99th Range Group

99th Range Group
99th Range Group
Active	1954-2001
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Role	Military simulation
Motto(s)	Combat Evaluation
Insignia
99th Range Group emblem
1st Combat Evaluation Group emblem
1st Radar Bomb Scoring Group emblem

The 99th Range Group is an inactive United States Air Force (USAF) unit. It was last stationed at Nellis AFB, Nevada, where it was responsible for the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR).

1945 RBS unit

After the Colorado Springs Tent Camp gained the 1946 Fifteenth Air Force headquarters^[1] for bomber operations, including Radar Bomb Scoring (RBS), "Colorado Springs" had the 206th Army Air Force Base Unit (RBS) organized on 6 June 1945 and which initially controlled RBS detachments at Kansas City^[where?] and Fort Worth Army Airfield. From August to 8 March 1946, as the 63rd AAFBU, the headquarters was at Mitchel Field on Long Island, New York, and after returning to Colorado Springs, was renamed the 263rd AAFBU. The 263rd, after transferring from 15th AF to directly under Strategic Air Command, was redesignated the 3903rd Radar Bomb Scoring Squadron (SAC) effective on 1 August 1948and by 25 August 1949, the 3903rd RBSS controlled the nearby "Denver Bomb Plot" RBS detachment.

1951 RBS group

The 15th AF HQ departed the 1949 Ent Air Force Base for March AFB^[2] and the 3903rd went^[when?] to Carswell Air Force Base and became a group in 1951. The 1st Radar Bomb Scoring Group was activated in 1954^[3]^{[verification needed]} and assumed the 3903d Radar Bomb Scoring Group mission.^[4]

1961 division

On 1 August 1961 the 3908th Strategic Standardization Group that provided command level standardization/evaluation of SAC aircrews merged with the 1st Radar Bomb Scoring Group, with the 1CEVG Radar Bomb Scoring Division acquiring the previous RBS Group's personnel, electronic equipment, and mission. 1CEVG RBS personnel managed Combat Skyspot operations during the Vietnam War.^{[citation needed]}

1989 range group

The personnel and the assets of the Radar Bomb Scoring Division became the 1st Electronic Combat Range Group on 1 July 1989 when the 1CEVG was split, and other 1CEVG organizations transferred to SAC headquarters. 1 CEVG/Det. 2 was moved from Wall, SD to Holbrook, AZ in 1968. We were up and running around the middle of April. …1990 when we became 99 ECRG/DET 2. The last RBS/ECM sortie was on or about 13 September 1993. The last ECM-only sortie was on or about 30 September 1993. A Rockwell B-1B from Dyess (not positive) flew the last RBS/ECM mission. A C-130 from Hulburt Field flew the last ECM mission. The period of time between 1 October 1993, and Christmas was used for decommissioning the systems.^[5]

The 1st ECRG then became the 99th Electronic Combat Range Group in 1992 when USAF required subordinate groups to carry the same number as their parent wings. In October 1995, the group moved to Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada and was redesignated the 99th Range Group. There it assumed the mission of managing the Nevada Test and Training Range.^{[citation needed]} To perform this mission it was assigned two subordinate squadrons, the 99th Range Squadron and 99th Range Support Squadron. It continued this task until its mission was transferred to its parent, the 99th Air Base Wing.^{[citation needed]}

Lineage

Constituted as the 1st Radar Bomb Scoring Group on 9 June 1954
Activated on 10 August 1954

Redesignated 1st Combat Evaluation Group on 1 August 1961

Redesignated 1st Electronic Combat Range Group on 1 July 1989

Redesignated 99 Electronic Combat Range Group on 1 August 1992

Redesignated 99 Range Group on 1 October 1995

Inactivated on 7 February 2000^[4]

Assignments

Strategic Air Command, 10 Aug 1954
99th Strategic Weapons Wing (later 99th Tactics and Training Wing, 99th Wing, 99th Air Base Wing), 10 August 1989 - 7 February 2000^[4]

Subordinate Units

Squadrons

10th Radar Bomb Scoring Squadron, 10 August 1954 – 19 September 1966
11th Radar Bomb Scoring Squadron, 10 August 1954 – 19 September 1966
12th Radar Bomb Scoring Squadron, 10 August 1954 – 19 September 1966
99th Range Squadron, 1 October 1995 – 7 February 2000
99th Range Support Squadron, 1 October 1995 - 7 February 2000^[4]

Flight

10th SHORAN Beacon Flight, 10 August 1954 - 25 July 1966^[4]

Stations

Carswell Air Force Base, Texas, 10 August 1954
Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, 24 July 1961
Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, 1 October 1995 - 7 February 2000^[4]

References

Explanatory notes

^ Approved 27 November 1989.
^ Approved 12 June 1958.

Citations

^ "Joe McCusker's Air Force Base List". Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 6 July 2013.
^ Toro, MSgt. Radames; Barrios, MSgt. Ramon A (1 August 1993). "Chapter 1: Command Overview". Space Operations Orientation Course (Third ed.). Peterson AFB, Colorado: 21st Crew Training Squadron. p. 3. In 1948…the 15th Air Force, then headquartered at Ent AFB… One year later, the 15th Air Force relocated to March AFB California … January 8, 1951…the Air Force established the Air Defense Command (ADC) at Ent AFB.
^ AFOMO Letter 241j, 9 June 1954, Subject: Constitution and Activation of the 1st Radar Bomb Scoring Group and Certain Other USAF Units.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Bailey, Carl E. Lineage and Honors History of the 99th Range Group, Air Force Historical Research Agency (does not include commanders after 1975)
^ MacDonald, Ray (29 January 2002). "Detachment 2 Holbrook, AZ" (history anecdote). 1 CEVG/DET 2 History (A fluid Document). 1CEVGA.com. Retrieved 20 January 2013.

Hellickson, Gene, ed. (9 November 1983). Historical Summary: Radar Bomb Scoring, 1945–1983 (PDF) (Report). Office of History, 1st Combat Evaluation Group. Retrieved 1 October 2012. On 6 June 1945, the 206th Army Air Force Base Unit (RBS) ( 206th AAFBU), was activated art Colorado Springs, Colorado, under the command of Colonel Robert W. Burns. He assumed operational control of the two SCR-584 radar detachments located at Kansas City and Fort Worth [Det B], Texas. … On 24 July 1945, the 206th was redesignated the 63rd AAFBU (RBS) and three weeks later was moved to Mitchell [sic] Field, New York, and placed under the command of the Continental Air Force. [sic] On 5 March 1946, the organization moved back to Colorado Springs and on 8 March of the same year was redesignated the 263rd AAFBU. (html transcription available at [1])</ref>
Combat Evaluation Group - A place for CEVG'ers and Range Rats to Meet, Yahoo newsgroup, 9 January 2000
"Message 3279". Havre Training Site MT (Different place from the earlier Havre AFS air defense radar [site] ... Interior RBSS, atop Hurley Butte^{[dead link]}
"Message 11831". 2004.^{[dead link]}
"Message 12089".^{[dead link]} [Bismarck opened January 1961]
Ross, Don (30 August 2007). "Sqdns, Det 4 and Germany". Archived from the original on 14 December 2012. Retrieved 9 July 2012. three RBS Express trains. One per sqdn

[1] Approved 27 November 1989.

[2] Approved 12 June 1958.

[JoesList-3] "Joe McCusker's Air Force Base List". Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 6 July 2013.

[4] Toro, MSgt. Radames; Barrios, MSgt. Ramon A (1 August 1993). "Chapter 1: Command Overview". Space Operations Orientation Course (Third ed.). Peterson AFB, Colorado: 21st Crew Training Squadron. p. 3. In 1948…the 15th Air Force, then headquartered at Ent AFB… One year later, the 15th Air Force relocated to March AFB California … January 8, 1951…the Air Force established the Air Defense Command (ADC) at Ent AFB.

[5] AFOMO Letter 241j, 9 June 1954, Subject: Constitution and Activation of the 1st Radar Bomb Scoring Group and Certain Other USAF Units.

[99RANGLH-6] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Bailey, Carl E. Lineage and Honors History of the 99th Range Group, Air Force Historical Research Agency (does not include commanders after 1975)

[MacDonald2-7] MacDonald, Ray (29 January 2002). "Detachment 2 Holbrook, AZ" (history anecdote). 1 CEVG/DET 2 History (A fluid Document). 1CEVGA.com. Retrieved 20 January 2013.

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