Organization of United States Air Force Units in the Gulf War



The 1990-1991 Gulf War was the last major United States Air Force combat operation of the 20th Century. The command and control of forces deployed to the Middle East initially as part of Operation Desert Shield, later engaging in combat operations during Operation Desert Storm, were assigned to United States Central Command Air Forces (USCENTAF), the USAF component of the Joint United States Central Command.

Overview
United States Air Force units were initially deployed to Saudi Arabia in August 1990, being assigned directly to CENTAF with a mission to defend the kingdom.

In November 1990 the decision was made to convert the CENTAF defense force into an offensive-capable force and additional units were ordered deployed to CENTAF. As a result CENTAF formed a table of organization which established provisional Air Divisions to prevent too many units reporting directly to HQ CENTAF:


 * The 14th Air Division (Provisional) commanded deployed primarily Tactical Air Command and United States Air Forces in Europe units with the mission of destroying enemy air, missile, and ground forces, as well as enemy infrastructure targets. To accomplish this mission, the 14th controlled A-10 Thunderbolt II ground attack aircraft; F-15C Eagle and F-16 Fighting Falcon fighters; F-111F light tactical bombers; EF-111 Raven electronic combat aircraft and the F-117 stealth bomber. The division also provided electronic warfare, reconnaissance, and in-theater attached Strategic Air Command refueling support.


 * The 15th Air Division (Provisional) commanded deployed Tactical Air Command units with a reconnaissance and electronic warfare mission focused on defeating enemy ground base air defenses and increasing the effectiveness of friendly formations. Aircraft deployed included RF-4C Phantom II tactical reconnaissance; F-4G Phantom II anti-radar; EC-130H Compass Call electronic warfare and two prototype E-8A Joint Stars battle management and command and control aircraft.


 * The 1610th Air Division (Provisional) controlled Military Airlift Command C-130E Hercules theater airlift, aeromedical evacuation and Air Force Special Operations Command forces. Strategic Air Command deployed strategic electronic warfare and reconnaissance units also attached.


 * The 17th Air Division (Provisional) commanded primarily provisional air refueling wings created from active-duty KC-135/KC-10 units of the Strategic Air Command's Fifteenth Air Force and SAC Air National Guard KC-135 units deployed within the CENTAF AOR.


 * The SAC 7th Air Division commanded deployed Air Refueling and B-52 Stratofortress Bombardment Wings located outside of the CENTAF AOR.


 * 7440th Composite Wing (JTF Proven Force). Developed by the United States Air Forces in Europe to open a "Second Front" against Iraq through Turkey. By late December 1990, there was already a formidable arsenal of USAFE airpower deployed to Incirlik Air Base: 20 F-111Es, 24 F-16Cs, 10 F-15Cs, and 4 SAC KC-135s. These aircraft were in Turkey for various reasons including rotational training, a NATO exercise, and NATO alert duty, but remained under control of their respective home units. However, if Turkey approved the task force's activation, JTF Proven Force could absorb all of these assets and the others it required. The Turkish government finally approved the JTF on 15 January 1991. The following day, USAFE activated the 7440th Composite Wing (Provisional) and began the command's largest Desert Shield deployment, bringing the total number of aircraft at Incirlik to 110. However, it was not until 17 January, the first day of Desert Storm, that Turkey approved operations from Incirlik. Therefore, JTF Proven Force entered the war on Day Two.

Epilogue
After the end of combat operations, most of the combat forces of CENTAF returned to their home stations. The provisional organizations established were inactivated; their temporary nature meaning that no official lineage or history was retained by the USAF. On 13 March 1991 Headquarters Tactical Air Command activated the 4404th Tactical Fighter Wing (Provisional) at Prince Sultan Air Base, Al Kharj, to replace the provisional Air Divisions. The original assets of the 4404th TFW came from the 4th TFW (Provisional), which had operated during the Gulf War.

The long-term effect of the deployment and organization of Air Force Wings and Groups to CENTAF for the Gulf War eventually led to an Air Force-Wide reorganization of its Cold War command structure; the result being the modern Air Force organization structure which exists today. Air Force Expeditionary units, which are activated and inactivated as needed to support deployments were developed, replacing the "Provisional" units of the Gulf War.

14th Air Division (Provisional)

 * 1st Tactical Fighter Wing (Provisional)
 * Deployed from Langley Air Force Base, Virginia
 * Headquarters: King Abdul Aziz Air Base, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia 26.26528°N, 50.15194°W


 * 4th Tactical Fighter Wing (Provisional)
 * Deployed from Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina
 * Headquarters: Prince Sultan Air Base, Al Kharj, Saudi Arabia 24.06278°N, 47.58056°W


 * 33d Tactical Fighter Wing (Provisional)
 * Deployed from Eglin Air Force Base, Florida
 * Headquarters: King Faisal Naval Base, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia 28.36556°N, 36.61889°W


 * 37th Tactical Fighter Wing (Provisional)
 * Deployed from Tonopah Test Range Airport, Nevada
 * Headquarters: King Khalid Air Base, Khamis Mushait, Saudi Arabia 18.29972°N, 42.8025°W


 * 48th Tactical Fighter Wing (Provisional)
 * Deployed from RAF Lakenheath, England
 * Headquarters: Taif Air Base, Taif, Saudi Arabia 21.48306°N, 40.54417°W


 * 354th Tactical Fighter Wing (Provisional)
 * Deployed from Myrtle Beach Air Force Base, South Carolina
 * Headquarters: King Fahd International Airport, Dammam, Saudi Arabia 26.47111°N, 49.79778°W


 * 363d Tactical Fighter Wing (Provisional)
 * Deployed from Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina
 * Headquarters: Al Dhafra Air Base, Dubai, United Arab Emerates 24.24806°N, 54.5475°W


 * 388th Tactical Fighter Wing (Provisional)
 * Deployed from Hill Air Force Base, Utah
 * Headquarters: Al Minhad Air Base, Dubai, United Arab Emerates 25.02682°N, 55.36624°W


 * 401st Tactical Fighter Wing (Provisional)
 * Deployed from Torrejón Air Base, Spain
 * Headquarters: Doha International Airport, Qatar 25.26111°N, 51.565°W

15th Air Division, (Provisional)

 * 35th Tactical Fighter Wing (Provisional)
 * Deployed from George Air Force Base, California
 * Headquarters: Doha International Airport, Qatar


 * 552d Airborne Warning and Control Wing (Provisional)
 * Deployed from Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma
 * Headquarters: King Khalid Air Base, Khamis Mushait, Saudi Arabia


 * 41st Electronic Combat Squadron (Provisional)
 * Deployed from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona
 * Headquarters: Al Banteen Air Base, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates 24.42833°N, 54.45528°W
 * EC-130H Compass Call (Tail Code: DM), 27 August 1990–17 April 1991


 * 4411th Joint Stars Squadron
 * Headquarters: King Khalid Air Base, Khamis Mushait, Saudi Arabia
 * E-8A Joint Stars, December 1990-March 1991 (2 Aircraft)

1610th Air Division (Provisional)

 * 314th Tactical Airlift Wing (Provisional)
 * Deployed from Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas
 * Headquarters: Al Bateen Air Base, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates


 * 317th Tactical Airlift Wing (Provisional)
 * Deployed from Pope Air Force Base, North Carolina
 * Headquarters: Thumrait Air Base, Oman 17.66583°N, 54.02444°W


 * 435th Tactical Airlift Wing (Provisional)
 * Deployed from Rhein-Main Air Base, Germany
 * Headquarters: Al Ain International Airport, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates 24.26139°N, 55.60908°W


 * 1640th Tactical Airlift Wing (Provisional)
 * Detached from Headquarters Military Airlift Command, Scott AFB, Illinois
 * Headquarters: Masirah Air Base, Oman 20.67528°N, 58.89028°W


 * 1650th Tactical Airlift Wing (Provisional)
 * Detached from Headquarters Military Airlift Command, Scott AFB, Illinois
 * Headquarters: Sharjah International Airport, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates 25.32861°N, 55.51722°W


 * 1670th Tactical Airlift Group (Provisional)
 * Detached from Headquarters Military Airlift Command, Scott AFB, Illinois
 * Headquarters: Prince Sultan Air Base, Al Kharj, Saudi Arabia


 * 1700th Strategic Wing (Provisional)
 * Detached from Headquarters 7th Air Division, Strategic Air Command, Ramstein AB, Germany
 * Headquarters: King Khalid Air Base, Khamis Mushait, Saudi Arabia


 * Air Force Special Operations Command (Provisional)
 * Detached from Headquarters AFSOC, Hurlburt Field, Florida
 * Headquarters: King Fahd International Airport, Dammam, Saudi Arabia


 * 1612th Military Airlift Squadron (Provisional)
 * Detached from Headquarters Military Airlift Command, Scott AFB, Illinois
 * Headquarters: King Khalid Air Base, Khamis Mushait, Saudi Arabia
 * C-21 Learjet, (8 Aircraft)
 * C-12 Huron (7 Aircraft)
 * RU-21 Learjet (7 Aircraft)

Provided Special Air Mission transport for CENTAF/CENTCOM leadership and civilian VIPs from coalition nations and the United States.

17th Air Division (Provisional)

 * 1701st Air Refueling Wing (Provisional)
 * Headquarters: King Abdul Aziz Air Base, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia


 * 1701st Strategic Wing (Provisional)
 * Headquarters: King Abdul Aziz Air Base, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia 21.67944°N, 39.15667°W


 * 1702d Air Refueling Wing (Provisional)
 * Headquarters: Seeb International Airport, Muscat, Oman. 23.59333°N, 58.28444°W


 * 1706th Air Refueling Wing (Provisional)
 * Headquarters: Cairo West Airport, Egypt 30.11639°N, 30.91528°W


 * 1708th Bombardment Wing (Provisional)
 * Headquarters: King Abdul Aziz Air Base, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
 * 20 B-52G Stratofortresses. The lead unit within the 1708th BW (P) was the 524th BS/379th BW from Wurtsmith AFB, Michigan. Aircraft and crews were also drawn from the 62d and 596th BS/2d BW Barksdale AFB, Louisiana; 69th BS/42d BW at Loring AFB, Maine; 328th BS/93d BW, Castle AFB, California, and the 668th BS/416 BW at Griffiss AFB, New York. B-52 operations at Jeddah were not possible prior to the initiation of combat so the wing gained its aircraft when the conflict began. Six aircraft from the 42d BW were moved to Jeddah from Diego Garcia on 17 January, and 10 more flew in from Wurthsmith, attacking targets en-route. Although launched from Wurtsmith and flown by 379th BW crews, three of the aircraft came from the 93d BW at Castle and two from the 42d BW at Loring.


 * 1709th Air Refueling Wing (Provisional)
 * Headquarters: King Abdul Aziz Air Base, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia


 * 1712th Air Refueling Wing (Provisional)
 * Headquarters: Al Banteen Air Base, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates


 * 1713th Air Refueling Wing (Provisional)
 * Headquarters: Al Banteen Air Base, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

7th Air Division

 * 801st Air Refueling Wing (Provisional)
 * Headquarters: Morón Air Base, Spain 37.17472°N, -5.61583°W


 * 801st Bombardment Wing (Provisional)
 * Headquarters: Morón Air Base, Spain
 * The 801st BW (P) consisted of 28 B-52G Stratofortresses and was formed around a nucleus provided by he 2d Bombardment Wing at Barksdale AFB, Louisiana and drew aircraft from the crews of the 524th BS/379th BW, Wurtsmith AFB, Michigan; the 668th BS/416th BW at Griffiss AFB, New York and from 69th BS/42d BW at Loring AFB, Maine. One B-52G (52-6503) was sent from the 340th BS/97th BW at Eaker AFB, Arkansas.


 * 802d Air Refueling Wing (Provisional)
 * Headquarters: Lajes Field, Azores, Portugal 38.76167°N, -27.09056°W


 * 804th Air Refueling Wing (Provisional)
 * Headquarters: Incirlik Air Base, Turkey 37.00194°N, 35.42583°W


 * 806th Bombardment Wing (Provisional)
 * Headquarters: RAF Fairford, England 51.68222°N, -1.79°W
 * The 806th BW (P) was formed around a cadre of air and ground crews provided by the 97th Bombardment Wing, Eaker AFB, Arkansas. It consisted of a total of 11 B-52G Stratofortresses, also being drawn from the 668th BS/416th BW at Griffiss AFB, New York; 596th BS/2d BW, Barksdale AFB, Louisiana, and the 328th BS/93d BW at Castle AFB, California.


 * 807th Air Refueling Wing (Provisional)
 * Headquarters: Incirlik Air Base, Turkey


 * 810th Air Refueling Wing (Provisional)
 * Headquarters: Incirlik Air Base, Turkey


 * 4300th Bombardment Wing (Provisional)
 * Headquarters: Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territory [BIOT] -7.31333°N, 72.41111°W
 * The lead unit for the 4300th BW (P) was the 69th BS/42d BW from Loring AFB, Maine. Aircraft were also drawn from the 328th BS/93d BW at Castle AFB, California. Six aircraft were transferred to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on 17 January 1991 and they were replaced by six B-52Gs from the 1500th SW (P) at Andersen AFB, Guam.

7440th Composite Wing (Provisional)

 * Headquarters: Incirlik Air Base, Turkey (Attached to HQ USAFE)