The 50th Space Wing is an inactive United States Air Force wing.
It was activated in 1949 as the 50th Fighter Wing, serving as a reserve air defense unit, and was redesignated as the 50th Fighter-Interceptor Wing in 1950, before being inactivated in 1951. It was reactivated in 1953 as the 50th Fighter-Bomber Wing, deploying to Europe to join NATO forces, and was redesignated as the 50th Tactical Fighter Wing in 1958. The wing operated for almost 40 years at Hahn Air Base in West Germany. In 1981 it became the first USAF overseas formation to operate the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon jet. It deployed for the Persian Gulf War of 1991, before being inactivated later that year. It was activated as a space wing on 30 January 1992, replacing the 2nd Space Wing. The 50th Space Wing was inactivated on 24 July 2020 and replaced by the Peterson-Schriever Garrison, with the 50th Network Operations Group and its cyber and satellite control network units forming Space Delta 6, the 50th Operations Group and its satellite communications units forming Space Delta 8, and the 750th Operations Group and its orbital warfare units forming Space Delta 9.
Operations The 50th Space Wing was the United States Space Force's space and cyberspace warfare. The 50th Space Wing operated the Global Positioning System (GPS), Defense Satellite Communications System (DSCS), Wideband Global Satellite Communications system, Military Strategic and Tactical Relay, Defense Meteorological Satellite Program, Space Based Space Surveillance system, Operationally Responsive Space satellite system, Advanced Extremely High Frequency satellite system, and the Boeing X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle. It also operated the Air Force Satellite Control Network. At the time of its inactivation on 24 July 2020, the 50th Space Wing had 8,000 space professionals and airmen under its command.
The 50th Space Wing was also the host unit for Schriever Air Force Base, providing base support for United States Strategic Command's Joint Functional Component Command for Integrated Missile Defense, the Army's 100th Missile Defense Brigade, and Air Force Reserve Command's 310th Space Wing.
Structure in 2020 50th Operations Group (50 OG) 2nd Space Operations Squadron (2 SOPS) 4th Space Operations Squadron (4 SOPS) 50th Operations Support Squadron (50 OSS) Detachment 1, 50th Operations Group, Suitland, Maryland 50th Network Operations Group (50 NOG) 21st Space Operations Squadron (21 SOPS), Vandenberg Air Force Base Detachment 1, 21st Space Operations Squadron, Naval Support Facility Diego Garcia Detachment 2, 21st Space Operations Squadron, Andersen Air Force Base Detachment 3, 21st Space Operations Squadron, Kaena Point Satellite Tracking Station 22nd Space Operations Squadron (22 SOPS) 23rd Space Operations Squadron (23 SOPS), New Boston Air Force Station Detachment 1, 23rd Space Operations Squadron, Thule Air Base OL-A, 23rd Space Operations Squadron, RAF Oakhanger 50th Space Communications Squadron (50 SCS) 50th Mission Support Group (50 MSG) - the 50th Support Group was formerly the 1002nd Space Support Group which was activated October 1, 1989. 50th Civil Engineer Squadron 50th Contracting Squadron 50th Force Support Squadron 50th Security Forces Squadron - formerly the 1002nd Special Security Squadron which was activated on October 1, 1985. The squadron was renamed the 1002d Security Police Squadron on October 1, 1989, as part of Air Force Space Command's support structure reorganization. 50th SFS activated 30 January 1992. 50th Logistics Readiness Flight (50 LRF) 750th Operations Group (750 OG) 1st Space Operations Squadron (1 SOPS) 3d Space Experimentation Squadron (3 SES) 750th Operations Support Squadron (750 OSS) 50th Comptroller Squadron (50 CPTS)
Shield
The 50th Space Wing shield was first approved for use on 15 July 1953, before being modified in 1956 and on 9 July 1992, and being approved in its final form on 27 July 2012. The blue background alludes to the vastness of space and the principal theater of the wing, while the yellow represents the sun and excellence required of its space professionals. The opinicus, with the strength of a lion and the bold flight of the eagle, symbolizes the functions of the 50th Space Wing. The motto of the 50th Space Wing, "Master of Space," was derived from the 50th Pursuit Group's motto "Master of Air" and approved in September 1992.
History 50th Fighter Wing (1949–1950) and 50th Fighter-Interceptor Wing (1950–1951)
On 1 June 1950, the 50th Fighter Wing (50 FW) was activated in the United States Air Force Reserve and operationally assigned to Tactical Air Command's First Air Force, supporting the active-duty 33rd Fighter Wing. It was stationed at Otis Air Force Base, Massachusetts, and consisted of the 50th Fighter Group, which included the 81st Fighter Squadron, 50th Air Base Group, and 50th Maintenance and Supply Group, which included the 50th Supply Squadron.
The 50th Fighter Wing was responsible for air defense on the eastern seaboard, flying the North American P-51 Mustang and Republic F-84 Thunderjet fighters, as well as the North American T-6 Texan and Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star trainers. In 1950, it started flying the North American F-86A Sabre fighter jet. On 1 March 1950, it was redesignated the 50th Fighter-Interceptor Wing (50 FIW), with the 50th Fighter Group also being redesignated the 50th Fighter-Interceptor Group and 81st Fighter Squadron also redesignated as the 81st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron. The 50th Fighter-Interceptor Wing, along with the 33rd Fighter-Interceptor Wing, were reassigned to Air Defense Command's Eastern Air Defense Force.
The advent of the Korean War resulted in a reevaluation of the posture of the American air forces. On 2 June 1951 the 50th Fighter-Interceptor Wing was inactivated, as part of an American realignment to support NATO forces in Europe to more directly counter the Soviet Union and Soviet Air Forces.
50th Fighter-Bomber Wing (1953–1958) and 50th Tactical Fighter Wing (1958–1991)
On 1 January 1953, the 50th Fighter-Bomber Wing (50 FBW) was activated and assigned to Tactical Air Command's Ninth Air Force. Stationed at Clovis Air Force Base, New Mexico, the wing's operational component was the 50th Fighter-Bomber Group, which consisted of the 10th Fighter-Bomber Squadron and the 81st Fighter-Bomber Squadron. The wing initially flew F-51 Mustang fighters, before converting to the F-86F Sabre in 1953. The 50th Fighter-Bomber Wing's support elements included the 50th Air Base Group, the 50th Maintenance and Supply Group, and the 50th Medical Group, which was later redesignated as the 50th Tactical Hospital. The 50th Air Base Group consisted of the 50th Air Police Squadron (later redesignated the 50th Security Police Squadron) and 50th Civil Engineering Squadron (later redesignated the 50th Civil Engineer Squadron), while the 50th Maintenance and Supply Group consisted of the 50th Supply Squadron.
In summer 1953, the 50th Fighter-Bomber Wing was transferred to Europe, with much of the wing's personnel and equipment sailing across the Atlantic Ocean on the Military Sea Transportation Service's USNS General M. B. Stewart, while the aircrew flew across the North Atlantic. On 9 August 1953 it became part of United States Air Forces in Europe's Twelfth Air Force and was stationed at Hahn Air Base, Germany, where the wing assumed responsibility for the 7425th USAF Hospital from 1 May 1954 to 9 April 1956. The 50th Fighter-Bomber Wing also gained a third fighter-bomber squadron, assuming command of the 417th Fighter-Bomber Squadron and also became the first tactically operational wing in Twelfth Air Force.
Almost immediately after arriving in Germany, the 50th Fighter-Bomber Wing participated in Exercise Monte Carlo, which was designed to demonstrate NATO air defense force capabilities. In 1954, elements of the 50th Fighter-Bomber Wing spent six weeks at Wheelus Field, Libya, training in air-to-air and ground attack operations, scoring higher in both categories than any other unit in Twelfth Air Force. In 1955 the 21 FBW took top honors at the United States Air Forces in Europe aerial gunnery competition at Wheelus Field, and on 21 October 1955 it began to transition to the F-86H Sabre.
For brief period in 1955 and 1956, the 50th Fighter-Bomber Wing also flew the ET-33 trainer. On 14 March 1955, the 50th Fighter-Bomber Wing gained the 69th Pilotless Bomber Squadron, which operated the MGM-1 Matador cruise missile system. On 8 June 1955, the 69th Pilotless Bomber Squadron was redesignated the 69th Tactical Missile Squadron, and on 15 April 1956, left the 50th Fighter-Bomber Wing for the 7382d Guided Missile Group, which the 21 FBW provided support for.
On 15 April 1956, the 50th Fighter-Bomber Wing began to move to Toul-Rosières Air Base, France, fully transitioning by 1 August 1956. On 8 August 1956, the 50th Fighter-Bomber Wing assumed responsibility for the 7352d USAF Hospital, before relinquishing command on 25 September 1957. United States Air Forces in Europe then sent the 50th Fighter-Bomber Wing to represent it at the Air Force Fighter Weapons Meet at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. On 8 December 1957, the 50th Fighter-Bomber Group and 50th Maintenance and Supply Group were inactivated, with their squadrons reporting directly to the 21st Fighter-Bomber Wing. On 8 December, the 50th Field Maintenance Squadron activated. The 50th Field Maintenance Squadron would later be redesignated the 50th Consolidated Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, before reassuming its designation as the 50th Field Maintenance Squadron, and was later redesignated the 50th Equipment Maintenance Squadron, before finally being designated the 50th Maintenance Squadron. On 15 November 1958, the 50th Armament and Electronics Maintenance Squadron was activated, later being redesignated the 50th Avionics Maintenance Squadron, before finally being designated the 50th Component Repair Squadron. In 1957 and 1958, the 50th Fighter-Bomber Wing began transitioning to the North American F-100D Super Sabre. On 1 January 1958, the 50th Fighter-Bomber Wing was moved from Twelfth Air Force to directly report to United States Air Forces in Europe.
The 50th Fighter-Bomber Wing also had a number of Tactical Air Command squadrons temporarily attached to it, including the 428th Fighter-Bomber Squadron from 1 April 1957 to 1 October 1957, the 429th Fighter-Bomber Squadron from 7 October 1956 to 1 April 1957, the 430th Fighter-Bomber Squadron from 20 April 1956 to 7 October 1956, the 457th Fighter-Bomber Squadron from 20 March 1958 to 19 August 1958, and the 509th Fighter-Bomber Squadron from 15 January 1958 to 24 March 1958.
On 8 July 1958, the 50th Fighter-Bomber Wing was redesignated as the 50th Tactical Fighter Wing (50 TFW). The redesignation from fighter-bomber to tactical fighter also affected its subordinate units, including the 10th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 81st Tactical Fighter Squadron, 417th Tactical Fighter Squadron, and the attached 457th Tactical Fighter Squadron. On 15 November 1959, the 50th Tactical Fighter Wing was reassigned from USAFE to the Seventeenth Air Force