160th Fighter Squadron

160th Fighter Squadron
160th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron F-16C 86-0346 Balad AB Iraq, 2006
Active	1 October 1947 – 13 September 2007
Country	United States
Allegiance	Alabama
Branch	Air National Guard
Type	Squadron
Role	Fighter
Part of	Alabama Air National Guard
Garrison/HQ	Montgomery Air National Guard Base, Alabama
Tail Code	"AL"
Engagements	Cold War Operation Noble Eagle
Insignia
160th Fighter Squadron emblem

The 160th Fighter Squadron (160 FS) is an inactive unit of the Alabama Air National Guard. It was last assigned to the 187th Fighter Wing, stationed at Montgomery Air National Guard Base, Alabama. It was inactivated on 13 September 2007, with personnel and equipment being transferred to the 100th Fighter Squadron.

Authorized by the National Guard Bureau in 1947 as the 160th Fighter Squadron, Alabama Air National Guard. Organized at Birmingham Municipal Airport and extended recognition as a new unit on 1 October 1947 with no previous World War II history or lineage.

The squadron was assigned to the 117th Fighter Group and equipped with F-51D Mustangs. The unit's initial mission was the air defense of Alabama. Was re-equipped with RF-51D Mustangs in 1950, being assigned to Tactical Air Command. Its mission was changed to daylight aerial reconnaissance. Its aircraft were former World War II F-5 Mustangs which had been used in the United States in a training role.

The squadron and its parent 117th Fighter Group were federalized due to the Korean War on 10 October 1950. On 1 November the Mustangs were transferred to other units and the 160th was re-equipped with RF-80A Shooting Star photo-reconnaissance jets and transferred to Lawson AFB, Georgia. At Lawson, the wartime group was formed as the 160th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, the 157th TRS (South Carolina ANG) (RF-80) and 112th TRS (Ohio ANG) (RB-26). The 117th Tactical Reconnaissance Group was assigned to Ninth Air Force, Tactical Air Command.