527th Space Aggressor Squadron

The 527th Space Aggressor Squadron (527 SAS) is a United States Air Force unit located at Schriever Air Force Base in Colorado. Its mission is to train US, joint and allied military forces for combat with space-capable adversaries. As of March 2004 the unit consisted of 55 military and civilian personnel, primarily from the space and intelligence fields.

History

312 BS

The 312th Bombardment Squadron (light) was activated during World War II. During the 1940s and 1950s, the squadron went through many interations before being inactivated in 1956 as the 527th Fighter-Day Squadron.

527 TFTAS

The 527th Tactical Fighter Training Aggressor Squadron (527 TFTAS) was a United States Air Force unit located at RAF Alconbury and RAF Bentwaters in the United Kingdom. Its mission was to train United States Air Forces Europe jet fighter pilots for air combat with Eastern bloc adversaries.

On 29 September 1975 the 527th Fighter-Day Squadron was renamed to the 527th Tactical Fighter Training Aggressor Squadron. It was reactivated on 1 April 1976 at RAF Alconbury as a component of the 10th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing flying the F-5E jet fighter.

On 15 April 1983, the 527 TFTAS was renamed to the 527th Aggressor Squadron. Its role as a training squadron did not change but the aircraft did, they switched to the newer F-16 airframe. The unit moved to RAF Bentwaters in 1988 and began operations there on 14 July.

The squadron remained at RAF Bentwaters until its deactivation on 30 September 1990.

527 SAS

The 527th was not activated again until 29 September 2000 when it became the 527th Space Aggressor Squadron. On April 14, 2006 the squadron moved from under Air Force Space Command to Air Combat Command. The unit now reports to the 57th Adversary Tactics Group of the 57th Wing. [http://www.af.mil/pressreleases/release.asp?id=123019264]

Unit lineage

The 527 SAS traces its lineage back to World War II when it was formed as a light bomber unit. From that point until today it has seen many incarnations. In order, these are:

* 312th Bombardment Squadron (light), 10 February 1942–2 September 1942
* 312th Bombardment Squadron (dive), 3 September 1942–22 August 1944
* 527th Fighter-Bomber Squadron, 23 August 1943–29 May 1944
* 527th Fighter Squadron(single engine), 30 May 1944–30 March 1946 and 20 August 1946–19 January 1950 (inactive between 31 March 1946 and 19 August 1946)
* 527th Fighter-Bomber Squadron, 20 January 1950–7 October 1954
* 527th Fighter-Day Squadron, 8 Oct 1954–7 February 1956
* 527th Tactical Fighter Training Aggressor Squadron, 29 September 1975–14 April 1983 (reactivated on 1 April 1976)
* 527th Aggressor Squadron, 15 April 1983–29 September 1990
* Inactive, 30 September 1990–28 September 2000
* 527th Space Aggressor Squadron, 29 September 2000–present (activated 23 October 2000)

External links

* [http://afhra.maxwell.af.mil/rso/squadrons_flights_pages/0527sas.html Air Force Historical Research Agency]
* [http://www.nellis.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=4098 57th Wing factsheet]
* [http://www.nathanmueller.com/aggressors.html 527th AS 1986 Deployment, Decimommanu AB, Italy]