01100340 SECRET 2447893 01-01-1990 2448257 12-31-1990

0015 AIR FORCE

HISTORY K670.01-31 V.1 VOL I OF XIII 43648 6 214 37 2449198 07-29-1993 LT GEN ROBERT D. BECKEL REPLACED LT GEN RICHARD A. BURPEE AS COMMANDER OF 15 AIR FORCE (15 AF) EFFECTIVE 2 AUG 90. 15 AF HEADQUARTERS UNDERWENT REORGANIZATION AND RESTRUCTURING THAT COMBINED SEVERAL STAFF AGENCIES INTO ONE WITH MISSION FUNCTIONALLY STANDARDIZED WITH THAT OF 8 AF. SEVERAL TWO/LETTER STAFF AGENCIES WERE REORGANIZED INTO THREE/LETTER OFFICES UNDER SINGLE NEW STAFF AGENCY: COMMAND SUPPORT. ASSIGNED UNIT GAINED BY 15 AF WAS 33 COMMUNICATIONS GROUP, WHILE 43 BOMBARDMENT WING (HEAVY) WAS ASSIGNED UNIT LOST BY 15 AF. PERSONNEL OF 15 AF PARTICIPATED IN NUMEROUS EXERCISES AND OPERATIONS, SUCH AS: GLOBAL SHIELD, RAPID WARRIOR 90-G, NOBLE WARRIOR 90-1, NOBLE WARRIOR 90-2, COBRA GOLD 90, QUICK FORCE 90-2, GIANT WARRIOR, AND OPERATION DESERT SHIELD. GLOBAL SHIELD DEMONSTRATED ABILITY OF 15 AF TO CARRY OUT SINGLE INTEGRATED OPERATIONS PLAN AND STRATEGIC READINESS. RAPID WARRIOR 90-G TESTED ABILITIES IN SHORT/NOTICE MARITIME EXERCISES, AIR REFUELING, LOW/LEVEL BOMBING RUNS, LIVE RELEASES, AND COORDINATED ATTACKS WITH UNITED STATES NAVY BATTLE GROUPS. NOBLE WARRIOR 90-1 TESTED JOINT OPERATIONS WITH UNITED STATES SURFACE VESSELS, FIGHTER INTERCEPT ACTIVITY, AND BOMB DROPS OVER TEST RANGES. NOBLE WARRIOR 90-2 SAW 15 AF B-52 AND KC-135 AIRCRAFT CREWS CARRYING OUT SEA RECONNAISSANCE AND SURVEILLANCE, AERIAL MINE LAYING, AND SEA/LAND STRIKES TO COUNTER NAVAL AND GROUND OPERATIONS. COBRA GOLD 90, QUICK FORCE 90-2, AND GIANT WARRIOR 90 ALLOWED 15 AF TO TEST RANGE OF CONVENTIONAL CAPABILITIES IN PACIFIC THEATER. 15 AF CONDUCTED STRATEGIC AIR COMMAND (SAC) OPERATIONS IN PACIFIC AND INDIAN OCEANS AS PART OF OPERATION DESERT SHIELD, INCLUDING CARRYING OUT STRATEGIC OPERATIONS FROM DIEGO GARCIA AND COMBAT SUPPORT FUNCTIONS AT ANDERSEN AIR BASE (GUAM). 4300 PROVISIONAL BOMBARDMENT WING WAS ACTIVATED AT DIEGO GARCIA AND ATTACHED TO 15 AF ON 24 AUG 90, WHILE SAC ACTIVATED 1500 STRATEGIC WING (PROVISIONAL) AT ANDERSEN AND ATTACHED IT TO 15 AF ON 21 SEP 90. ACTIVATION OF 4300 AIR REFUELING SQUADRON (PROVISIONAL), 4300 COMBAT SUPPORT GROUP (PROVISIONAL), AND 4300 CONSOLIDATED AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE SQUADRON (PROVISIONAL) ALSO TOOK PLACE ON 21 SEP 90. 15 AF PERSONNEL DEPLOYED TO LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT MIDDLE EAST AND PACIFIC THEATER FOR DESERT SHIELD. 15 AF CREWS AND AIRCRAFT TRANSPORTED EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES TO AMERICAN SERVICEMEN IN SAUDI ARABIA AND OTHER MIDDLE EAST LOCATIONS AS PART OF DESERT EXPRESS OPERATION. 15 AF RECEIVED RESPONSIBILITY FOR LOGISTICAL SUPPORT TO SAC ACTIONS IN MIDDLE EAST, EUROPE, AND PACIFIC FOR DESERT SHIELD OPERATION. NEW APPROACHES TO MAINTENANCE AND RESOURCE ALLOCATION DOMINATED CONCERNS OF 15 AF TECHNICIANS AND LOGISTICIANS, INCLUDING FIRST APPLICATION OF CONCEPT OF INTERMEDIATE LEVEL MAINTENANCE CENTER WHICH HAD BECAME PART OF 15 AF AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE BY DEC 90. 15 AF DISCUSSIONS WITH PACIFIC AIR FORCES AND UNITED STATES NAVY INVOLVED SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN CONDUCT OF OPERATIONS IN PACIFIC THEATER. NEW ARRANGEMENTS WERE MADE IN DEPLOYMENT AND USE OF COMMAND TANKERS, PARTICULARLY IN RED FLAG TANKER TASK FORCE AND CARIBBEAN TANKER TASK FORCE. NOFORN ORCON/OTHER PART OF COLLECTION FOR OPERATIONS DESERT SHIELD/DESERT STORM. INCLUDES MAPS AND PHOTOGRAPHS (OF KEY PERSONNEL, AIRCRAFT, AND FACILITIES).