102nd Intelligence Wing

102nd Intelligence Wing
A shield ringed in gold encases a view of the northeastern United States. Jets are visible against the background. 102d Intelligence Wing emblem
Active	1946–present
Country	United States
Allegiance	United States Air Force
Branch	Air National Guard/Air Combat Command
Type	Wing
Role	Ground-based distributed radar installation
Size	950 members Including:80 officers 745 enlisted personnel
Part of	Air National Guard/Air Combat Command
Garrison/HQ	Otis Air National Guard Base, Falmouth, Massachusetts
Nickname(s)	"Eagle Keepers" "Bear Chasers"
Motto(s)	"Omnis Vir Tigris" Everyone A Tiger
Equipment	Distributed Common Ground Systems Air Operations Center
Engagements	World War II Operation Noble Eagle
Decorations	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Personnel Center Awards Search (Post-1991)
Commanders
Commander	Colonel Anthony E. Schiavi
Vice Commander	Colonel Christina G. Stevens
Command Chief	Chief Master Sargeant Wayne M. Raymondo

The United States Air Force's 102nd Intelligence Wing (102 IW), of the Massachusetts Air National Guard, is a military intelligence unit located at Otis Air National Guard Base, Massachusetts. It is a parent unit of the 101st Air Operations Squadron. According to the Air Force, the history of the 102nd begins with the 318th Fighter Group, which was active during World War II. After the war, the 318th was deactivated and eventually the 102nd was formed with a direct lineage. In 1946, the 102nd was activated at Logan International Airport where it stayed until 1968, when it moved to Otis. In 1946, he 102nd was activated at Logan International Airport where it began regular patrols of the Northeastern United States, which ran in conjunction with the regular duty wings of the Air Force. In 1968, the 102nd was moved to Otis where it continued its regular patrols until 1973.

During the time that the wing had a flying mission, the wing deployed to many locations around the globe to assist in missions for the Air Force. In 1961, the wing deployed to France during the Berlin Crisis. Twenty eight years later, the wing deployed to Panama during Operation Coronet Nighthawk. It also participated in Operation Northern Watch, helping to patrol the No-Fly Zone north of the 36th parallel in Iraq. During the September 11th attacks, the 102nd Fighter Wing deployed the first Air Force aircraft toward New York City, but they arrived too late to stop the attacks.

Over the years, the wing has been the controller of many other Air National Guard units. Following the deactivation of the 67th Fighter Wing in November 1950, the wing was put in charge of a few fighter units on the Atlantic Coast. In 1976, the wing even became the head of the 147th Fighter Interceptor Group, which is located in Texas.

Military downsizing through the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process removed the wing's F-15C Eagles beginning in 2007, leaving the 102nd with an intelligence gathering mission which will become fully active in 2010. It is one of three Air National Guard wings that works with the Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency.

Mission

According to their home page, the 102ns mission, "is to provide world wide precision intelligence and command and control, along with trained and experienced airmen for expeditionary combat support and homeland security." In addition, the website says that their Air Force based mission is in line with the ability of joint force commanders to keep pace with information and incorporate it into a campaign plan.

Additionally, the mission of the 102nd ties into that of the Air National Guard's mission of maintaining well-trained and well-equipped units that will be available for immediate mobilization during war and will provide assistance during national emergencies such as natural disasters and civil disturbances.

Emblem

Description

A shield, the upper part blue, with one small aircraft gray with white trail; the center part, a portion of the globe showing the northeastern portion of the western hemisphere in green and light blue, across it the front part of a gray aircraft with white outline and cockpit, firing three black rockets, trails white, all headed toward upper right; in lower part, on a bank of white clouds detailed blue, two small black aircraft climbing vertically, all within a diminished border yellow. Attached below the shield is a white scroll edged with a narrow yellow border and inscribed “102D INTELLIGENCE WING” in blue letters.=

Symbolism

Ultramarine blue and Air Force yellow are the Air Force colors. Blue alludes to the sky, the primary theater of Air Force operations. Yellow refers to the sun and the excellence required of Air Force personnel. The planes, shown throughout the shield, represent the Wing’s rich heritage of projecting aerospace power in the support of national objectives. The land masses depict the Northeast United States from where the Wing will perform its primary missions. From the earliest days of providing observation missions, to the recent past of providing air defense and counter air missions, the unit has consistently excelled. The Wing is now an integral part of the joint team that helps dominate the air, space and cyberspace mediums, while providing vigilant global presence.

History

Origins

After the ending of the first World War, the Army showed an interest in creating an aviation element in the National Guard system. During the time when this was pondered, aircraft were attached to aviation units, much akin to other weapons like artillary. Guard units that lacked aircraft would need assets from other forces to co-operate with them. The War Department agreed The Guard should organize aviation squadrons as an organic part of the 18 infantry divisions assigned to the National Guard.

The War Department agreed The Guard should organize aviation squadrons as an organic part of the 18 infantry divisions assigned to the National Guard.

A Curtiss O-11 of the 101st

In Massachusetts, a club that was made up of former United States Army Air Corps pilots, the Archie Club, lobbied for the formation of an aviation unit in the Massachusetts National Guard. At some point, the state had been allocated the entire 26th Infantry Division. On June 27, 1921, the 101st Observation Squadron was authorized at the command of the Adjutant General of Massachusetts. Within weeks, fifteen World War I veteran pilots were commissioned into the squadron and placed under the command of Captain James K. Knowles. The 101st built its own air base on land-filled tidal flats at Jeffries Point, East Boston. The 101st flew its Curtiss JN-4 "Jenny" aircraft throughout New England at air shows, county fairs and other events. Pilots flew their Curtiss O-11s to temporary fields on Cape Cod while ground crews followed in trucks. One of these fields was Cape Cod Airport, where Douglas O-38s were flown.

In 1933 Jeffery Field was rebuilt with new hangars and administrative buildings, and renamed Logan Airport in honor of Major General Edward L. Logan, who commanded the 26th Division from 1923 to 1928. The 101st was also ordered into state service because of a flood and hurricane, during 1936 and 1938 respectively. During the latter, they flew observation missions to drop equipment and food to stranded residents of Isle au Haut, Maine. The 101st gained attention when it played a part in the United States Army Air Service's flight around the world. The flight was the crowning achievement in United States aviation because it succeeded where five other nations had failed. The 101st serviced the aircraft at Boston which was on the flight leg from Canada to Washington D.C.. It also serviced the Spirit of St. Louis when Charles Lindbergh visited the state.

World War II

101st Squadron

An O-47 observation aircraft

In 1940, the 101st was separated from the 26th Infantry Division and in November was ordered into active federal service for intensive training. The 101st’s 25 officers and 133 enlisted men initially remained at Logan until July 31, 1941 when moving to Otis Field at Camp Edwards. Otis Field was named after 1st Lt Frank J. Otis, Jr., MD, a 101st flight surgeon killed in a flying accident in 1938. The 101st participated in the North Carolina maneuvers in the fall of 1941 and returned to Otis on December 6, 1941.

A bomber is seen on the ground

A B-25 Mitchell used on patrols

Following the outbreak of World War II, the 101st flew anti-submarine patrols off the New England coast until September 10, 1942. By then, many of its original members had been reassigned during the expansion of the Army Air Forces. During the next two years, the 101st was transferred to several bases and on May 20, 1944 had its mission re-designated as the 39th Photo Reconnaissance Squadron. It joined the Ninth Air Force and deployed to the European Theater in December 1944 with 45 officers and 297 enlisted men. The 39th flew P-38 Lightnings and P-51 Mustangs during operational missions from January 1945 to the end of the war in May. The 39th returned to the United States in August 1945, was re-designated 101st Fighter Squadron in May 1946, and then disbanded two months later.

Veterans of the 101st and Army Air Force reorganized the 101st at Logan Airport on July 29, 1946. The squadron was equipped with the P-47 Thunderbolt and was federally recognized on October 15, 1946. This meant that they had met all the requirements to be a unit and has been recognized by the military establishment as a part of the force.

318th Fighter Group

The 102nd Intelligence Wing traces its roots to the 318th Fighter Group which was formed in 1942. It fought in the Pacific as part of bomber escort missions to Japan, and participated in aircraft carrier operations, rarely experienced by the Army Air Force. The 318th returned to the United States after the war, was deactivated on January 12, 1946 and then reactivated as the 102nd Fighter Group on May 22, 1946.

Cold War

Jets lined up on a concrete ramp with buildings seen in the background

Planes lined up on the ramp at night at Logan

In the post-war era the National Guard Bureau began a major expansion of its air units. Massachusetts was allotted the 67th Fighter Wing, which consisted of the 101st Fighter Squadron, the 131st Fighter Squadron, the 132nd Fighter Squadron, the 202nd Air Service Group, 601st Signal Construction Company, 101st Communications Squadron, 101st Air Control Squadron, 151st Air Control and Warning Group, 567th Air Force Band, 101st Weather Flight and the 1801st Aviation Engineer Company. The 67th Wing was assigned to Air Defense Command. In 1950, the 67th Fighter Wing was deactivated and the 102nd Fighter Group took its place. When the 102nd took command, it lost every unit except the 101st Fighter Squadron, the 131st, the 567th, and the 1801st.

Guard units were generally neglected when the United States Air Force was created. Despite the introduction of jet fighters, the Guard units were left with generally overused World War II propeller aircraft, and had few funds for training. As the Cold War intensified, the Air Force looked to the Guard to fill United States-based interception missions and started overhauling their organization. On November 1, 1950 the 67th Fighter Wing was deactivated and replaced by the 102nd Fighter Wing, including just the 101st and 131st squadrons and their associated support units, and at some point before 1961 the wing was renamed a Tactical Fighter Wing. The squadrons were issued F-84B Thunderjets, but these were recalled and replaced by F-51 Mustangs which were flown until 1954 when the F-94 Starfire replaced the Mustangs. In 1952 the 253rd Combat Communications Group was activated and added to the 102nd. In 1958 the Wing converted to the F-86H Sabre.

From 1956 to 1976, the 102nd was commanded by Brigadier General Charles W. Sweeney, pilot of the B-29 Superfortress that dropped the Fat Man nuclear bomb on Nagasaki, Japan. During his tenure the wing developed from a rather new unit to the mainstay of air defense in the Northeastern United States.

Berlin Wall Crisis

North American YF-86H-5-NA Sabre Serial 52-2116 of the 138th Tactical Fighter Squadron/102d Tactical Fighter Wing deployed at Phalsbourg — 1962. Originally manufactured as a pre-production F-86H, this aircraft was modified to production specifications before seeing operational service.

On August 16, 1961, when the Berlin Wall crisis was unfolding, several United States Air Force Reserve units were notified of their pending recall to active duty. On October 1 the Massachusetts Air National Guard's 102nd Tactical Fighter Wing and its three squadrons, the 101st, 131st and 138th assumed active duty at Otis Air Force Base.

In late October the 102nd departed Logan for Phalsbourg-Bourscheid Air Base, Phalsbourg, France. The wing had 82 Sabres, plus two C-47 Skytrains and six T-33 Shooting Stars for support and training purposes. During the crisis, the wing controlled the 102nd Tactical Fighter Group, the 104th Tactical Fighter Group, and the 174th Tactical Fighter Group from New York. The 102nd's primary mission was to provide close air support to NATO ground forces, including the Seventh Army, and air interdiction. During the blockade, the 102nd did not incur any losses. Starting on December 5, 1961 the 102nd began deploying to Wheelus Air Base, Libya for gunnery training.

During its time in Europe, the 102nd participated in several United States Air Force and North Atlantic Treaty Organization exercises, including a deployment to Leck Air Base, West Germany near the Danish border. At Leck, ground and support crews from both countries exchanged duties, learning how to perform aircraft maintenance and operational support tasks.

The 102nd deployed back to the United States in August 1962. Regular Air Force personnel and a group of Air National Guard personnel who volunteered to remain on active duty formed the 480th Tactical Fighter Squadron of the newly activated 366th Tactical Fighter Wing.

Relocation to Otis

A jet aircraft intercepts a Soviet bomber

F-15 of the 102nd intercepting a Tu-95

In 1968, the 102nd Tactical Fighter Wing moved to Otis Air Force Base, and was reassigned from Air Defense Command to Tactical Air Command the next year. The wing flew the F-84F Thunderstreak from 1964 until June 1971, when a squadron of F-100D Super Sabres was transferred directly from units fighting the Vietnam War. These were superseded soon after by the Mach 2 F-106 Delta Darts and on June 10, 1972, the unit became the 102nd Air Defense Wing. On December 30, 1973, Otis Air Force Base was inactivated and transferred to the Massachusetts Air National Guard as Otis Air National Guard Base.

The wing intercepted Soviet Tupolev Tu-95 Bear bombers on many occasions, the first of which occurred off Long Island on April 25, 1975. Many of these incidents involved escorting the Bears to Cuba. The wing occasionally shadowed drug smuggling aircraft, and on one occasion was scrambled to escort an unidentified object, which later turned out to be a weather balloon.

In 1976, the 102nd Fighter Interceptor Group was deactivated and re-formed as the 102nd Fighter Interceptor Wing. It assumed authority for the 177th Fighter Interceptor Group in Atlantic City Air National Guard Base and the 125th Fighter Interceptor Group at Jacksonville Air National Guard Base. Both units flew the F-106. It also assumed command of the 107th Fighter Interceptor Group at Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station and the 147th Fighter Interceptor Group at Ellington Field, Texas the latter two flying the F-4C Phantom.

F-15 from the 49th Fighter Wing that was transferred to the 102nd

The 102nd Fighter Interceptor Wing deactivated its F-106s on January 5, 1988. Between January and April 1988, the wing converted to the F-15A Eagle, which it received from a unit deactivating at Minot Air Force Base. It then resumed its alert commitment at Otis, and also established a new Detachment 1 at Loring Air Force Base, taking over for the deactivating 5th Fighter Inteceptor Squadron. The 102nd was the first Air National Guard unit to be equipped with the F-15.

On January 24, 1989, airmen monitoring the radar at the Northeast Air Defense Sector at Griffiss Air Force Base spotted a plane which was not following any known flight plan. The order was then given to "scramble the Eagles," after repeated attempts to contact the pilot failed. Two jets then took off from Loring to search for the "unknown rider." The pilots later came across a plane that was blacked out, with no lights on on the inside or outside. The pilot, a narcotics smuggler from Colombia's Medellin drug cartel, was Diego Jose Ganuza. He was carrying had a street value of two hundred million dollars in the amount of 500 kilograms of cocaine.

Post-Cold War

Local defense

F-15's From Otis

The wing continued its air defense mission after the fall of the Soviet Union. In 1992, the wing deployed eight pilots, five F-15 Eagles, and 48 maintenance and security personnel, for five days training at Canadian Forces Base Goose Bay, Labrador, Canada. The same year, with the reorganization of the Air Force, the wing was reassigned from the disbanding Tactical Air Command to the new Air Combat Command. In July 1993, the wing deployed 50 personnel from the 102nd Civil Engineering Squadron under field conditions, to the island of Eleuthera in the Bahamas. They helped rebuild schools and municipal facilities damaged by Hurricane Andrew.

On February 11, 1993, jets were scrambled to intercept the hijacked Lufthansa Flight 592, which eventually landed at John F. Kennedy International Airport without incident. The planes were joined by F-16s from the 177th Fighter Wing in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The F-15s initially intercepted the aircraft off the coast of eastern Canada, trailing at a distance of 10-mile (16 km), which decreased to 5-mile (8.0 km) as the plane got closer to the airport. The fighters then did a low fly-by as the plane landed. They continued to circle around the airport until they returned back to Otis.

In 1994, the 102nd received planes from the 32nd Fighter Group at Soesterberg Air Base.

Deployments

Between 1991 and 1995 the wing deployed to Panama as part of Operation Coronet Nighthawk, a drug interdiction operation. In 1992 the wing became simply the 102nd Fighter Wing as part of a Air Force-wide renaming of units. From 1995 to 1998 the wing deployed to Iceland for 45 days of air defense duty. During 1998 members both trained for and carried out assignments in Iceland, Canada, Korea, and Europe. In 1999 the wing participated in Operation Northern Watch when it deployed with its F-15s to Turkey to patrol and enforce the no-fly zone north of the 36th Parallel in northern Iraq. The wing again deployed more than 350 personnel to the Middle East and Europe in 2000 to participate in Operation Southern Watch.

9/11 terrorist attacks

See also: U.S. military response during the September 11, 2001 attacks § Flight 11; and U.S. military response during the September 11, 2001 attacks § Flight 175

A shield ringed in red encases a view of the Northeastern United States. Jets are visible against the background. The wing's motto is shown around the shield.

Alternate emblem of the 102d

Around 8:30 on the morning of September 11, 2001, the Otis Air Base operations center received a call from the Federal Aviation Administration's Cape Cod Facility Calls Operations Center that it might be receiving a call from the North American Aerospace Defense Command's Northeast Air Defense Sector. The manager of the Cape Cod facility then called the 102nd at Otis Air National Guard Base as the they figured "...a call [to Otis Air Base] will be coming from NEADS soon and a scramble order is likely." He called the base because he figured that the pilots would appreciate the heads up. When he called the Otis operations center, the superintendent of aviation management Mark Rose answered. He was initially confused by the call as no identification was given. Lieutenant Colonel Timothy Duffy was then handed the phone and alerted of the situation. On his radio, he called Major Daniel Nash, who was the other alert pilot who was on duty and told him to get ready for the alert call. They then got suited up and headed out to their jets.

Soon after, the commander of the 101st Fighter Squadron phoned the Northeast Air Defense Sector and asked for permission to launch the fighter jets. The Northeast Air Defense Sector responded by ordering Major Kevin Nasypany, the commander of the Weapons team which controlled the fighters, to put the jets on "battle stations." This resulted in a warning siren sounding at Otis and the pilots scrambled to their jets. Four to five minutes later, the scramble order was received and the jets took off. Officially, this occurred at 8:46 am, with a six minute difference between the official and unofficial accounts. Duffy radioed his command post for guidance and was told among other things that Flight 11 was a Boeing 737, when in reality it was a 767. Once in the air, their radar kicked in, allowing them to effectively intercept the plane.

Difficulties in accurately locating Flight 11 caused a delay of five minutes, to 8:43 am, before the scramble order was given and pilots Duffy and Nash could respond. When Flight 11 hit the North Tower at 8:46, the two jets were still readying for flight and did not take off until 8:52 am.

F-15 over New York City after 9/11

Major Naspany was then asked what to do with the fighters and he responded by saying, "Send 'em to New York City still. Continue! Go! This is what I got. Possible news that a 737 just hit the World Trade Center. This is a real-world...Continue taking the fighters down to the New York City area, JFK [International Airport] area, if you can. Make sure that the FAA clears it—your route all the way through...Let's press with this." Unsure of their target, they were directed to a holding pattern in military-controlled airspace Whiskey 105 off Long Island to avoid New York area air traffic. At 9:03 am, Flight 175 hit the South Tower as the fighters were progressing to their holding position. The Northeast Air Defense Sector was not advised of this hijacked aircraft until 9:03. From 9:09 to 9:13 the F-15s stayed in the holding pattern until heading for Manhattan where they arrived at 9.25 to establish a Combat Air Patrol (CAP) over the area.

Meanwhile at Otis, the senior battle staff were watching the news when they saw Flight 175 hit the South Tower. One commander immediately shouted out, "We need to go to battle staff!" The senior commanders then dispersed and headed toward the adjacent operations building, where they reconvened in the battle cab of the installation operations center. A voice sounds out over the base’s loudspeakers: "The commander has ordered the 102nd core battle staff to assemble. Please report to the operations building immediately." Eventually the officers began to mobilize the wing. At the time, 18 planes were available for flight. Commanders began to start anticipating what they would be called upon to do and began to prepare. Since there had never been an attack on the country, they were mostly guessing on what would happen. They also knew that they could not await for guidance from North American Aerospace Defense Command. They immediately recalled all the wing's training flights and began loading fuel and weapons onto all the available fighter jets.

The maintenance squadron officer was told by an officer at the base's battle cab, "Listen, I want you to generate as many airframes [i.e. fighter jets] as you can!" Immediately, all personnel were recalled and ordered to work on the available jets. Some planes had newer missiles put on, some which were rarely pulled out. Six planes which were away on a training mission were going through the Whiskey airspace when they were told by both Boston Center and the base to get back immediately. The jets then arrived back safely and were told to immediately park their jets on the flightline and keep the engines on. The first planes took off at 10:20 am in the morning.

Eventually, Otis received the order to launch all available fighters. The pilots were told that there is a national emergency and that they might have to take out an aircraft. Someone then ran into the briefing room and told others that an order had been received from the Northeast Air Defense Sector that all available jets must launch. Speaker Treacey then told the pilots, "Go, go, go!" and then the pilots ran out to their aircraft. Unfortunately, there was not enough time for the jets to be refueled and most of the fighters were still unarmed. Only a handful of the jets were loaded with weapons. The first two jets later that morning that were scrambled were unarmed. Even though the arming of the planes began fifteen minutes after the South Tower was hit, the task of the weapons handlers was still uncompleted. Reportedly, the handlers worked at a "furious pace" and "hurried to fix all available jets with live weapons." Some planes were even sent up with one missile, instead of the standard two. This lends credence to the fact that the country thought of ramming any hijacked planes. The planes then took off in pairs around 10:30 am, with all 21 planes being launched by 6:00 pm.

Conspiracy link

See also: 9/11 Conspiracy theories § Foreknowledge

After the initial shock of the attacks had passed, questions arose about how the military handled the hijacking and subsequent response with the jets. Some thought that the jets had been purposely kept from flying immediately to New York City. The questions arising from the response time of the jets come from the practice of Cold War era policies which prohibited the immediate response to an emergency like a hijacking. First responder and pilot Daniel Nash said that he could not recall being told that the North Tower was hit but he did remember seeing the smoke over 70-mile (110 km) away. It is also claimed by conspiracists that the calculations of North American Aerospace Defense Command were incorrect because according to their own calculations, the planes were flying at 24% of their maximum speed. This statement takes into account the time in which the planes were in a holding pattern over military airspace. The jets were also prohibited from going supersonic over land by Federal Aviation Administration rules. These rules are meant to prevent damage to buildings from the shock wave a sonic boom produces.

Global War on Terror

Operation Noble Eagle

An F-15C from the 102nd Fighter Wing prepares to fire upon an aerial drone over the Gulf of Mexico in 2005

More than 600 wing members were mobilized for Operation Noble Eagle at different times. The wing began flying around-the-clock combat air patrols missions immediately thereafter, and continued doing so until February 2002. On December 22, 2001 the wing escorted America Airlines Flight 63 as a direct result of Richard Reid trying to blow up a plane.

In the buildup to the invasion of Afghanistan, six F-15s and 161 personnel were sent to the Persian Gulf region. The wing also patrolled the skies of the Northeastern United States during this time period. The wing though never deployed for Operation Iraqi Freedom. The wing converted from the F-15A/B to the F-15C/D in 2004. These planes came from Kadena Air Base.

BRAC 2005

Emblem of the 102d before it changed to its new mission

The Base Realignment and Closure 2005 commission originally planned to close Otis Air National Guard Base and dissolve the 102nd. Locals argued that this would leave a huge gap in the national air defenses. Commission officials, after visiting the base, decided to keep it open, but the 102nd would still lose its planes, only this time they were only going to the 104th Fighter Wing, based at Barnes Municipal Airport.

The wing hosted the Cape Cod Air Show & Open House, its last air show with the F-15C Eagle at the end of Air Force Week in August, 2007. The wing shared a commonality with the 101st Air Refueling Wing, the 103d Fighter Wing, and the 104th Fighter Wing, which due to commission decisions, also changed the type of planes that they flew. Beginning in 2007, the F-15s began moving to Barnes Municipal Airport. With the grounding of the F-15 Eagles, the 158th Fighter Wing, which is based in Vermont took over the role of patrolling the Northeast's skies earlier than expected. This interruption of the F-15's flight, coinciding with the transitioning of the fighter jets to the 104th Fighter Wing, created some issues. The move was originally scheduled to be completed at the end of January, but the grounding of the F-15's in late 2007 and early 2008 delayed this move to the end of February.

F-15 From 101st Fighter Squadron during the 2007 Cape Cod Air Show

On January 24, 2008, the 102d Fighter Wing flew its last patrol mission. The unit's wing commander, Colonel Anthony Schiavi, led the flight, accompanied by Major Daniel Nash, who was one of the first responders for 9/11. Fire trucks were on hand when the team landed a half-hour later, giving the planes and the pilots the customary ceremonial hose-down for the last time.

New mission

When it was announced that the wing would be restructured and Otis Air National Guard Base would remain open, discussions began about the future of the 102nd. Staff of the 102nd and those at Massachusetts Air National Guard headquarters considered a plan centered around the idea that the wing could transition to an intelligence mission to support the growing War on Terror. The idea hit a roadblock when it was announced that the funds which the wing could use to convert into its new mission had been depleted.

Eventually, Governor Deval Patrick announced that the wing would adopt an intelligence role as soon as the aircraft left. Original Base Realignment and Closure commission plans only hinted at a Distributed Common Ground Station being created at Otis. These plans did not include the air guardsmen affected by the loss of their jobs. The issue was resolved when the Air Force announced its plans, right before the F-15s started to leave for Barnes.

The 102nd Fighter Wing was formally re-designated 102nd Intelligence Wing on April 6, 2008 and was planned to reach full operational capacity in 2010.

Members of the wing had the option of moving with the F-15s to Barnes, but most decided to stay behind and train for new missions. The crash trucks went to Barnes, leaving the brush breakers of the Massachusetts Military Reservation behind. The buildings formerly occupied by the fighter wing, including the hangars, will be occupied by the intelligence mission.

On November 6, 2009, ground was broken on new facilities for the 102nd Intelligence Wing. The building will eventually replace the temporary facilities that the wing is now operating in.

Units assigned

Current

F-106A intercepting Soviet Tu-95 Bear D bomber aircraft off Cape Cod on 15 April 1982

102nd Intelligence Wing	Colonel Anthony Schiavi
102nd Intelligence Group	102nd Air Operations Group	102nd Mission Support Group	102nd Medical Group
101st Intelligence Squadron	101st Air Operations Squadron	102nd Force Support Squadron
102nd Intelligence Support Squadron	102nd Air Intelligence Squadron	102nd Security Forces Squadron
102nd Operations Support Squadron	102nd Air Communication Squadron	102nd Civil Engineer Squadron
	202nd Weather Flight	102nd Communications Flight
		102nd Contracting Office
		102nd Environmental Management Office
		102nd Logistics Readiness Squadron

Former

F-106A intercepting a Tu-95 Bear over Nova Scotia. This F-106 later crashed in 1983.

102nd Fighter Wing	Colonel Anthony Schiavi
102nd Operations Group	102nd Maintenance Group	102nd Mission Support Group	102nd Medical Group
101st Fighter Squadron	102nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron	102nd Civil Engineering Squadron	102nd Medical Squadron
102nd Operations Support Flight	102nd Maintenance Squadron	102nd Communications Squadron
202nd Weather Flight	102nd Maintenance Operations Flight	102nd Security Forces Squadron
		102nd Mission Support Flight
		102nd Student Pilot Flight
		102nd Services Flight

References

• World Airpower Journal. (1992). US Air Force Air Power Directory. Aerospace Publishing: London, UK. ISBN 1-880588-01-3
• Rogers, B. (2006). United States Air Force Unit Designations Since 1978. Midland. ISBN 1-85780-197-0

External links

• 102nd Intelligence Wing
• 102nd Fighter Wing Image Results