USAF Weapons School

USAF Weapons School
USAF Weapons School Emblem (no official emblem ever authorized)
Active	30 December 1965 – present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Training School
Part of	Air Combat Command
Garrison/HQ	Nellis Air Force Base

F-22A Raptor assigned the the USAF Weapons School's 433d Weapons Squadron

USAF Weapons School F-15C 82-0038

The USAF Weapons School is a unit of the United States Air Force, assigned to the 57th Wing. It is stationed at Nellis AFB, Nevada.

Mission

The mission of the USAF Weapons School, is to teach graduate-level instructor courses, which provide the world's most advanced training in weapons and tactics employment to officers of the combat air forces. The USAF Weapons School, headquartered at Nellis Air Force Base, in Nevada with detachments at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, Hurlburt Field, Florida, Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas, Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico and Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana.

The Weapons School accomplishes its mission by providing graduate-level instructor academic and flying courses to USAF Combat Air Forces (CAF). The School conducts extensive technical off-station training and liaison with CAF units. The School publishes the quarterly USAF Weapons Review with worldwide readership. All positions are selectively manned.

The Weapons School's squadrons include the Weapons Instructor Courses for the following aircraft and systems: A-10 Thunderbolt II, Lockheed AC-130, B-1 Lancer, B-2 Spirit, B-52 Stratofortress, C-17 Globemaster III, C-130 Hercules, F-15 Eagle, F-15E Strike Eagle, F-16 Fighting Falcon, Unmanned Aircraft Systems, HH-60 Pave Hawk, KC-135 Stratotanker, MC-130, MH-53 Pave Low, Command and Control Operations, Intelligence, Space, ICBM, and Support

History

With the stand-up of Air Combat Command in 1992, the school embarked on a dramatic shift from its 43-year focus exclusively on fighter aviation, dropping the "fighter" from its title and becoming the "Air Force Weapons School." The change was much more than symbolic with the activation of the B-52 and B-1 Divisions that year. Rescue helicopters joined the school with the HH-60 Division in 1995 while the F-111 retired. That year also saw the addition of RC-135 RIVET JOINT and EC-130 COMPASS CALL courses to the CCO Division. To increase the graduate-level understanding of space and air integration for operators, the school added the Space Division in 1996.

With a growing need for weapons officers skilled at integrating all aspects of air and space power, the Weapons School has continued to expand. 2000 saw the addition of the E-8 JSTARS to the CCO Division. Special Operations Forces (SOF) also became part of the Weapons School in 2000,developing courses for the MH-53 and AC-130. Stealth joined the school in 2002 with the addition of the F-117 and B-2 Divisions. SOF added an MC-130 course that year as well. In 2003, all of the Weapons School divisions were re-designated (or initially activated) as squadrons, and the Intelligence Sensor Weapons Instructor Course was added to provide graduate-level training in intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance integration. In 2006, the F-117 Weapons Instructor Course deactivated and the merger with the Mobility Weapons School added the C-130, KC-135, and C-17 Weapons Instructor Courses. In 2008, the F-22 joined the Weapons School and in 2009, the ICBM Weapons Instructor Course was added. Students of the ICBM and Space courses share a common Air Force Specialty code (AFSC) as well as a building on Nellis.

Today's Weapons School encompasses 17 squadrons, teaching 22 combat specialties at 8 locations. Only 30% of today's students come from the classic fighter specialties which built the initial reputation of the "patch." The 50+ year tradition of excellence associated with the Air Force Weapons School continues as today's graduates go to units worldwide to focus on the integration challenges of tomorrow.

Lineage

• Constituted as USAF Fighter Weapons School, and activated, on 30 Dec 1965

Organized on 1 Jan 1966

Discontinued, and inactivated, on 1 Sep 1966

• Activated on 30 Dec 1981

Re-designated USAF Weapons School on 15 Jun 1993

Assignments

• Tactical Air Command, 30 Dec 1965
• 4520 Combat Crew Training Wing, 1 Jan-1 Sep 1966
• 57th Fighter Weapons (later, 57th Fighter; 57th) Wing, 30 Dec 1981-Present

Components

Nellis-based units

Squadron	Date Activated	Weapons System	Notes
8th Weapons Squadron	3 Feburary 2003	E-8C JSTARS/E-3/RC-135 RIVET JOINT/COMPASS CALL	Originally was the Air Weapons Controller Division, activated on 21 June 1984
16th Weapons Squadron	3 Feburary 2003	F-16 Fighting Falcon	Originally was the F-16 Division, established 1 October 1980
17th Weapons Squadron	3 Feburary 2003	F-15E Strike Eagle	Originally was the F-15E Division, established 8 July 1991
19th Weapons Squadron	3 Feburary 2003	Intelligence training.	Non-flying organization. Originally was the Weapons School Intelligence Division, activated 1999
26th Weapons Squadron	30 September 2008	MQ-1, MQ-9
34th Weapons Squadron	3 Feburary 2003	HH-60 Pave Hawk	Replaced HH-60 Division, established 1995
57th Weapons Support Squadron	3 Feburary 2003	Mission Support	Non-flying organization. Originally was the Weapons School Support Division was activated on 1 October 1997
66th Weapons Squadron	3 Feburary 2003	A-10 Thunderbolt II	Initially was the 66th Fighter Weapons Squadron on 1 October 1977. When the Fighter Weapons School reorganized in 1981, the 66th FWS was redesignated as the A- 10 Division.
328th Weapons Squadron	3 Feburary 2003	Space, ICBM	Non-flying organization. Originally was the Weapons School Space Division was activated in July 1996.
433d Weapons Squadron	3 Feburary 2003	F-15C Eagle, F-22A Raptor	Originally activated in 1981 as the 433rd Fighter Weapons Squadron. Became Weapons School F-15C Division when the USAF Fighter Weapons School redesignated each of its squadrons as “Divisions” in 1981. First F-22A received July 2010.

Geographically separated units

Squadron	Station	Date Activated	Weapons System	Notes
14th Weapons Squadron	Hurlburt Field, Florida	3 Feburary 2003	Special Operations Aircraft (Various)	The Weapons School Special Operations Forces (SOF) Division first activated as Detachment 1, AFSOC/DO on 15 March 2000 at Hurlburt Field, Florida. The unit designation was changed to Detachment 1, 16rg Operations Group on 10 August 2000 to align it with the group charged with providing aircraft and personnel who would help build the course.
29th Weapons Squadron	Little Rock AFB, Arkansas	1 June 2003	C-130 Hercules	Tactical airlift training. Was incorporated from the USAF Mobility Weapons School, 5 July 2006.
57th Weapons Squadron	McGuire AFB, New Jersey	1 June 2003	C-17 Globemaster III	Strategic airlift training. Was incorporated from the USAF Mobility Weapons School, 5 July 2006.
77th Weapons Squadron	Dyess AFB, Texas	3 Feburary 2003	B-1 Lancer	Tactical bombardment training. Initially activated as the Weapons School B-1 Division on 28 August 1992.
325th Weapons Squadron	Whiteman AFB, Missouri	9 September 2005	B-2 Spirit	Advanced stealth bomber training. Replaced 715th Weapons Squadron (13 August 2003-9 September 2005) Initially activated as the B-2 Division in May 2002
340th Weapons Squadron	Barksdale AFB, Louisiana	3 Feburary 2003	B-52 Stratofortress	Strategic Bombardment training. Initially activated as the Weapons School B-52 Division on 1 October 1989.
509th Weapons Squadron	Fairchild AFB, Washington	1 June 2003	KC-135 Stratotanker	Aerial refueling training. Was incorporated from the USAF Mobility Weapons School, 5 July 2006.

Inactive units

• 417th Weapons Squadron, 13 August 2003-14 September 2006

F-117 Nighthawk, Holloman AFB, New Mexico

• A-7D Division (1972-1975); F-4 Division (1972-1985); F-111 Division (1972-1992)

Stations

• Nellis AFB, NV, 1 Jan-1 Sep 1966;, 30 Dec 1981-Present

References

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

• Nellis 57th Wing Fact Sheet
• AFHRA USAF Weapons School