Gulf War order of battle: United States Air Force

The 1990–1991 Gulf War was the last major United States Air Force combat operation of the 20th Century. The command and control of allied 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, the USAF component of the Joint United States Central Command.
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 enhance the force into an offensive-capable one, and additional units were ordered deployed to CENTAF. As a result, CENTAF set up a table of organization which established provisional Air Divisions to prevent too many units reporting directly to CENTAF headquarters. These were as follows:

The 14th Air Division 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-111 light tactical bombers; EF-111 Raven electronic combat aircraft and the F-117 stealth attack aircraft. The division also provided electronic warfare, reconnaissance, and in-theater attached Strategic Air Command refueling support.
The 15th Air Division 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 control, and E-3 Sentry AWACS Airborne Warning And Control System aircraft.
The 1610th Airlift Division controlled Military Airlift Command C-130E/H 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 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.
The 7440th Composite Wing was a United States Air Forces in Europe Provisional Wing under Joint Task Force Proven Force that flew combat missions over Northern and Central Iraq from Incirlik Air Base, Turkey.

Aftermath

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, 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)

Brigadier General Buster Glosson served as commander, 14th Air Division, and director of campaign plans for U.S. Central Command Air Forces, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

1st Tactical Fighter Wing

Squadron	Tail Code	Aircraft Type	Notes
27th Tactical Fighter Squadron	FF	F-15C Eagle	Deployed: 8 August 1990 – 8 March 1991
71st Tactical Fighter Squadron	FF	F-15C Eagle	Deployed: 7 August 1990 – 8 March 1991

4th Tactical Fighter Wing (Provisional)

Squadron	Tail Code	Aircraft Type	Notes
335th Tactical Fighter Squadron	SJ	F-15E Strike Eagle	Deployed: 27 December 1990 – 24 June 1991
336th Tactical Fighter Squadron	SJ	F-15E Strike Eagle	Deployed: 18 December 1990 – 13 March 1991 Redeployed from Thumrait, Oman 8 Aug 1990 – 18 December 1990
53rd Tactical Fighter Squadron	BT	F-15C Eagle	Deployed: 20 December 1990 – 1 July 1991 *from Bitburg AB, Germany with additional aircraft and personnel from the 22nd Tactical Fighter Squadron, also from Bitburg.
138th Tactical Fighter Squadron	NY	F-16A Fighting Falcon	Deployed from 174th Tactical Fighter Wing, Hancock Field, New York Air National Guard
157th Tactical Fighter Squadron	SC	F-16A Fighting Falcon	Deployed from 169th Tactical Fighter Group, McEntire Air National Guard Base, South Carolina Air National Guard

33d Tactical Fighter Wing (Provisional)

Squadron	Tail Code	Aircraft Type	Notes
58th Tactical Fighter Squadron	EG	F-15C Eagle	Deployed: 28 August 1990 – 12 April 1991

37th Tactical Fighter Wing (Provisional)

Squadron	Tail Code	Aircraft Type	Notes
415th Tactical Fighter Squadron	TR	F-117A Nighthawk	Deployed: 19 August 1990 – 1 April 1991
416th Tactical Fighter Squadron	TR	F-117A Nighthawk	Deployed: 19 August 1990 – 1 April 1991
417th Tactical Fighter Squadron	TR	F-117A Nighthawk	Deployed: 19 August 1990 – 1 April 1991

48th Tactical Fighter Wing (Provisional)

Squadron	Tail Code	Aircraft Type	Notes
492d Tactical Fighter Squadron	LN	F-111F	Deployed: 2 September 1990 – 15 March 1991
493d Tactical Fighter Squadron	LN	F-111F	Deployed: 2 September 1990 – 15 March 1991
494th Tactical Fighter Squadron	LN	F-111F	Deployed: 2 September 1990 – 15 March 1991
42d Electronic Combat Squadron	UH	EF-111	Deployed from 66th Electronic Combat Wing Sembach AB Germany & 20th Tactical Fighter Wing RAF Upper Heyford UK: 2 September 1990 – 15 March 1991
390th Electronic Combat Squadron	MO	EF-111	Deployed from 366th Tactical Fighter Wing, Mountain Home AFB, Idaho, 17 January 1991 – 6 March 1991

354th Tactical Fighter Wing (Provisional)

Squadron	Tail Code	Aircraft Type	Notes
353d Tactical Fighter Squadron	MB	A-10 Thunderbolt II	Deployed: 15 August 1990 – 25 March 1991
355th Tactical Fighter Squadron	MB	A-10 Thunderbolt II	Deployed: 15 August 1990 – 25 March 1991
74th Tactical Fighter Squadron	EL	A-10 Thunderbolt II	Deployed from 23d Tactical Fighter Wing, England AFB, Louisiana, 29 August 1990 – 20 April 1991
76th Tactical Fighter Squadron	EL	A-10 Thunderbolt II	Deployed from 23d Tactical Fighter Wing, England AFB, Louisiana, 29 August 1990 – 20 April 1991
23d Tactical Air Support Squadron	NF	OA-10 Thunderbolt II	Deployed from 355th Tactical Fighter Wing, Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona, 29 August 1990 – 20 April 1991
511th Tactical Fighter Squadron	AR	A-10 Thunderbolt II	Deployed from 10th Tactical Fighter Wing, RAF Alconbury, England, 15 August 1990 – 25 March 1991
706th Tactical Fighter Squadron	NO	A-10 Thunderbolt II	Deployed from 926th Tactical Fighter Group, NAS New Orleans, United States Air Force Reserve, 15 August 1990 – 25 March 1991

363d Tactical Fighter Wing (Provisional)

Squadron	Tail Code	Aircraft Type	Notes
17th Tactical Fighter Squadron	SW	F-16C Fighting Falcon	Deployed: 9 August 1990 – 13 March 1991
33rd Tactical Fighter Squadron	SW	F-16C Fighting Falcon	Deployed: 9 August 1990 – 13 March 1991
10th Tactical Fighter Squadron	HR	F-16C Fighting Falcon	Deployed from 50th Tactical Fighter Wing, Hahn Air Base, Germany, 28 December 1990 – 10 May 1991
1705th Air Refueling Squadron		KC-135 Stratotanker	Attached from SAC 7th Air Division. Composed of elements of the 11th, 306th, 905th, 924th Air Refueling Squadrons.

388th Tactical Fighter Wing (Provisional)

Squadron	Tail Code	Aircraft Type	Notes
4th Tactical Fighter Squadron	HL	F-16C Fighting Falcon	Deployed: 28 August 1990 – 27 March 1991
421st Tactical Fighter Squadron	HL	F-16C Fighting Falcon	Deployed: 28 August 1990 – 27 March 1991
69th Tactical Fighter Squadron	MY	F-16C Fighting Falcon	Deployed from 347th Tactical Fighter Wing, Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, 8–28 January 1991. Located at King Fahd International Airport, 29 January - 4 March 1991

401st Tactical Fighter Wing (Provisional)

Squadron	Tail Code	Aircraft Type	Notes
614th Tactical Fighter Squadron	TJ	F-16C Fighting Falcon	Deployed: 28 August 1990 – 27 March 1991

4410th Operational Support Wing (Provisional)

Squadron	Tail Code	Aircraft Type	Notes
728th Tactical Control Squadron		TPS-43E Tactical Radar	Deployed: 8 August 1990 – 17 April 1991

15th Air Division (Provisional)

35th Tactical Fighter Wing (Provisional)

Squadron	Tail Code	Aircraft Type	Notes
561st Tactical Fighter Squadron	WW	F-4G Phantom II	Deployed: 16 August 1990-March 1991
81st Tactical Fighter Squadron	SP	F-4G Phantom II	Deployed from 52d Tactical Fighter Wing, Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, 16 August 1990-March 1991
12th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron	BA	RF-4C Phantom II	Deployed from 67th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, Bergstrom Air Force Base, Texas, 14 January-10 May 1991
106th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron	BH	RF-4C Phantom II	Deployed from 117th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, Birmingham International Airport, Alabama Air National Guard
192d Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron	RJ	RF-4C Phantom II	Deployed from 152d Reconnaissance Group, Reno-Tahoe International Airport, Nevada Air National Guard

552d Airborne Warning and Control Wing (Provisional)

Squadron	Tail Code	Aircraft Type	Notes
7th Airborne Command and Control Squadron		E-3 Sentry	Deployed: 17 January 1991 – 28 February 1991

41st Electronic Combat Squadron (Provisional)
4411th Joint Stars Squadron

1610th Airlift Division (Provisional)

314th Tactical Airlift Wing (Provisional)

Squadron	Tail Code	Aircraft Type	Notes
50th Tactical Airlift Squadron	LR	C-130E Hercules	Deployed 14 August 1990 – 12 May 1991

317th Tactical Airlift Wing (Provisional)

Squadron	Tail Code	Aircraft Type	Notes
1681st Tactical Airlift Squadron	PB	C-130E Hercules.	16 Aircraft Composed of elements of the 39th, 40th and 41st Tactical Airlift Squadrons
1682d Tactical Airlift Squadron	PB	C-130E Hercules	16 Aircraft Composed of elements of the 39th, 40th and 41st Tactical Airlift Squadrons

435th Tactical Airlift Wing (Provisional)

Squadron	Tail Code	Aircraft Type	Notes
37th Tactical Airlift Squadron		C-130E Hercules	Deployed: 15 August 1990 – 20 March 1991
1630th Tactical Airlift Squadron		C-130E Hercules	8 Aircraft Composed of elements of West Virginia ANG 130th Tactical Airlift Squadron and 4 aircraft of Texas ANG 181st Tactical Airlift Squadron. Deployed: October 1990-24 June 1991
1632d Tactical Airlift Squadron		C-130H Hercules	8 aircraft Composed of elements of Missouri ANG 180th Tactical Airlift Squadron. Deployed: 28 December 1990 – 24 June 1991

1640th Tactical Airlift Wing

Squadron	Tail Code	Aircraft Type	Notes
1640th Tactical Airlift Squadron	PB	C-130E Hercules	Composed of elements of the 317th Tactical Airlift Wing, Pope AFB, North Carolina. Deployed: 15 August 1990 – 20 March 1991
1707th Air Refueling Squadron		KC-135 Stratotanker	Attached from SAC 7th Air Division. Composed of elements of the 901st, 905th, 919th Air Refueling Squadrons.

1650th Tactical Airlift Wing

Squadron	Tail Code	Aircraft Type	Notes
1650th Tactical Airlift Squadron		C-130E Hercules	Apparently included "all aircraft and numerous aircrews and support personnel" from 914th Tactical Airlift Group, Niagara Falls International Airport, NY
1611th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron		C-130E Hercules	Composed of elements of the 1st Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, Pope AFB, North Carolina and 2d Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, Rhein Main AB, Germany

1670th Tactical Airlift Group

Squadron	Tail Code	Aircraft Type	Notes
1670th Tactical Airlift Squadron		C-130H Hercules	Composed of elements of the 773d Tactical Airlift Squadron, 463d Tactical Airlift Wing, Dyess AFB, Texas
1671st Tactical Airlift Squadron		C-130H Hercules	Composed of elements of the 772d Tactical Airlift Squadron, 463d Tactical Airlift Wing, Dyess AFB, Texas

Air Force Special Operations Command

Squadron	Aircraft Type	Notes
719th Special Operations Squadron	AC-130A Spectre Gunship	Deployed from 919th SOG, Duke Field, Florida
16th Special Operations Squadron	AC-130H Spectre Gunship	Deployed from 1st SOW, Hurlburt Field, Florida
850th Special Operations Squadron	MC/EC-130 Hercules MH-53J	Composed of elements from 1st SOW, Hurlburt Field, Florida; 919th SOG, Duke Field, Florida, 193d SOG, Harrisburg International Airport, Pennsylvania Air National Guard
1675th Tactical Airlift Squadron	C-130 Hercules
160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment	MH-60, MH-47	United States Army unit, located at King Khalid International Airport

1612th Military Airlift Squadron

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

17th Air Division (Provisional)

1700th Strategic Wing

Squadron	Aircraft Type	Notes
1700th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron	RC-135	Deployed from the 55th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, Offutt AFB, Nebraska
1704th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron	U2/TR-1	Deployed from the 9th Reconnaissance Wing, Beale AFB, Ca and 95th Reconnaissance Squadron, 17th Reconnaissance Wing, RAF Alconbury, UK. On 21 September 1990 Operating Location-Crested Harvest was designated the 1704th Reconnaissance Squadron.
1700th Air Refueling Squadron	KC-135 Stratotanker	10 Aircraft Assigned
69th Bombardment Squadron	B-52G Stratofortresses	Deployed from 42d Bombardment Wing, Loring AFB, Maine

1701st Air Refueling Wing

Squadron	Aircraft Type	Notes
1709th Air Refueling Squadron	KC-135E/A Stratotanker	Deployed from 336th Air Refueling Squadron, 452d Air Refueling Wing, March AFB, California Deployed from 68th Air Refueling Wing, Seymour Johnson AFB, North Carolina, Deployed from 72d Air Refueling Squadron, 434th Air Refueling Wing, Grissom AFB, Indiana
1710th Air Refueling Squadron	KC-10 Extender	Deployed from 336th Air Refueling Squadron, 452d Air Refueling Wing, March AFB, California Deployed from 68th Air Refueling Wing, Seymour Johnson AFB, North Carolina,

1701st Strategic Wing

Squadron	Aircraft Type	Notes
807th Air Refueling Squadron	KC-135R Stratotanker	Deployed from 90th Air Refueling Squadron, 19th Air Refueling Wing, Robins AFB, Georgia

1702d Air Refueling Wing

Squadron	Aircraft Type	Notes
1702d Air Refueling Squadron	KC-135R Stratotanker	Deployed from 41st Air Refueling Squadron, 416th Bombardment Wing, Griffiss AFB, New York Deployed from 301st Air Refueling Squadron, 301st Air Refueling Wing, Malmstrom AFB, Montana Deployed from 905th Air Refueling Squadron, 319th Bombardment Wing, Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota - March 1991

1706th Air Refueling Wing

Squadron	Aircraft Type	Notes
1706th Air Refueling Squadron	KC-135R Stratotanker	Deployed from 905th Air Refueling Squadron, 319th Bombardment Wing, Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota, 28 September 1990 - March 1991 Deployed from 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, Beale AFB, California, 9 October 1990 - March 1991
	KC-135E Stratotanker	Deployed from 126th Air Refueling Squadron, 128th Air Refueling Wing, General Mitchell ANGB, Wisconsin Air National Guard, 30 December 1990 - March 1991 Deployed from 116th Air Refueling Squadron, 141st Air Refueling Wing, Fairchild AFB, Washington Air National Guard, 30 December 1990 - March 1991

1708th Bombardment Wing

Squadron	Aircraft Type	Notes
	B-52G Stratofortress	Deployed from 524th BS/379th BW ; 668th BS/416 BW ; 596th BS/2d BW
	B-52G Stratofortress	Deployed from 69th BS/42d BW ; 328th BS/93d BW ; 668th BS/416 BW

1709th Air Refueling Wing

Squadron	Aircraft Type	Notes
	KC-135A/E Stratotanker	Composed of 13 Air National Guard tanker unit elements. First tankers to arrive at Jeddah in August 1990-March 1991 Known units that deployed aircraft were: 101st Air Refueling Wing, Bangor Air National Guard Base, Maine Air National Guard 126th Air Refueling Wing, O'Hare Air National Guard Base, Illinois Air National Guard 128th Air Refueling Group, General Mitchell International Airport, Wisconsin Air National Guard 134th Air Refueling Group, McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base, Tennessee Air National Guard 141st Air Refueling Group, Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington Air National Guard 151st Air Refueling Group, Salt Lake City International Airport, Utah Air National Guard 157th Air Refueling Group, Pease Air Force Base, New Hampshire Air National Guard 160th Air Refueling Group, Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base, Ohio Air National Guard 161st Air Refueling Group, Sky Harbor International Airport, Arizona Air National Guard 170th Air Refueling Group, McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey Air National Guard 171st Air Refueling Wing, Pittsburgh Air National Guard Base, Pennsylvania Air National Guard 190th Air Refueling Group, Forbes Air National Guard Base, Kansas Air National Guard

1712th Air Refueling Wing

Squadron	Aircraft Type	Notes
1712th Air Refueling Squadron	KC-135E Stratotanker	Deployed from 126th Air Refueling Wing, O'Hare Air National Guard Base, Illinois Air National Guard. Deployed 19 December 1990-March 1991

1713th Air Refueling Wing

Squadron	Aircraft Type	Notes
1713th Air Refueling Squadron	KC-135E Stratotanker	Deployed from 134th Air Refueling Wing, McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base, Tennessee Air National Guard, 19 December 1990 - March 1991

7th Air Division

801st Air Refueling Wing

Squadron	Aircraft Type	Notes
801st Air Refueling Squadron	KC-135 Stratotanker	Deployed from 2d Bombardment Wing, Barksdale AFB, Louisiana August 1990-March 1991

801st Bombardment Wing

Squadron	Aircraft Type	Notes
801st Bombardment Squadron	B-52G Stratofortress	Deployed from 2d BW ; 69th BS/42d BW ; 668th BS/416th BW January–March 1991
802d Bombardment Squadron	B-52G Stratofortress	Deployed from 524th BS/379th BW ; 340th BS/97th BW ; 524th BS/379th BW January–March 1991

802d Air Refueling Wing

Squadron	Aircraft Type	Notes
802d Air Refueling Squadron	KC-135 Stratotanker KC-10 Extender	Composed of flights from 97th Bombardment Wing, Eaker AFB, Arkansas 2d Bombardment Wing, Barksdale AFB, Louisiana 92d Bombardment Wing, Fairchild AFB, Washington 7th Bombardment Wing, Carswell AFB, Texas

804th Air Refueling Wing

Squadron	Aircraft Type	Notes
804th Air Refueling Squadron	KC-135 Stratotanker	August 1990-March 1991

806th Bombardment Wing

Squadron	Aircraft Type	Notes
806th Bombardment Squadron	B-52G Stratofortress	97th BW ; 596th BS/2d BW ; 668th BS/416th BW ; 328th BS/93d BW January–March 1991

807th Air Refueling Wing

Squadron	Aircraft Type	Notes
807th Air Refueling Squadron	KC-135 Stratotanker	August 1990-March 1991

810th Air Refueling Wing

Squadron	Aircraft Type	Notes
810th Air Refueling Squadron	KC-135 Stratotanker	August 1990-March 1991

4300th Bombardment Wing

Squadron	Aircraft Type	Notes
4300th Bombardment Squadron	B-52G Stratofortress	Composed of 69th BS/42d BW ; 328th BS/93d BW