible for the operational readiness of 13 Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard wings. These units include more than 220 aircraft and 18,900 Total Force Airmen.

9th Reconnaissance Wing

The 9th Reconnaissance Wing provides high-quality, high-altitude reconnaissance products. To accomplish this mission, the wing is equipped with the nation's fleet of U-2 and RQ-4 reconnaissance aircraft and associated support equipment. The 9th Reconnaissance Wing is composed of more than 3,000 personnel in four groups at Beale Air Force Base, Calif. and multiple overseas operating locations.

55th Wing

Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., is home of the 55th Wing, the "Fightin' Fifty-Fifth," and a variety of tenant units. The 55th Wing's mission is to provide dominant intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance; electronic attack; command and control; and precision awareness to national leadership and warfighters across the spectrum of conflict any time, any place. One of the wing's units, the 55th Operations Group, operates 46 aircraft, including 13 models of seven different types. Offutt's diverse missions and global responsibilities put it on the cutting edge of the Air Force's transformation. Each branch of the US military is represented among the approximately 10,000 military and federal employees assigned there.

552nd Air Control Wing

The 552d Air Control Wing is responsible for the operations, maintenance, logistics, training, and combat support of E-3 Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) and Control and Reporting Centers (CRCs). The wing provides combat-ready theater battle management forces and mobile command control, and communications radar element at the direction of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. It deploys, operates and supports these forces worldwide ensuring combat capability for all peacetime and contingency operations.