5070th Air Defense Wing
| 5070th Air Defense Wing | |
|---|---|
 317th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron F-102As[a] | |
| Active | 1960-1961 |
| Country | .png){kind=small} United States |
| Branch |  United States Air Force |
| Type | Fighter Interceptor |
| Role | Air defense |
The 5070th Air Defense Wing is a discontinued United States Air Force organization. It was assigned to the Alaskan Air Command at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, where it was active from August 1960 until October 1961 as the headquarters for air defense units in Alaska.
History
The 5070th Air Defense Wing was established at Elmendorf Air Force Base in August 1960.[1] In August 1960, Alaskan Air Command inactivated the 10th and 11th Air Divisions.[2][3] The wing assumed most of the divisions' subordinate units and the mission of the air defense of Alaska.
The wing was assigned a single interceptor aircraft squadron, the 317th, equipped with Convair F-102 Delta Daggers.[4] In addition to standing alert at its home base at Elmendorf, the squadron deployed fighters to King Salmon Airport and Galena Air Force Base. Although the squadron launched aircraft to intercept Soviet aircraft penetrating the Alaskan air defense identification zone, none were successful.[5][b]
It was also assigned a number of aircraft control and warning squadrons, located throughout Alaska. Its 5070th Radar Evaluation Squadron provided target aircraft for fighter aircraft operating under Alaskan Air Command control and electronic countermeasure training for both fighter and ground radar units. It calibrated and evaluated the performance of radar sites.[6]
The wing was discontinued on 1 October 1961, and most of its components were reassigned directly to Alaskan Air Command.
Lineage
- Designated as the 5070th Air Defense Wing and organized on 1 August 1960
- Discontinued on 1 October 1961
Assignments
- Alaskan Air Command, 1 August 1960 – 1 October 1961
Components
- 317th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 25 August 1960 – 1 October 1961[4][c]
- 626th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, 1 August 1960 – 1 October 1961
- Fire Island Air Force Station, Alaska
- 705th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, 1 August 1960 – 1 October 1961
- King Salmon Airport, Alaska
- 708th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, 1 August 1960 – 1 October 1961
- Indian Mountain Air Force Station, Alaska
- 709th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, 1 August 1960 – 1 October 1961
- Fort Yukon Air Force Station, Alaska
- 710th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, 1 August 1960 – 1 October 1961[7]
- Tin City Air Force Station, Alaska
- 711th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, 1 August 1960 – 1 October 1961
- Cape Lisburne Air Force Station, Alaska
- 712th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, 1 August 1960 – 1 October 1961
- Northeast Cape Air Force Station, Alaska
- 713th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, 1 August 1960 – 1 October 1961
- Bethel Air Force Station, Alaska
- 714th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, 1 August 1960 – 1 October 1961
- Cold Bay Air Force Station, Alaska
- 717th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, 1 August 1960 – 1 October 1961
- Tatalina Air Force Station, Alaska
- 718th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, 1 August 1960 – 1 October 1961
- Unalakleet Air Force Station, Alaska
- 719th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, 1 August 1960 – 1 October 1961
- Sparrevohn Air Force Station, Alaska
- 720th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, 1 August 1960 – 1 October 1961
- Middleton Island Air Force Station, Alaska
- 743d Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, 1 August 1960 – 1 October 1961
- Campion Air Force Station, Alaska
- 744th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, 1 August 1960 – 1 October 1961
- Murphy Dome Air Force Station, Alaska
- 748th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, 1 August 1960 – 1 October 1961
- Kotzebue Air Force Station, Alaska
- 794th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, 1 August 1960 – 1 October 1961
- Cape Newenham Air Force Station, Alaska
- 795th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, 1 August 1960 – 1 October 1961
- Cape Romanzof Air Force Station, Alaska
- 937th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, 1 August 1960 – 1 October 1961[8]
- Ohlson Mountain Air Force Station, Alaska
- 5070th Radar Evaluation Squadron (later 5070th Defense Systems Evaluation Squadron), 1 August 1960 – 1 October 1961
Stations
- Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, 1 August 1960 – 1 October 1961[9]
Aircraft
- Convair F-102 Delta Dagger, 1960–1961[4]
- Martin EB-57 Canberra, 1960–1961
See also
References
Notes
- Explanatory notes
- ↑ Aircraft are Convair F-102-70-CO Delta Daggers, serials 56-1267 and 56-1274. Both aircraft were later converted to QF-102A drones and expended as aerial targets. The plane on display at Elmendorf Air Force Base is marked as serial 56-1274, but is actually F-102, serial 56-1053. Dirkx, Marco (23 September 2025). "1956 USAF Serial Numbers". Joe Baugher’s Serial Number List. Retrieved 30 April 2026.
- ↑ Ptior to the wing's discontinuation, 16 attempts had been made to intercept Soviet planes near Alaska, but none were successful. The first successful intercept occurred in December 1961 by an F-102 deployed to Galnea. Air Defense of Arctic Skies, p. 25.
- ↑ Subordinate units stationed at Elmendorf with wing headquarters, ecept as noted.
- Citations
- ↑ See Mueller.p. 162
- ↑ "Factsheet 10 Air Division (Defense)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. 4 October 2007. Archived from the original on 23 September 2011. Retrieved 9 April 2014.
- ↑ "Factsheet 11 Air Division (Defense)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. 4 October 2007. Archived from the original on 30 October 2012. Retrieved 9 April 2014.
- 1 2 3 Maurer, pp. 386-87
- ↑ Air Defense of Arctic Skies, p.25
- ↑ No byline. "Abstract, History 5707 Defense Systems Evaluation Squadron Oct–Dec 61". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 30 April 2026.
- ↑ Haulman, Daniel L. (July 2005). "Factsheet 710 Combat Operations Squadron (AFRC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 30 April 2026.
- ↑ no byline (19 July 2020). "937th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron" (PDF). USAF History.com. Retrieved 30 April 2026.
- ↑ Mueller.p. 162
Bibliography
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
- Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
- Mueller, Robert (1989). Air Force Bases, Vol. I, Active Air Force Bases Within the United States of America on 17 September 1982 (PDF). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-53-6. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
- No byline (2002). "History of the Aircraft Control and Warning System in Alaska: Air Defense of Arctic Skies" (PDF). Argonne National Laboratory. Retrieved 1 May 2026.
- Further reading
- Cloe, John H.; Monaghan, Michael F. (1984). "Top Cover for America: The Air Force in Alaska 1920-1983". Air Force Association. ISBN 978-0933126473. Retrieved 1 May 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: periodical has ISBN (link) (Amazon website)