53rd Weapons Evaluation Group

The 53rd Weapons Evaluation Group is made up of five squadrons and two detachments and conducts the Air Force's air-to-air weapon system evaluation program, known as Combat Archer, and the Air Force's air-to-ground weapon system evaluation program, known as Combat Hammer. It also supports weapons instructor air-to-air training. Unit personnel provide all Air Force aerial target support for United States Department of Defense (DoD) users in the Gulf Ranges and targets for testing at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. The group also plans, manages and executes the United States Air Force (USAF) air-to-air Weapons Meet, William Tell. ==Units==

• 53rd Test Support Squadron. The 53rd is responsible for technical and staff functions to support USAF's air-to-air and air-to-ground operational test programs, including the weapon system evaluation program and other DoD weapons tests. It also provides technical, engineering, acquisition, logistics, data automation (local area network, system configuration control) and strategic planning support for the group. It manages programs for all Gulf Range air-to-air systems, range control systems, aerial target systems and payloads, missile scoring and data analysis telemetry, and communications systems. It is also the primary manager for the USAF air-to-air weapons meet, William Tell. • 81st Air Control Squadron. Air Combat Command's only radar control squadron tasked to support live-fire testing and evaluation of air-to-air weapons against targets designed to represent anticipated threats. Using the call sign "Wetstone", it provides technical and ground-controlled interception support to Air Force's air-to-air operational test and evaluation programs including the weapon system evaluation program and other DoD weapons tests. It provides range control and flight safety monitoring for more than 330 live missile firings and 3,000 combat training and test sorties annually. The squadron is responsible for the daily operation of the range control system, and directs acquisition, logistics and budgeting for range control system modernization. • 82nd Aerial Targets Squadron. The 82nd operates DoD's only full-scale aerial target program, maintaining 50 modified QF-16 drone aircraft for this purpose. It also provides Composite Materials BQM-167 Streaker subscale aerial targets at Tyndall Air Force Base. These full-scale and subscale targets are provided to USAF, Navy, and Army customers for developmental and operational tests. The squadron also provides target support for the USAF weapon evaluation program, the USAF weapons instructor course, and William Tell. The squadron maintains three 120-foot drone recovery vessels and two smaller patrol vessels to recover aerial targets and support range safety and salvage operations. Squadron members also operate the Air Force's only two DeHavilland E-9A Widget airborne surveillance and telemetry relay aircraft. These aircraft provide ocean surface surveillance and relay missile and target telemetry for over-the-horizon coverage of the Gulf Range and also support over-land telemetry missions for the weapons system evaluation program at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, and the Utah Test and Training Range near Hill Air Force Base. The squadron is a mix of contract personnel and military personnel. The squadron's Detachment 1 at Holloman operates and maintains some QF-4s for use on the White Sands Missile Range. In addition to Air Force programs, the detachment also supports Army surface-to-air missile programs and foreign military customers. • 83rd Fighter Weapons Squadron. The 83rd conducts the Air Force air-to-air weapon system evaluation program. It evaluates the total weapons system including aircraft, weapon delivery system, weapon, aircrew, support equipment, technical data and maintenance. The squadron hosts 38 weapon evaluation program deployments annually at Tyndall. It evaluates all Air Force air-to-air capabilities for the AIM-120 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile, the AIM-9 Sidewinder missile and aircraft guns, and also provides live missile training for combat USAF crews as a secondary objective. Squadron personnel verify weapon system performance, determine reliability, evaluate capability and limitations, identify deficiencies, recommend corrective action, and maintain data. The squadron investigates missile envelopes and evaluates capabilities and limitations to determine future firing requirements. They provide liaison support for forces participating in weapon system evaluation program, William Tell and WIC missile firing programs. • 86th Fighter Weapons Squadron. The 86th conducts the Air Force air-to-ground weapon system evaluation program. It evaluates air-to-ground precision guided munitions including weapon buildup, weapon loading, aircraft, aircrew employment procedures, support equipment, technical data and maintenance actions. The squadron hosts active duty and Air National Guard weapon system evaluation program deployments at Eglin Air Force Base and Hill Air Force Base. The annual launching of 450-plus precision guided munitions evaluates the Air Force's air-to-ground precision capabilities and also provides full-scale precision guided munition employment training for combat Air Force crews as a secondary objective. Squadron personnel verify weapon system performance, determine reliability, evaluate capability and limitations, identify deficiencies, recommend corrective action, and maintain Combat Air Force-wide data. The squadron investigates precision guided munition envelopes and evaluates capabilities and limitations to determine future employment requirements. It provides liaison support for pre-deployment, employment, and redeployment of Air Combat Command, United States Air Forces in Europe, Pacific Air Forces, Air National Guard, and Air Force Reserve assets participating in WSEP. ==History==

World War II In 1943 Japanese air strength in the South West Pacific theatre of World War II was powerful, and they were capable of launching large scale attacks against Allied ground forces and installations at any time. On New Guinea, the Japanese had many bases from which to launch their air strikes. The swiftest and most effective means of gaining control of the air was to bomb those Japanese strongholds and destroy as many aircraft on the ground as possible. Such bombing strikes could best be accomplished during daylight hours, when fighter escort was essential. The only fighter aircraft then in the Southwest Pacific with sufficient range to escort bombers to and from Rabaul and Wewak was the Lockheed P-38 Lightning. However, the limited P-38 strength in the Fifth Air Force in April 1943 consisted of only three squadrons, (the 80th Fighter Squadron of the 8th Fighter Group; the 39th Fighter Squadron of the 35th Fighter Group; and the 9th Fighter Squadron of the 49th Fighter Group). The limited number of spare Lightnings available during late 1942 and early 1943 had to be used to make up attrition in these squadrons. To augment the small force, the 475th Fighter Group was activated in Australia as a P-38 unit on 14 May 1943 at Amberley Airfield in Queensland, Australia. 432d and 433d Fighter Squadrons. However, the continuing shortage of P-38s forced the 35th and 49th Fighter Groups to convert their single P-38 squadrons to P-47Ds, thus leaving the Fifth Air Force at the end of 1943 with only the 475th Fighter Group, and the 80th Fighter Squadron of the 8th Fighter Group. The group was specifically trained to provide long-range escort for bombers during daylight raids on Japanese airfields and strongholds in the Netherlands East Indies and the Bismarck Archipelago. However, in August 1948 the group joined the 433rd at Itazuke and the squadron returned to the group's control. The 475th Fighter Group was inactivated on 1 April 1949 at Ashiya Air Base, Japan. As part of this project, on 18 August 1955, the 475th Fighter Group (Air Defense) was activated at Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport, Because Project Arrow was also intended to unite squadrons with their historical groups, the 432nd Fighter-Interceptor Squadron moved on paper from Truax Field, Wisconsin to join the group at Minneapolis, where it replaced the 337th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, which departed for McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey. The group also assumed host responsibility for regular USAF units at Minneapolis and was assigned several support units to carry out this responsibility. The group took over the 514th's airborne interception radar equipped and Mighty Mouse rocket armed Northrop F-89D Scorpions. By June 1956, the group was flying a mix of F-89Ds and F-89H's. The H model could carry AIM-4 Falcons in addition to the unguided Mighty Mice. Two months later the group was completely equipped with H models. Modern era From 1983 to the present, group responsibilities included management of the Air Force weapon system evaluation program, range control for live-firing missile programs on the Gulf Range, and providing aerial targets support for special test projects, which included full-scale and sub-scale drones. ==Lineage==

475th Fighter Group • Constituted as the 475th Fighter Group (Twin Engine) on 7 May 1943 : Activated on 14 May 1943 : Redesignated 475th Fighter Group, Twin Engine on 20 August 1943 : Redesignated 475th Fighter Group, c. 29 December 1943 : Inactivated on 1 April 1949 : Redesignated 475th Fighter Group (Air Defense) on 20 June 1955 : Activated on 18 August 1955 : Inactivated on 2 January 1958 ; Redesignated 475th Weapons Evaluation Group on 14 October 1983 : Activated on 15 October 1983 : Inactivated on 20 November 1998 : Consolidated with the 53rd Weapons Evaluation Group as the 53rd Weapons Evaluation Group on 25 July 2000 53rd Weapons Evaluation Group • Constituted as the 53rd Weapons Evaluation Group on 1 November 1998 : Activated on 20 November 1998 : Consolidated with the 475th Weapons Evaluation Group on 25 July 2000 : Consolidated Group retains designation 53rd Weapons Evaluation Group : Detachment 1 at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico • 83rd Fighter Weapons Squadron: 15 October 1983 – 20 November 1998, 20 November 1998 – present • 84th Test Squadron (later Test and Evaluation Squadron), 15 April 1993 – 1 April 2001 • 86th Fighter Weapons Squadron: 23 August 1999 – present : Eglin Air Force Base, Florida : Detachment 1 at Hill Air Force Base, Utah • 431st Fighter Squadron: 14 May 1943 – 1 April 1949 (detached 15 November 1947 – 28 August 1948) • 432nd Fighter Squadron (later 432nd Fighter-Interceptor Squadron): 14 May 1943 – 1 April 1949; 18 August 1955 – 2 January 1958 • 433rd Fighter Squadron: 14 May 1943 – 1 April 1949 (not operational, 1 November 1945 – 17 April 1946 and 18 July 1946 – 11 September 1946; detached to 347th Fighter Group 18 November 1947 – 28 August 1948) • 475th USAF Infirmary (later 475th USAF Dispensary): 18 August 1955 – 1 April 1960 • 475th Air Base Squadron: 18 August 1955 – 2 January 1958 • 475th Consolidated Aircraft Maintenance Squadron: 8 July 1957 – 2 January 1958 • 475th Materiel Squadron: 18 August 1955 – 2 January 1958 • 475th Test Support Squadron (later 53rd Test Support Squadron): 15 October 1983 – 20 November 1998, 28 January 2004 – present Stations • Amberley Airfield, Australia, 14 May 1943 • Dobodura Airfield Complex, New Guinea, 14 August 1943 • Nadzab Airfield Complex, New Guinea, 24 March 1944 • Hollandia Airfield Complex, Netherlands East Indies, 15 May 1944 • Mokmer Airfield, Biak Island, Netherlands East Indies, c. 14 July 1944 • Dulag Airfield, Leyte, Philippines, 28 October 1944 • McGuire Field, Mindoro, Philippines, 5 February 1945 • Clark Field, Luzon, Philippines, 28 February 1945 • Lingayen Airfield, Luzon, Philippines, c. 20 April 1945 • Ie Shima Airfield, Ryukyu Islands, 8 August 1945 • Kimpo Airfield, South Korea, c. 23 September 1945 • Itazuke Air Base, Japan, 28 August 1948 • Ashiya Air Base, Japan, 25 March-1 April 1949 • Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport, Minnesota, 18 August 1955 – 2 January 1958 • Tyndall AFB, Florida, 15 October 1983 – 20 November 1998; 20 November 1998 – present Aircraft • P-38 Lightning, 1943–1946 • P-51 Mustang, 1946–1949 • F-89 Scorpion, 1955–1958 • F-15 Eagle, 1994–1998, 1998–present • F-117 Nighthawk, 1993–1998, 1998–2006 • HH-60 Pave Hawk, 1997–1998, 1998–present • DeHavilland E-9A Widget Drones • QF-102 Delta Dagger, 1983–1984 • QF-100 Super Sabre, 1983–1993; QF-106, 1991–1996 • QF-4 Phantom II, 1996–1998, 1998 – 2016 • QF-16, 2013–present • Numerous subscale drones, 1983–1998, 1998–present Awards and campaigns ==References==