This is a list of United States Air Force F-106 Delta Dart Squadrons. The F-106 is considered one of the finest all-weather interceptors ever built. It served on active duty with the United States Air Force Air Defense Command (and successor organizations) and Air Defense squadrons of the Air National Guard for almost 30 years, much longer than most of its contemporaries.
Originally designated the F-102B, it was redesignated F-106 because of extensive structural changes and a more powerful engine. The first F-106A flew on 26 December 1956, and deliveries to the USAF began in July 1959 with the 539th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron at McGuire AFB, New Jersey. Production ended in late 1961 after 277 single-seat F-106As and 63 two-seat F-106B trainers had been built. The last squadron to relinquish its F-106s was the 119th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron of the New Jersey Air National Guard, which sent its last plane to AMARC in August 1988.
The last operator of the F-106 was the 82d Aerial Targets Squadron, which used retired F-106s as target drones beginning in 1990. The last shoot down of a QF-106 (57-2524) took place at Holloman AFB on 20 February 1997. The last unexpended flyable 82d ATS QF-106 drone was sent to AMARC in January 1998 for storage.
Air Defense Command/ADTAC Squadron Assignments Number of aircraft assigned in parentheses
2d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (20) Wurtsmith AFB, Michigan, July 1971 – March 1973 Inactivated, A/C to AMARC Air Defense Weapons Center (ADWC) (33) Redesignated: 2d Fighter-Interceptor Training Squadron 15 August 1974 Redesignated: 2d Fighter Weapons Squadron 1 February 1982 Tyndall AFB, Florida, September 1974 – May 1984 Inactivated, A/C to AMARC
5th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (45) Minot AFB, North Dakota, February 1960 – April 1985 A/C to AMARC, re-equipped with F-15A Eagles
11th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (33) Duluth Airport, Minnesota, June 1960 – September 1968 Inactivated, A/C reassigned to 87th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron
27th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (51) Loring AFB, Maine, October 1959 – July 1971 Inactivated, A/C reassigned to 83d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron
48th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (49) Langley AFB, Virginia, September 1960 – March 1982 A/C to AMARC, re-equipped with F-15A Eagles
49th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (46) Griffiss AFB, New York, December 1968 – September 1987 Inactivated, A/C to AMARC, last active-duty USAF F-106 Squadron
71st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (57) Selfridge AFB, Michigan, October 1960 Richards-Gebaur AFB, Missouri, January 1967 Malmstrom AFB, Montana, July 1968 – July 1971 Inactivated, A/C reassigned to 319th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron
83d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (20) Loring AFB, Maine, July 1971 – June 1972 Inactivated, A/C to AMARC
84th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (43) Hamilton AFB, California, September 1968 Castle AFB, California, August 1973 – June 1981 A/C to AMARC, squadron realigned to 84th FITS (T-33A)
87th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (37) Duluth Airport, Minnesota, September 1968 K.I. Sawyer AFB, Michigan, May 1971 – October 1985 Inactivated, A/C to AMARC
94th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (48) Selfridge AFB, Michigan, April 1960 Wurtsmith AFB, Michigan, December 1969 – July 1971 A/C to AMARC, squadron realigned to 94th TFS (F-4E)
95th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (55) Andrews AFB, Maryland, July 1959 Dover AFB, Delaware, July 1963 – Jan 1973 A/C to AMARC, squadron realigned to 95th TFTS (T-33)
318th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (70) McChord AFB, Washington, March 1960 – November 1983 A/C to AMARC, re-equipped with F-15A Eagles
319th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron Malmstrom AFB, Montana, July 1971 – April 1972 (41) Redesignated: 319th Fighter-Interceptor Training Squadron, 1 June 1975 Tyndall AFB, Florida, June 1975 – November 1977 Inactivated, A/C to AMARC
329th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (35) George AFB, California, July 1960 – June 1967 Inactivated, A/C to AMARC
437th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (21) Oxnard AFB, California, July – September 1968 Inactivated, replaced by 460th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron
438th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (29) Kincheloe AFB, Michigan, May 1960 – September 1968 Inactivated, replaced by 49th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron
456th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (67) Castle AFB, California, September 1959 – July 1968 Inactivated, replaced by 437th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron
460th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (44) Oxnard AFB, California, September 1968 Kingsley Field, Oregon, December 1969 Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota, April 1971 – July 1974 Inactivated, A/C to 194th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron
498th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (66) Geiger Field, Washington, May 1959 McChord AFB, Washington, July 1963 Paine Field, Washington, June 1966 Hamilton AFB, California, 30 September 1968 Reassigned/inactivated same day, replaced by 84th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron
539th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (26) McGuire AFB, New Jersey, May 1959 – June 1967 Inactivated, A/C to AMARC
Air National Guard Squadron Assignments Number of aircraft assigned in parentheses
101st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (26) Massachusetts Air National Guard Otis ANGB, Massachusetts, April 1972 – February 1988 A/C to AMARC, re-equipped with F-15A Eagles
119th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (35) New Jersey Air National Guard Atlantic City International Airport, New Jersey, October 1972-8 August 1988 A/C to AMARC, re-equipped with F-16C Falcons Last operational USAF FIS with F-106s
159th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (24) Florida Air National Guard Jacksonville International Airport, Florida, May 1974 – March 1986 A/C to AMARC, re-equipped with F-16C Falcons
171st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (24) Michigan Air National Guard Selfridge Field, Michigan, December 1972 – August 1978 Re-equipped with F-4Cs; A/C reassigned to 84th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron
186th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (32) Montana Air National Guard Great Falls International Airport, Montana, April 1972 – June 1987 A/C to AMARC, re-equipped with F-16C Falcons
194th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (23) California Air National Guard Fresno International Airport, California, May 1974 – January 1984 A/C to AMARC, re-equipped with F-4Ds
Other USAF Assignments
Air Force Flight Test Center 6510th Test Wing 6511th Test Group Edwards AFB, California, May 1957-February 1998
73d Air Division (Air Defense Weapons Center) Tyndall AFB, Florida, October 1959-1984
475th (later, 53d) Weapons Evaluation Group (QF-106) 82d Aerial Targets Squadron 82d Aerial Targets Squadron (Det 1.) (Holloman AFB, New Mexico) Eglin AFB, Florida, November 1990-January 1998
In addition to the USAF, F-106s were operated in limited numbers by Convair, Rockwell International and Hughes Aircraft for Air Force testing programs, and by NASA for almost 40 years (1961–1999).
References
USAF Aerospace Defense Command publication, The Interceptor, January 1979 (Volume 21, Number 1).