82nd Aerial Targets Squadron

82d Aerial Targets Squadron
1942-Present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Aerial target operation

File:DroneRecovShips.jpg

U.S. Air Force ships of the "Tyndall Navy"

Det. 1 82d TRS McDonnell Douglas QF-4E-61-MC Phantom 74-1626 (AF309) at The Wings Over Houston Airshow October 2007. This aircraft was originally retired on 24 May 1990

82d TRS McDonnell Douglas QF-4E-52-MC Phantom 72-0162 (AF310) "SCAT XXVII" at The Wings Over Houston Airshow October 2007. This aircraft was flown by Col. Robin Olds during his tour at Ubon RTAFB, Thailand and has four red stars, representing the 4 North Vietnamese MiGs shot down by Olds durig the Vietnam War. It was originally retired on 16 Nov 1990

The 82d Aerial Targets Squadron (82 ATRS) is a United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 53d Weapons Evaluation Group and stationed at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida.

Overview

The 82d Aerial Targets Squadron is the last USAF unit which flies the F-4 Phantom II, flying the QF-4C/E/G versions in the role of an aerial target. The 82 ATRS also has a Detachment at Holloman AFB to fly QF-4s in support of DoD testing in the White Sands Missile Range Complex

The squadron also maintains three 120-foot drone recovery vessels and two smaller vessels to recover aerial targets and support range safety, patrol, and salvage operations. Squadron members also operate the Air Force’s only two E-9A nicknamed "Widget", the commercial version is called the de Havilland Canada DHC-8, or Dash 8.

History

Lineage

• Constituted 82 Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) on 13 Jan 1942

Activated on 9 Feb 1942

Redesignated: 82 Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) (Twin Engine) on 22 Apr 1942

Redesignated: 82 Fighter Squadron (Twin Engine) on 15 May 1942

Redesignated: 82 Fighter Squadron on 1 Mar 1943

Inactivated on 18 Oct 1945

• Redesignated 82 Fighter Squadron, Single Engine c. Jul 1946

Activated on 20 Aug 1946

Redesignated: 82 Fighter Squadron, Jet c. Nov 1948

Redesignated: 82 Fighter-Interceptor Squadron on 20 Jan 1950

Inactivated on 31 May 1971

• Redesignated 82 Flying Training Squadron on 14 Apr 1972

Activated on 1 Dec 1972

Inactivated on 15 Jun 1976

• Redesignated 82 Tactical Aerial Target Squadron on 17 Jun 1981

Activated on 1 Jul 1981

Redesignated: 82 Tactical Aerial Targets Squadron on 30 Sep 1982

Redesignated: 82 Aerial Targets Squadron on 1 Nov 1991.

Assignments

• 78 Pursuit (later, 78 Fighter) Group, 9 Feb 1942-18 Oct 1945
• 78 Fighter (later, 78 Fighter-Interceptor) Group, 20 Aug 1946
• 4703 Defense Wing, 6 Feb 1952
• 4704 Defense Wing, 13 Mar 1952
• 4702 Defense Wing, 16 Feb 1953
• 65 Air Division, 1 Apr 1953
• Iceland Air Defense Force, 8 Mar 1954
• 528 Air Defense Group, 25 Oct 1954
• 28 Air Division, 18 Aug 1955

Attached to 78 Fighter Group, 18 Oct 1956-1 Jul 1960

• San Francisco Air Defense Sector, 1 Jul 1960
• Portland Air Defense Sector, 1 Aug 1963

Attached to 51 Fighter-Interceptor Wing, 17 Feb 1966

• 26 Air Division, 1 Apr 1966

Remained attached to 51 Fighter-Interceptor Wing to 25 Jun 1966

• 51 Fighter-Interceptor Wing, 25 Jun 1966-31 May 1971

Attached to 314 Air Division, 30 Jan-20 Feb 1968

• 78 Flying Training Wing, 1 Dec 1972-15 Jun 1976
• 325 Fighter Weapons Wing, 1 Jul 1981
• 475 (later, 53) Weapons Evaluation Group, 15 Oct 1983-Current

Stations

• Baer Field, IN, 9 Feb 1942
• Muroc, CA, 30 Apr 1942
• San Diego, CA, 8 May 1942
• March Field, CA, 3-10 Nov 1942
• RAF Goxhill, England, 1 Dec 1942
• RAF Duxford, England, 1 Apr 1943-11 Oct 1945
• Camp Kilmer, NJ, 16-18 Oct 1945
• Straubing AAB, Germany, 20 Aug 1946-25 Jun 1947
• Mitchel Field, NY, 25 Jun 1947
• Hamilton AFB, CA, 24 Nov 1948
• Larson AFB, WA, 6 Feb 1952-7 Mar 1953
• Keflavik Airport, Iceland, 1 Apr 1953-Oct 1954
• Presque Isle AFB, ME, 22 Oct 1954
• Travis AFB, CA, 18 Aug 1955-25 Jun 1966

Deployed at Naha AB, Okinawa, 17 Feb-24 Jun 1966

• Naha AB, Okinawa, 25 Jun 1966-31 May 1971

Deployed at Suwon AB, South Korea, 30 Jan-20 Feb 1968

• Webb AFB, TX, 1 Dec 1972-15 Jun 1976
• Tyndall AFB, FL, 1 Jul 1981-Present

Aircraft

• P-38, 1942-1943
• P-47, 1943-1944
• P-51, 1944-1945
• F-84, 1949-1952
• F-51, 1949-1951
• F-94, 1952-1954
• F-89, 1954-1955
• F-86, 1955-1958
• F-102, 1957-1971
• T-37, 1972-1976
• F-101, 1981-1982
• PQM-102, 1981-1984
• QF-102, 1981-1984
• QF-100, 1983-1993
• QF-106, 1991-1996
• QF-4, 1996-Present

Operations

The 82d Fighter Interceptor Squadron saw combat in the ETO, 13 Apr 1943-25 Apr 1945. Training, maneuvers, and air defense, Apr-Sep 1945. Part of the occupation forces in Germany, Aug 1946-Jun 1947. Air defense in United States, Jan 1949-Mar 1953 and Oct 1954-Feb 1966.

It was a fighter squadron based at Travis Air Force Base, California until 1966, when it was deployed to Naha Air Base, Okinawa. The prime aircraft of the squadron was the F-102 Delta Dagger, or "Deuce", which was the more common nickname. In January 1968, the 82d was scrambled to South Korea in response to the Pueblo Incident, where North Korea had seized the USS Pueblo. By late 1968, most of the unit had been deactivated.

On 1 July 1981 the 82d Tactical Aerial Target Squadron was assigned to the 325th Fighter Weapons Wing. On 15 October 1983 the 82d Tactical Aerial Target Squadron was transferred to the 475th Weapons Evaluation Group . It is now part of the 53d Weapons Evaluation Group.

The 82d Aerial Targets Squadron is very unusual by the type of aircraft it operates. This squadron is the only unit left in the USAF to fly the venerable F-4 Phantom II reduced to the role of aerial targets. Located at Tyndall AFB, Fla., the 82 ATRS is a subordinate of the 53d Weapons Evaluation Group assigned to Air Combat Command's 53d Wing at Eglin AFB, Fla. The 53 WEG is responsible for conducting the USAF Air-to-Air Weapons System Evaluation Program known as Combat Archer from Tyndall AFB and the Air-to-Ground version known as Combat Hammer from Eglin AFB. Both bases located at short distances from each other in the Florida panhandle. During these exercises, the 82d provides drone targets such as the QF-4 in the Full Scale Aerial Target (FSAT) role next to the MQM-107 Streaker and BQM-34 Firebee as Sub-Scale Aerial Targets (SSAT). To perform surveillance and gather telemetry data during shooting over the Gulf of Mexico, the units uses the only two E-9A in the USAF inventory. The E-9A is a special version of the civilian DASH-8 specially equipped with a large phased-array antenna on the right side of the fuselage. The E-9A can record all data onboard and can retransmit it in real time to the ground control station. Also called "Tyndall Navy" is the Watercraft Branch of the 82 ATRS. It comprises three 120 ft drone recovery vessels designated MR-120 and two smaller vessels. These vessels are used for providing direct sea support to recover aerial targets like the MQM-107 and BQM-34, range safety patrols and salvage operations. The 82 ATRS also has a Detachment at Holloman AFB which is responsible for FSAT operations at the White Sands Missile Range near Holloman AFB, NM.

Modifications to the airframe and installation of major systems to transform the F-4 takes about four months. This includes installation of the primary and back-up Automatic Flight Control System, Command/Telemetry System, VDOPS Scoring System, Flight Termination System, Visual Enhancement System and Ancillary Subsystems.

There are two kinds of QF-4s. The first is NULLO Full-scale Aerial Targets which keep the above basic drone conversions. For the 82d, NULLO means Not Under Live Local Operation. A NULLO flight always requires at least three drones, the ones to be shot down, a spare and a manned QF-4 flying as chase plane. The second one is the manned full-scale drones fitted with advanced countermeasure systems installed by the USAF. While some of the twin-stick QF-4s retain their dual control system as trainer and both ejection seats in working orders, the other manned QF-4s have the rear cockpit ejection seat removed. All NULLO aircraft have both ejection seats removed. Noticeable differences between the twos are the six antennas from the VDOPS scoring system, the hump on top of the fuselage, a crude box on the left intake and a fairing in the left forward Sparrow well.

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

• Mauer, Mauer (1969), Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II, Air Force Historical Studies Office, Maxwell AFB, Alabama. ISBN 0892010975
• USAFHRA information sheet, 82d Aerial Targets Squadron