18th Intelligence Squadron
| 18th Intelligence Squadron | |
|---|---|
Emblem
|
|
| Active | 1993–present |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | United States Air Force |
| Type | Intelligence |
| Role | Space Control Intelligence |
| Size | Squadron |
| Part of | 544th ISRG/70th ISRW |
| Garrison/HQ | Wright-Patterson AFB |
| Motto(s) | Space Dominance |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander |
Lt. Col. Amanda McMillian |
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.
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.
The 18th Intelligence Squadron was originally activated as the 5th Photographic Laboratory Section on 20 October 1943 at Will Rogers Field, Oklahoma. It was redesignated as the 5th Photographic Technical Unit on 30 November 1944 at Esler Field, Louisiana and as the 18th Photographic Technical Unit on 29 January 1945 at Key Field, Mississippi. It was inactivated on 27 December 1945 at Bad Kissengen, Germany. In these early years, the unit served in the United States, France, and Germany. On 16 October 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 October 1951 and inactivated on 10 December 1951 at Lockbourne AFB, Ohio. The unit was redesignated the 18th Intelligence Squadron on 3 September 1993 and activated on 7 September 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.
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