18th Intelligence Squadron

The 18th Intelligence Squadron (18 IS) is a space control intelligence organization of the United States Air Force, located at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio.

The squadron provides, through space systems expertise, tailored intelligence to the planning, development, and execution of space control operations. The 18 IS consists of a headquarters element at Wright-Patterson AFB and two geographically separated detachments: Detachment 2, Osan AB, Korea; and Detachment 4, RAF Feltwell, United Kingdom.^[1]

The 18 IS is a subordinate unit to the 544th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group, subordinate to 25th Air Force (25 AF), a Numbered Air Force subordinate to Air Combat Command (ACC). Through fixed and mobile sites, 18 IS provides scientific and technical collection to the NSA (National Security Agency), 25 AF, AFMC (Air Force Materiel Command), and 21st Space Wing, Passive Space Surveillance (21 SW/PASS) mission. Where available, also provides limited analysis to the entities.^[2]

History

The 18th Intelligence Squadron was originally activated as the 5th Photographic Laboratory Section on 20 Oct 1943 at Will Rogers Field, Oklahoma. It was redesignated as the 5th Photographic Technical Unit on 30 Nov 1944 at Esler Field, Louisiana and as the 18th Photographic Technical Unit on 29 Jan 1945 at Key Field, Mississippi. It was inactivated on 27 Dec 1945 at Bad Kissengen, Germany. In these early years, the unit served in the United States, France, and Germany. On 16 Oct 1984, the unit was redesignated the 18th Reconnaissance Technical Squadron after it was consolidated with the 68th Reconnaissance Technical Squadron, which had been activated on 10 Oct 1951 and inactivated on 10 Dec 1951 at Lockbourne AFB, Ohio. The unit was redesignated the 18th Intelligence Squadron on 3 Sep 1993 and activated on 7 Sep 1993 at Falcon AFB, Colorado.

Det 1, 18 IS was activated at Holloman AFB, New Mexico in June 1995, and later moved to Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio during the summer of 2000. Det 1 was the Air Intelligence Agency's only transportable system conducting Radio Frequency phenomenology studies. Det 1 was inactivated on 8 June 2010 and merged with the 18th Intelligence Squadron, which itself moved from Vandenberg AFB, California, to its current location of Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, in July 2010. Assigned personnel provide data in support of Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Agency, National Air and Space Intelligence Center, and United States Strategic Command missions as well as information critical to the National Security Agency and other national-level organizations.

Major command

• Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency (2007–present)
• Air Combat Command (2001–2007)
• Air Intelligence Agency (1993–2001)

Assignments

• 544th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group (7th Sep 1993–present)
• 693d Intelligence Wing (Oct 1991-7 Sep 1993)
• Continental Electronic Security Division (1 Jan 1991-Oct 1991)
• Space Electronic Security Division (1988–1991)
• 6940th Electronic Security Wing (Sep 1986-1988)

Previous designations

• 18th Intelligence Squadron (1993–Present)
• Det 5, 693d Intelligence Wing ()
• Det 5, HQ Continental Electronic Security Division ()
• Det 3, Space Electronic Security Division ()
• 18th Reconnaissance Technical Squadron (16 Oct 1984-???)
• 68th Reconnaissance Technical Squadron (10 Oct 1951-10 Dec 1951)
• 18th Photographic Technical Unit (29 Jan 1945-27 Dec 1945)
• 5th Photographic Technical Unit (30 Nov 1944-29 Jan 1945)
• 5th Photographic Laboratory Section (20 Oct 1943-30 Nov 1944)

Subordinate units

• 18th IS, Detachment 1 - Vandenberg AFB, California (Summer 2013 - present)

Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio^[3] (31 Aug 2000 - 8 June 2010)

Griffiss AFB, New York (7 Sep 1993 - 31 Aug 2000)

• 18th IS, Detachment 2 - Osan AB, Republic of Korea^[4] (1 Jan 1994–Present)
• 18th IS, Detachment 3 - Misawa AB, Japan (1 Jan 1994-30 Jun 2002)
• 18th IS, Detachment 4 - RAF Feltwell, United Kingdom^[5] (1 Jan 1994–Present)
• 18th IS, Detachment 5 - RAF Edzell, Scotland^[6](1 Jan 1994 - 31 Dec 1996)^[7]
• 18th IS, Detachment 6 - Holloman AFB, New Mexico (1 Apr 1995-15 Jun 1995); redesignated as 18 IS, Detachment 1 on 15 Jun 1995
• 18th IS, Operating Location - Vandenberg (OL-VN) - Vandenberg AFB, California - (8 June 2010 - Summer 2013); redesignated 18 IS, Detachment 1 in Summer of 2013.

Locations

• Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio (June 2010 – Present)
• Vandenberg AFB, California (???-June 2010)
• Falcon AFB, Colorado (7 Sep 1993-???)
• Lockbourne AFB, Ohio (10 Oct 1951-10 Dec 1951)
• Bad Kissingen, Germany (5 Dec 1945-27 Dec 1945)
• Darmstadt, Germany (19 Sep 1945-5 Dec 1945)
• Sandhofen, Germany (13 Jul 1945-19 Sep 1945)
• Hagenau, France (3 Apr 1945-13 Jul 1945)
• Nancy, France (22 Mar 1945-3 Apr 1945)
• Key Field, Mississippi (29 Jan 1945-26 Feb 1945)
• Esler Field, Louisiana (8 May 1944-29 Jan 1945)
• Thermal Army Airfield, California (26 Nov 1943-8 May 1944)
• Will Rogers Field, Oklahoma (20 Oct 1943-26 Nov 1943)

Photo gallery

• 

  Detachment 1, 18th IS, Holloman AFB, NM

• 

  Detachment 1, 18th IS, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH

• 

  Detachment 2, 18th IS Osan AB, Korea

• 

  Detachment 3, 18th IS Misawa AB, Japan

• 

  Detachment 4, 18th IS RAF Feltwell, UK

• 

  Detachment 5, 18th IS RAF Edzell, Scotland

References

1. ↑ Richelson, Jeffrey. The United States Intelligence Community, 3rd edition
2. ↑ Air Intelligence Agency Mission Directive 1520 - 18th Intelligence Squadron
3. ↑ AIA Spokesman November 2004
4. ↑ AIA Spokesman March 2004
5. ↑ AIA Spokesman June 2005
6. ↑ AIA Spokesman August 1997
7. ↑ Naval Security Group Station History

External links

• 70th Intelligence Wing Fact Sheet
• AFCYBER - Air Force Cyber Command