50th Wing | |
---|---|
Active | 1 June 1949 (as 50th Fighter Wing)–24 July 2020[1] |
Country | United States |
Branch | United States Air Force |
Type | Wing |
Motto(s) | "Master of the Air" |
Engagements | Defense of Saudi Arabia Liberation and Defense of Kuwait Operation Enduring Freedom Operation Iraqi Freedom Operation New Dawn Operation Noble Eagle Operation Inherent Resolve[2] |
Decorations | Distinguished Unit Citation Air Force Outstanding Unit Award[3] |
The 50th Wing is an inactive United States Air Force wing.
It was activated in 1949 as the 50th Fighter Wing, serving as a reserve air defense unit, and was redesignated as the 50th Fighter-Interceptor Wing in 1950, before being inactivated in 1951. It was reactivated in 1953 as the 50th Fighter-Bomber Wing, deploying to Europe to join NATO forces, and was redesignated as the 50th Tactical Fighter Wing in 1958. The wing operated for almost 40 years at Hahn Air Base in West Germany. In 1981 it became the first USAF overseas formation to operate the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon jet. It deployed for the Persian Gulf War of 1991, before being inactivated later that year. It was activated as a space wing on 30 January 1992, replacing the 2nd Space Wing. The 50th Space Wing was inactivated on 24 July 2020 and replaced by the Peterson-Schriever Garrison, with the 50th Network Operations Group and its cyber and satellite control network units forming Space Delta 6, the 50th Operations Group and its satellite communications units forming Space Delta 8, and the 750th Operations Group and its orbital warfare units forming Space Delta 9.