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18th Intelligence Squadron | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1943–1945; 1951; 1993–2020; 2022–Present |
| Country |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Air Force |
| Role | Military intelligence |
| Part of | Air Combat Command |
| Garrison/HQ | Buckley Space Force Base, Colorado |
| Nickname | Silver Bullet |
| Motto | America's Silver Bullet |
| Engagements | Globalwar on terrorism[1] |
| Decorations | Air Force Outstanding Unit Award withCombat "V" Device Air Force Outstanding Unit Award[1] |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander | Lt Col Marco Escalera |
| Insignia | |
| 18th Intelligence Squadron emblem(approved 24 August 1995)[1] |  |
The18th Intelligence Squadron is an intelligence organization of theUnited States Air Force, located atBuckley Space Force Base, Colorado.
The squadron was originally activated as the5th Photographic Laboratory Section on 20 October 1943 atWill Rogers Field, Oklahoma. While training atEsler Field, Louisiana, it was redesignated as the5th Photographic Technical Unit on 30 November 1944 and as the18th Photographic Technical Unit on 29 January 1945.
The 18th moved overseas in the spring of 1945, arriving inNancy/Azelot Airfield, France, little more than a month beforeV-E Day, on 22 March 1945. It was inactivated on 27 December 1945 atBad Kissingen Airfield, Germany. In these early years, the unit served in the United States, France, and Germany.
The68th Reconnaissance Technical Squadron was activated on 10 October 1951 atLockbourne Air Force Base, Ohio as an original element of the68th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, which was located atLake Charles Air Force Base, Louisiana, and began to equip withBoeing B-29 Superfortresses borrowed from other units. However, before the end of the year,Strategic Air Command decided to change the 68th Wing mission tobombardment and the squadron was inactivated on 10 December 1951.[1][2]
On 16 October 1984, the18th Photographic Technical Unit and the68th Reconnaissance Technical Squadron were consolidated as the18th Reconnaissance Technical Squadron, but the consolidated unit remained inactive. It was redesignated the18th Intelligence Squadron on 3 September 1993 and activated on 7 September 1993 atFalcon Air Force Base, Colorado, drawing its personnel and equipment from a detachment of aUnited States Air Force Security Service unit, which was discontinued.
The squadron's Detachment 1 was organized atHolloman Air Force Base, New Mexico in June 1995, and moved to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio during the summer of 2000. Detachment 1 was theAir Intelligence Agency's only transportable system conducting radio frequency phenomenology studies. Detachment 1 was discontinued on 8 June 2010 and merged with the 18th Intelligence Squadron, which moved fromVandenberg Air Force Base, California to Wright-Patterson. Assigned personnel provide data in support ofAir Force Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Agency,National Air and Space Intelligence Center, andUnited States Strategic Command missions as well as information critical to theNational Security Agency and other national-level organizations.
The squadron provided intelligence for the planning, development, and execution of space control operations. Thesquadron consisted of aheadquarters element atWright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio[3] and two geographically separated detachments: Detachment 2,Osan Air Base, Korea; and Detachment 4,RAF Feltwell, United Kingdom.[4]
The 18th was assigned to the544th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group, ofTwenty-Fifth Air Force ofAir Combat Command. Through fixed and mobile sites, it provided scientific and technical collection toNational Security Agency,Air Force Materiel Command, and the21st Space Wing, Passive Space Surveillance mission. Where available, it also provided limited analysis to the entities.[5]
The squadron INactivated during September 2020 and then reactivated as theUS Space Force's 73rd Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Squadron which assigned toSpace Delta 7.[6]
On 26 September 2022, the 18th Intelligence Squadron was reactivated as a part of the544th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group with the headquarters relocating toBuckley Space Force Base, Colorado under the command of Major Ryan Laine.
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio,[9] (31 Aug 2000 – 8 June 2010)Griffiss Air Force Base, New York, 7 September 1993 – 31 August 2000
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This article incorporatespublic domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
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