List of USAF Strategic Reconnaissance Wings assigned to Strategic Air Command
5th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing “Guardians of the Upper Regions”
- Established on: 1 July 1949.
- Activated on: 16 July 1949.
- At: Mountain Home AFB, ID.
- Assigned to: Strategic Air Command, 311th Air Division.
- Equipment: B-29s, RB-29s.
- Moved to: Fairfield Suisun AFB, CA, on 12 November 1949.
- Reassigned to: Second Air Force on 1 November 1949. (Attached to the 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing from 21 November 1949 to 1 April 1950).
- Reassigned to: Fifteenth Air Force on 1 April 1950.(Attached to 9th Bomb Wing from 1 April 1950 to 10 February 1951).
- Equipment: B-29s, RB-29s.
- Changed equipment in: 1950 to RB-29s, RB-36s..
- Reassigned to: Fifteenth Air Force, 14th Air Division on 10 February 1951. (Attached to the 3rd Air Division from 14 January to 12 April 1955).
- Changed equipment in: 1955 to B-36s, RB-36s.
- Redesignated on: 1 October 1955 as 5th Bomb Wing.
Performed long-range strategic reconnaissance, Jul. 1949-Oct. 1955, with some limited reconnaissance to Sept. 1958. Fully integrated with 9th Strategic Reconnaissance (later, 9th Bombardment) Wing, 12 November 1949 - 10 February 1951; maintained a manned headquarters, but had no operational control over assigned units, and from 1 February 1950 to 10 February 1951 shared a commander in common with the 9th Wing. Began maintaining proficiency in strategic bombardment in Jul. 1953 but was not redesignated as a bombardment wing until Oct. 1955.
6th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing
- Redesignated on: 1 April 1988.
- At: Eielson AFB, AK.
- Assigned to: Fifteenth Air Force,14th Air Division.
- Equipment: KC-135s, RC-135s, TC-135s.
- Reassigned to: Fifteenth Air Force,3rd Air Division on 9 August 1990.
- Reassigned to: Fifteenth Air Force on 1 April 1992.
- Reassigned to: Air Combat Command,
- Second Air Force on 31 May 1992
9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing
See 9th Reconnaissance Wing
100th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing
- Redesignated on: 25 June 1966.
- At: Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ.
- Assigned to: Strategic Air Command, Fifteenth Air Force, 12th Strategic Aerospace Division on 25 June 1966.
- Equipment: CH-3s, AQM-34s, U-2s, WU-2s, DC-130s.
- Changed equipment in: 1970 to CH-3s, AQM-34s, U-2s, DC-130s.
- Reassigned to: Fifteenth Air Force, 14th Strategic Aerospace Division on 30 June 1971.
- Reassigned to: Fifteenth Air Force, 12th Strategic Missile Division on 1 August 1972.
- Redesignated on: 100th Air Refueling Wing on 30 September 1976.
The wing moved without personnel or equipment to Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ, in Jun 1966 and absorbed resources of the 4080th Strategic Wing. During the next ten years, it performed global strategic reconnaissance with U-2 and drone aircraft, Jun 1966-1976, using one overseas-based squadron (99th SRS), and deployed operating locations as needed, 1972-1976, earning the P.T. Cullen Award as the reconnaissance unit that contributed most to the photo and signal intelligence efforts of SAC, 1972. The wing transferred drone operations and associated DC-130 launchers and CH-3 recoveries to TAC in mid-1976, and transferred U-2 resources to 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing at Beale AFB, CA, Jul-Sep 1976. Not operational, 11 August-29 September 1976, while phasing down at Davis-Monthan AFB, it moved without personnel or equipment to Beale AFB on 30 September 1976 and absorbed resources of the 17th Bombardment Wing, Heavy.
4080th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing
- Activated on: 1 May 1956.
- At: Turner AFB, GA..
- Assigned to: Second Air Force, 40th Air Division.
- Equipment: B-57s.
- Moved to: Laughlin AFB, TX on 1 April 1957.
- Reassigned to: Second Air Force on 1 April 1957.
- Changed equipment in: 1957 to B-57s, U-2s.
- Changed equipment in: 1960 to U-2s.
- Redesignated on: 1 June 1960 as 4080th Strategic Wing.
4200th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing
- Activated on: 1965.
- At: Beale AFB, CA.
- Assigned to: Strategic Air Command, Fifteenth Air Force, 14th Strategic Aerospace Division.
- Equipment: SR-71s.
- Inactivated on: 25 June 1966.