Air Defense Weapons Center

Air Defense Weapons Center
Convair F-106A-130-CO Delta Dart Serial 59-0119 of the Air Defense Weapons Center, Tyndall AFB Florida, 1979. Note the TAC emblem inside the painted-over ADC emblem on the tail. This aircraft was retired in 1983 and converted to a QF-106 Drone and expended over the White Sands Missile Range near Holloman AFB, NM on 13 September 1991.
Active	31 October 1967-12 September 1991
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Garrison/HQ	Tyndall AFB, Florida
Insignia
Emblem of the Air Defense Weapons Center
Aircraft flown
Electronic warfare	EB-57 Canberra
Fighter	F-100 Super Sabre F-4 Phantom II F-15 Eagle F-16 Fighting Falcon
Interceptor	F-106 Delta Dart F-102 Delta Dagger F-101 Voodoo
Trainer	T-38 Talon T-33 Shooting Star QF-100 Drone QF-102 Drone QF-106 Drone

Air Defense Weapons Center (ADWS) is an inactive unit of the United States Air Force, last stationed at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida. It was last assigned to First Air Force, Tactical Air Command, and was inactivated on 12 September 1991

The Air Defense Weapons Center was the primary location for training air defense forces. Interceptor pilot training, as well as weapons controller training, was conducted there. Tactics research and development and weapons system evaluation were important aspects of the Weapons Center's mission. These programs, played an important role in the evaluation and training of air defense forces.

Overview

Established in 1967, the Air Defense Weapons Center (ADWC) was a major training center for fighter-interceptor pilots. It was established after the closure of Vincent Air Force Base, Yuma, Arizona. Air Defense Command conducted gunnery training, air-to-air missile training and radar interceptor training at the school. It was a huge operation, maintaining large numbers of various interceptor aircraft, trainers, and drones for aerial targets.

Lineage

• Established as Air Defense Weapons Center, and activated 31 October 1967

Inactivated on 12 September 1991

Assignments

• Air Defense Command, 31 October 1967
• Aerospace Defense Command, 15 January 1968
• Air Defense, Tactical Air Command, 1 October 1979
• First Air Force, 6 December 1985-12 September 1991

Components

• 325th Fighter Weapons Wing, 1 July 1981 – 15 October 1983
• 2d Fighter-Interceptor Training Squadron, 1 September 1974-12 September 1991
• 62d Fighter-Interceptor Training Squadron, 1 September 1974-30 June 1975
• 95th Fighter-Interceptor Training Squadron, 1 September 1974-12 September 1991
• 82d Aerial Targets Squadron, 1 July 1981-12 September 1991

Stations

• Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, 31 October 1967-12 September 1991

References

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

• Maurer, Maurer. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force: World War II. Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama: Office of Air Force History, 1982.
• Cornett, Lloyd H. and Johnson, Mildred W., A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization 1946 - 1980, Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center, Peterson AFB, CO (1980).
• Rogers, B. (2006). United States Air Force Unit Designations Since 1978. ISBN 1-85780-197-0