4080th Strategic Wing

4080th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing
4028 Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron Lockheed U-2 at Bien Hoa AB in 1965
Active	1956-1966
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	strategic reconnaissance
Part of	Strategic Air Command
Decorations	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
Commanders
Notable commanders	Lt Gen Gerald W. Johnson
Insignia
4080th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing emblem

The 4080th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing is a discontinued United States Air Force (USAF) wing last assigned to the 12th Strategic Aerospace Division of Strategic Air Command (SAC) at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona. It was SAC's high altitude reconnaissance wing for its existence and was the first USAF wing to operate the Lockheed U-2. It was discontinued as part of a program to replace operational units controlled by major commands with those controlled by USAF whose lineages could be continued,

The wing was first organized as the 4080th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, Light in 1956 at Turner AFB, Georgia. Its origins begin on 3 November 1955 with the formation of the 4025th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron at Lockbourne AFB, Ohio.

In June 1956, the 4028th was redesignated Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron, Weather and delivery of the Lockheed U-2 aircraft to the 4028th started in June 1957. Prior to this, all U-2 flying was performed by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).

The 4025th squadron received the initial RB-57D aircraft accepted by the Air Force. It also operated four B-57Cs, which were used for training. The first RB-57s arrived in May 1956 and eleven were on hand by the end of September. The RB-57D was a highly modified version of the B-57C. The crew was reduced to a single pilot; the 64 foot wingspan was increased to 105 feet; more powerful J57 engines replaced the J65s and all but the first six planes were equipped for air refueling. These aircraft also had a number of mission specific modifications. Six of the planes were RB-57D-2s specializing in electronic intelligence (ELINT) missions and returned to two-man configuration to allow for an electronic reconnaissance operator in addition to the pilot,

Following operational training, RB-57D detachments were sent to Yokota Air Base, Japan (Det 1) under Operation Sea Lion and to Eielson AFB, Alaska (Det 2). The Alaskan detachment carried out ELINT operations around the Kamchatka Peninsula. On 11 December 1956 a mission over and around Vladivistok (USSR) was flown early in the morning. The Japanese-based RB-57Ds gathered Electronic Intelligence on Soviet naval and air force operations in the Far East and monitored airborne radiation samples from Soviet nuclear tests. Some sorties were flown over Communist China, the RB-57D's operational ceiling being well above that of Chinese MiG-15s.