527th Space Aggressor Squadron

527th Space Aggressor Squadron
527th Space Aggressor Squadron emblem
Active	1942-Present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Space Aggressor
Role	Adversary Tactics
Part of	ACC/57th Wing
Garrison/HQ	Schriever AFB, Colorado

The 527th Space Aggressor Squadron (527 SAS) is a non-flying United States Air Force unit assigned to the 57th Adversary Tactics Group. The 527 SAS is stationed at Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado, being a Geographically Separated Unit (GSU) of the 57 ATG, which is stationed at Nellis AFB, Nevada.

Its mission is to train US, joint and allied military forces for combat with space-capable adversaries preparing USAF, Joint and Allied Forces for combat through realistic threat replication, training, and feedback through specialized and certified space-capable aggressors. It operates adversary space systems, develops new tactics, techniques and procedures to counter threats, and improves the US military space posture.

The squadron attempts to replicate enemy threats to space-based and space-enabled systems during tests and training exercises. By using Global Positioning System and satellite communications jamming techniques, it provides Air Force, joint and coalition military personnel with an understanding of how to recognize, mitigate, counter and defeat these threats.

The 527 SAS serves to know, teach and replicate a wide array of terrestrial and space threats to the U.S. military's space enablers. The squadron trains the modern warfighter to operate in an environment where critical systems like GPS and SATCOM are interfered with or denied—preparing them for the current and future fights, and guaranteeing U.S. battlefield dominance well into the 21st century.

Initially activated as an A-20 Havoc dive-bomber squadron in the southeast, trained under Third Air Force. Was realigned to an A-24 Banshee fighter-bomber squadron and re-designated from the 312th to 527th Fighter-Bomber Squadron in August 1943.

Was deployed to Twelfth Air Force in North Africa in May 1943, being initially stationed in Algeria. Flying operations began 15 May from Médiouna Airfield, near Casablanca, French Morocco. Moved eastward supporting the Fifth Army with close air support missions. In the North African Campaign, the squadron engaged German positions in Tunisia

In July, initial elements of the squadron moved to Sicily. From the Gela West airfield, begin flying combat missions, supporting the 1st Division of II Army Corps. On 27 August, the squadron provided air support for the first Allied landings on the European mainland at Salerno, Italy. On 10 September, three days after the invasion of Salerno, advance echelons of the squadron moved to Sele Airfield, near the beachhead. Enemy shelling of the beaches caused considerable difficulty during the move, and the 5527th did not fly its first missions until 15 September.