01115892 SECRET 2448989 01-01-1993 2449219 08-19-1993

WING/0343

HISTORY K-WG-343-HI V. 1 VOL I OF VI 45985 766 921 48 2450884 03-11-1998 COL THOMAS O. FLEMING COMMANDED 343 WING (WG) BASED AT EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE (AFB), AK. 343 WG REDESIGNATED 354 FIGHTER WING (FW) IN MID-AUGUST 1993; OTHERWISE WING REMAINED UNCHANGED. LANTIRN (LOW-ALTITUDE NAVIGATION AND TARGETING INFRARED FOR NIGHT)-EQUIPPED F-16 C/D AND OA-10 AIRCRAFT EXECUTED GROUND SUPPORT MISSIONS. DISCUSSED EIELSON AFB IMPACT ON LOCAL ECONOMY; NOISE POLLUTION COMPLAINTS FOLLOWING ARRIVAL OF F-16 AIRCRAFT AND DURING COPE THUNDER OPERATIONS; IMPLEMENTATION OF TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT (TQM) AND QUALITY AIR FORCE (QAF) PROGRAM. PERSONNEL MANNING DECREASED. ENLISTED RETENTION RATES INCREASED. QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES DUE TO ISOLATED CONDITIONS. 343 FW RECEIVED AIR FORCE OUTSTANDING UNIT AWARD (AFOUA) FOR JUL 1990 THROUGH JUN 1992 AND PACIFIC AIR FORCES (PACAF) FLIGHT SAFETY AWARD. STARTED ERGOMETRY FITNESS TESTING. DEFENSE ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION ACCOUNT (DERA) FUNDED ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION AND MAINTENANCE ON BASE. INSTALLATION RESTORATION PROGRAM (IRP); POLLUTION PREVENTION PROGRAM (PPP) INITIATIVES; SURVEYED PEREGRINE FALCON NESTING SITES; REDUCED ENERGY CONSUMPTION. CONDUCTED OPERATIONAL READINESS EXERCISES CALLED ARCTIC GOLD. 343 WG PRACTICED MISSION THROUGH RANGE TRAINING. F-16 AIRCRAFT RECEIVED TARGETING POD FOR LANTIRN SYSTEMS. TRAINED RIVET WORK FORCE AND IMPLEMENTED TWO-LEVEL MAINTENANCE FOR F-16 AVIONICS THROUGH CORONET DEUCE II AND III. DURING 1993, TWO AIRCRAFT CRASHES CLAIMED LIVES OF THREE MEN: CAPT GLEN S. PORTER AND MAJ ROBERT D. VERDONE ON 18 FEB AND CAPT LUIS JORDAN ON 18 MAY. PARTICIPATED IN EXERCISES: COPE THUNDER, AIR WARRIOR, COMBAT ARCHER, TEAM SPIRIT, GREEN FLAG, SABRE SPIRIT, DISTANT FRONTIER AND CHECKERED FLAG. . FOUO NOFORN ORCON/OTHER PRIVILEGED WNINTEL APPENDICES INCLUDED: LINEAGE AND HONORS DATA; ROSTER OF KEY PERSONNEL; AIRCRAFT INVENTORY/AVAILABILITY; UNIT CAPABILITY; AIRCRAFT UTILIZATION; RANGE UTILIZATION; AIRCRAFT SAFETY; GLOSSARY. PHOTOGRAPHS OF PERSONNEL AND AIRCRAFT. EIELSON AFB, AK