325th Air Control Squadron


The 325th Air Control Squadron was a part of the 325th Fighter Wing, based at the United States Air Force's Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida. Originally constituted the 325th Fighter Control Squadron in March 1943, the 325th served in the Mediterranean Theatre of Operations during WWII. During the past decades, radar operations and maintenance has been taught to tens of thousands of personnel of all ranks. Following the transfer of the 325th Fighter Wing to Air Combat Command, on 12 October 2012 the 325th Air Control Squadron became the 337th Air Control Squadron under the 33rd Fighter Wing at Eglin AFB.

Mission

The 325 ACS was primarily responsible for the initial training of all Active duty, Air National Guard, and Reserve Air Force Air Battle Manager officers in command and control mission execution. The squadron provided training international officers in command and control operations, as well as command and control support for F-22A Raptor initial and transition training at Tyndall AFB.

History

World War II

The "Screamin' Eagles" began as the 325th Fighter Control Squadron in April 1943. In December 1943, the unit moved to North Africa to support the operations of the American and other Allied flying units. Moving its radar with the front lines, the squadron saw action throughout the Mediterranean and Southern Europe and earned battle streamers for Rome, 1944; Southern France, 1944; and the Rhineland, 1945. The squadron was disbanded in early 1945, when German air activity had effectively ceased.

Controller training

The 325th Tactical Training Squadron was activated in October 1983 and overtime absorbed the controller training mission conducted at Tyndall Air Force Base. After being renamed the 325th Training Squadron in November 1991 the two squadrons were consolidated in June 1999. In 2001 the squadron was redesignated as the 325th Air Control Squadron.
In addition to the F-22, the squadron also assisted with the training of McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle pilots until their departure from tyndall in 2010.
The squadron instructed five comprehensive courses. The primary course was the nine-month Undergraduate Air Battle Manager Training course, where officers learned everything from radar theory to large force employment. Graduates of this course receive follow-on assignments to the combat Air Forces to perform air battle management on the Boeing E-3 Sentry or the Boeing E-8 Joint STARS aircraft. Additional courses include the Battle Manager Instructor Training Course, which teaches air battle managers from different backgrounds the skills necessary to instruct undergraduate students, and the Air Weapons Officer/Weapons Director Initial Qualification Training Course, which teaches previously qualified air battle managers and weapons directors the art and science of controlling live aircraft. The 325th ACS also conducts the International Air Weapons Controller Course and the Theater Air Operations Course, where officers from around the world are introduced to weapons control and theater air operations.

Lineage

; 325th Fighter Control Squadron
; 325th Air Control Squadron