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178th Wing | |
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Active | 1962-present |
Country | United States |
Allegiance | Ohio |
Branch | Air National Guard |
Role | Intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and operations support |
Part of | Ohio Air National Guard |
Garrison/HQ | Springfield Air National Guard Base, Ohio |
Commanders | |
Current commander | Colonel Kimberly A. Fitzgerald |
Insignia | |
178th Wing emblem |
The 178th Wing is a unit of the Ohio Air National Guard, stationed at the Springfield-Beckley Municipal Airport ANG complex, Springfield, Ohio. If activated to federal service, the wing is gained by the United States Air Force (USAF) Air Combat Command (ACC), with elements of the wing gained by the Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency (AFISRA).
The 178th Wing transitioned from a Fighter Wing to an Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing. It supports MQ-1B Predator Unmanned Aerial Systems combat support sorties, which provide theater and national-level leadership with critical real-time intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance and air-to-ground munitions and strike capability. Also, the Air Support Operations Squadron provides terminal control for weapons employment in a close air support scenario integrating combat air and ground operations.
The Wing is under the control of the Air Combat Command. Pilots that are based in Springfield are able to fly MQ-1s on the other side of the world in Iraq or Afghanistan. The second component is under Administrative Control[1] of the Ohio Air National Guard while Operationally Controlled[1] by AFISRA Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency and Directly supporting National Air and Space Intelligence Center, (NASIC).