82d Aerial Targets Squadron

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 Air Force unit which flies the F-4 Phantom II, flying the QF-4E,-G, and QRF-4C versions in the role of an aerial target. The 82d 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 Widgets, a military version of the de Havilland Canada DHC-8.

History
The 82d Fighter Squadron saw combat in the ETO, 13 April 1943-25 April 1945. Training, maneuvers, and air defense, April–September 1945. Part of the occupation forces in Germany, August 1946-June 1947. Air defense in United States, January 1949-March 1953 and October 1954-February 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 order to deploy to Naha, each plane was configured with refueling probes and required extensive training. This was one of the few times, it was done to a relatively short-ranged fighter jet. In January 1968, the 82d was scrambled to South Korea in response to the Pueblo Incident, where North Korea had seized the USS Pueblo. The 82d Fighter Interceptor Squadron maintained a presence in South Korea with a detachment of temporarily assigned aircraft (12) and personnel (TDY) to Suwon Air Base ROK. The sqaudron continued service until 31 May 1971 when the 51st Fighter Inteceptor Wing along with all the other support squadrons (including the 82d Fighter Interceptor Squadron) were inactivated.

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 82d 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.

Lineage

 * Constituted 82d Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) on 13 January 1942
 * Activated on 9 February 1942
 * Redesignated: 82d Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) (Twin Engine) on 22 April 1942
 * Redesignated: 82d Fighter Squadron (Twin Engine) on 15 May 1942
 * Redesignated: 82d Fighter Squadron on 1 March 1943
 * Inactivated on 18 October 1945


 * Redesignated 82d Fighter Squadron, Single Engine c. July 1946
 * Activated on 20 August 1946
 * Redesignated: 82d Fighter Squadron, Jet c. November 1948
 * Redesignated: 82d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron on 20 January 1950
 * Inactivated on 31 May 1971


 * Redesignated 82d Flying Training Squadron on 14 April 1972
 * Activated on 1 December 1972
 * Inactivated on 15 June 1976


 * Redesignated 82d Tactical Aerial Target Squadron on 17 June 1981
 * Activated on 1 July 1981
 * Redesignated: 82d Tactical Aerial Targets Squadron on 30 September 1982
 * Redesignated: 82d Aerial Targets Squadron on 1 November 1991.

Assignments

 * 78th Pursuit (later, 78th Fighter) Group, 9 February 1942-18 October 1945
 * 78th Fighter (later, 78th Fighter-Interceptor) Group, 20 August 1946
 * 4703d Defense Wing, 6 February 1952
 * 4704th Defense Wing, 13 March 1952
 * 4702d Defense Wing, 16 February 1953
 * 65th Air Division, 1 April 1953
 * Iceland Air Defense Force, 8 March 1954
 * 528th Air Defense Group, 25 October 1954
 * 28th Air Division, 18 August 1955
 * Attached to 78th Fighter Group, 18 October 1956-1 July 1960


 * San Francisco Air Defense Sector, 1 July 1960
 * Portland Air Defense Sector, 1 August 1963
 * Attached to 51st Fighter-Interceptor Wing, 17 February 1966


 * 26th Air Division, 1 April 1966
 * Remained attached to 51st Fighter-Interceptor Wing to 25 June 1966


 * 51st Fighter-Interceptor Wing, 25 June 1966-31 May 1971
 * Attached to 314th Air Division, 30 January-20 February 1968


 * 78th Flying Training Wing, 1 December 1972-15 June 1976
 * 325th Fighter Weapons Wing, 1 July 1981
 * 475th (later, 53d) Weapons Evaluation Group, 15 October 1983-Current

Stations

 * Baer Field, Indiana, 9 February 1942
 * Muroc AAF, California, 30 April 1942
 * San Diego Airport, California, 8 May 1942
 * March Field, California, 3–10 November 1942
 * RAF Goxhill, England, 1 December 1942
 * RAF Duxford, England, 1 April 1943-11 October 1945
 * Camp Kilmer, New Jersey 16–18 October 1945
 * AAF Station Straubing, Germany, 20 August 1946-25 June 1947
 * Mitchel Field, New York, 25 June 1947
 * Hamilton AFB, California, 24 November 1948
 * Larson AFB, Washington, 6 February 1952-7 March 1953
 * Keflavik Airport, Iceland, 1 April 1953-October 1954
 * Presque Isle AFB, Maine, 22 October 1954


 * Travis AFB, California, 18 August 1955-25 June 1966
 * Deployed at Naha AB, Okinawa, 17 February-24 June 1966


 * Naha AB, Okinawa, 25 June 1966-31 May 1971
 * Rotational deployments of F-102 Delta Daggers to Bien Hoa AB, South Vietnam, 1968-1971 (Tail Code: NV)
 * Deployed to Suwon Air Base, South Korea, 30 January-20 February 1968 Operation Combat Fox
 * Rotational deployments of F-102 Delta Daggers to Suwon AB, South Korea, 1968-1971


 * Webb AFB, Texas, 1 December 1972-15 June 1976
 * Tyndall AFB, Florida, 1 January 1978–present

Aircraft

 * P-38 Lightning, 1942–1943
 * P-47 Thunderbolt, 1943–1944
 * P-51 Mustang, 1944–1945
 * F-51 Mustang, 1949–1951
 * F-84D Thunderjet, 1949–1952
 * F-94 Starfire, 1952–1954
 * F-89D Scorpion, 1954–1955
 * F-86D Sabre Interceptor, 1955–1958
 * F-102 Delta Dagger, 1957–1971
 * Last active-duty PACAF squadron to operate the F-102


 * T-37 Tweet, 1972–1976
 * F-101 Voodoo, 1973–1982
 * PQM-102 Delta Dagger (Drone), 1981–1984
 * QF-102 Delta Dagger (Drone), 1981–1984
 * QF-100 Super Sabre (Drone), 1983–1993
 * QF-106 Delta Dart (Drone), 1991–1996
 * QF-4 Phantom II (Drone), 1996–present