The 1990–1991 Gulf War was the last major United States Air Force combat operation of the 20th Century. The command and control of allied forces deployed to the Middle East initially as part of Operation Desert Shield, later engaging in combat operations during Operation Desert Storm, were assigned to United States Central Command Air Forces (USCENTAF), the USAF component of the Joint United States Central Command.
United States Air Force units were initially deployed to Saudi Arabia in August 1990, being assigned directly to CENTAF with a mission to defend the kingdom. In November 1990, the decision was made to enhance the force into an offensive-capable one, and additional units were ordered deployed to CENTAF. As a result, CENTAF set up a table of organization which established provisional Air Divisions to prevent too many units reporting directly to CENTAF headquarters. These were as follows:Gulf War Air Power Survey, Vol V, A Statistical Compedium and Chronology, ADA 279745, p.21-25, accessed at https://apps.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a476253.pdf, 2015. Also accessed at , October 2015.
The 14th Air Division (Provisional) commanded deployed primarily Tactical Air Command and United States Air Forces in Europe units with the mission of destroying enemy air, missile and ground forces, as well as enemy infrastructure targets. To accomplish this mission, the 14th-controlled A-10 Thunderbolt II ground attack aircraft; F-15C Eagle and F-16 Fighting Falcon fighters; F-111 light tactical bombers; EF-111 Raven electronic combat aircraft and the F-117 stealth attack aircraft. The division also provided electronic warfare, reconnaissance, and in-theater attached Strategic Air Command refueling support. The 15th Air Division (Provisional) commanded deployed Tactical Air Command units with a reconnaissance and electronic warfare mission focused on defeating enemy ground base air defenses and increasing the effectiveness of friendly formations. Aircraft deployed included RF-4C Phantom II tactical reconnaissance; F-4G Phantom II anti-radar; EC-130H Compass Call electronic warfare and two prototype E-8A Joint Stars battle management and control, and E-3 Sentry AWACS Airborne Warning And Control System aircraft. The 1610th Airlift Division (Provisional) controlled Military Airlift Command C-130E/H Hercules theater airlift, aeromedical evacuation and Air Force Special Operations Command forces. Strategic Air Command deployed strategic electronic warfare and reconnaissance units also attached. The 17th Air Division (Provisional) commanded primarily provisional air refueling wings created from active-duty KC-135/KC-10 units of the Strategic Air Command's Fifteenth Air Force and SAC Air National Guard KC-135 units deployed within the CENTAF AOR. The SAC 7th Air Division commanded deployed Air Refueling and B-52 Stratofortress Bombardment Wings located outside of the CENTAF AOR. The 7440th Composite Wing was a United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE) Provisional Wing under Joint Task Force Proven Force that flew combat missions over Northern and Central Iraq from Incirlik Air Base, Turkey.
Aftermath After the end of combat operations, most of the combat forces of CENTAF returned to their home stations. The provisional organizations established were inactivated; their temporary nature meaning that no official lineage or history was retained by the USAF. On 13 March 1991, Headquarters Tactical Air Command activated the 4404th Tactical Fighter Wing (Provisional) at Prince Sultan Air Base, Al Kharj, to replace the provisional Air Divisions. The original assets of the 4404th TFW came from the 4th TFW (Provisional), which had operated during the Gulf War.
The long-term effect of the deployment and organization of Air Force Wings and Groups to CENTAF for the Gulf War eventually led to an Air Force-Wide reorganization of its Cold War command structure; the result being the modern Air Force organization structure which exists today. Air Force Expeditionary units, which are activated and inactivated as needed to support deployments were developed, replacing the "Provisional" units of the Gulf War.
14th Air Division (Provisional) Brigadier General Buster Glosson served as commander, 14th Air Division (Provisional), and director of campaign plans for U.S. Central Command Air Forces, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. 1st Tactical Fighter Wing (Provisional) Deployed from Langley Air Force Base, Virginia Headquarters: King Abdul Aziz Air Base, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia Squadron Tail Code Aircraft Type Notes 27th Tactical Fighter Squadron FF F-15C Eagle Deployed: 8 August 1990 – 8 March 1991 (24 Aircraft) 71st Tactical Fighter Squadron FF F-15C Eagle Deployed: 7 August 1990 – 8 March 1991 (24 Aircraft)
4th Tactical Fighter Wing (Provisional) Deployed from Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina Headquarters: Prince Sultan Air Base, Al Kharj, Saudi Arabia Squadron Tail Code Aircraft Type Notes 335th Tactical Fighter Squadron SJ F-15E Strike Eagle Deployed: 27 December 1990 – 24 June 1991 (24 Aircraft) 336th Tactical Fighter Squadron SJ F-15E Strike Eagle Deployed: *18 December 1990 – 13 March 1991 (24 Aircraft)*Redeployed from Thumrait, Oman 8 Aug 1990 – 18 December 1990 53rd Tactical Fighter Squadron BT F-15C Eagle Deployed: 20 December 1990 – 1 July 1991 (24 Aircraft) *from Bitburg AB, Germany with additional aircraft and personnel from the 22nd Tactical Fighter Squadron, also from Bitburg. 138th Tactical Fighter Squadron NY F-16A Fighting Falcon Deployed from 174th Tactical Fighter Wing, Hancock Field, New York Air National Guard (16 Aircraft) 157th Tactical Fighter Squadron SC F-16A Fighting Falcon Deployed from 169th Tactical Fighter Group, McEntire Air National Guard Base, South Carolina Air National Guard (24 Aircraft)
33d Tactical Fighter Wing (Provisional) Deployed from Eglin Air Force Base, Florida Headquarters: King Faisal Air Base, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia Squadron Tail Code Aircraft Type Notes 58th Tactical Fighter Squadron EG F-15C Eagle Deployed: 28 August 1990 – 12 April 1991 (24 Aircraft)
37th Tactical Fighter Wing (Provisional) Deployed from Tonopah Test Range Airport, Nevada Headquarters: King Khalid Air Base, Khamis Mushait, Saudi Arabia Squadron Tail Code Aircraft Type Notes 415th Tactical Fighter Squadron TR F-117A Nighthawk Deployed: 19 August 1990 – 1 April 1991 (18 Aircraft) 416th Tactical Fighter Squadron TR F-117A Nighthawk Deployed: 19 August 1990 – 1 April 1991 (18 Aircraft) 417th Tactical Fighter Squadron TR F-117A Nighthawk Deployed: 19 August 1990 – 1 April 1991 (6 Aircraft)
48th Tactical Fighter Wing (Provisional) Deployed from RAF Lakenheath, England Headquarters: Taif Air Base, Taif, Saudi Arabia Squadron Tail Code Aircraft Type Notes 492d Tactical Fighter Squadron LN F-111F Deployed: 2 September 1990 – 15 March 1991 (22 Aircraft) 493d Tactical Fighter Squadron LN F-111F Deployed: 2 September 1990 – 15 March 1991 (22 Aircraft) 494th Tactical Fighter Squadron LN F-111F Deployed: 2 September 1990 – 15 March 1991 (22 Aircraft) 42d Electronic Combat Squadron UH EF-111 Deployed from 66th Electronic Combat Wing Sembach AB Germany & 20th Tactical Fighter Wing RAF Upper Heyford UK: 2 September 1990 – 15 March 1991 (5 Aircraft) 390th Electronic Combat Squadron MO EF-111 Deployed from 366th Tactical Fighter Wing, Mountain Home AFB, Idaho, 17 January 1991 – 6 March 1991 (5 Aircraft)
354th Tactical Fighter Wing (Provisional) Deployed from Myrtle Beach Air Force Base, South Carolina Headquarters: King Fahd International Airport, Dammam, Saudi Arabia Squadron Tail Code Aircraft Type Notes 353d Tactical Fighter Squadron MB A-10 Thunderbolt II Deployed: 15 August 1990 – 25 March 1991 (24 Aircraft) 355th Tactical Fighter Squadron MB A-10 Thunderbolt II Deployed: 15 August 1990 – 25 March 1991 (24 Aircraft) 74th Tactical Fighter Squadron EL A-10 Thunderbolt II Deployed from 23d Tactical Fighter Wing, England AFB, Louisiana, 29 August 1990 – 20 April 1991 (24 Aircraft) 76th Tactical Fighter Squadron EL A-10 Thunderbolt II Deployed from 23d Tactical Fighter Wing, England AFB, Louisiana, 29 August 1990 – 20 April 1991 (24 Aircraft) 23d Tactical Air Support Squadron NF OA-10 Thunderbolt II Deployed from 355th Tactical Fighter Wing, Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona, 29 August 1990 – 20 April 1991 (12 Aircraft) 511th Tactical Fighter Squadron AR A-10 Thunderbolt II Deployed from 10th Tactical Fighter Wing, RAF Alconbury, England, 15 August 1990 – 25 March 1991 (24 Aircraft) 706th Tactical Fighter Squadron NO A-10 Thunderbolt II Deployed from 926th Tactical Fighter Group, NAS New Orleans, United States Air Force Reserve, 15 August 1990 – 25 March 1991 (24 Aircraft)
363d Tactical Fighter Wing (Provisional) Deployed from Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina Headquarters: Al Dhafra Air Base, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates Squadron Tail Code Aircraft Type Notes 17th Tactical Fighter Squadron SW F-16C Fighting Falcon Deployed: 9 August 1990 – 13 March 1991 (24 Aircraft) 33rd Tactical Fighter Squadron SW F-16C Fighting Falcon Deployed: 9 August 1990 – 13 March 1991 (24 Aircraft) 10th Tactical Fighter Squadron HR F-16C Fighting Falcon Deployed from 50th Tactical Fighter Wing, Hahn Air Base, Germany, 28 December 1990 – 10 May 1991 (24 Aircraft) 1705th Air Refueling Squadron (P) KC-135 Stratotanker Attached from SAC 7th Air Division. Composed of elements of the 11th (Altus), 306th (Altus), 905th (Grand Forks), 924th Air Refueling Squadrons (Castle). (15 Aircraft)
388th Tactical Fighter Wing (Provisional) Deployed from Hill Air Force Base, Utah Headquarters: Al Minhad Air Base, Dubai, United Arab Emirates Squadron Tail Code Aircraft Type Notes 4th Tactical Fighter Squadron HL F-16C Fighting Falcon Deployed: 28 August 1990 – 27 March 1991 421st Tactical Fighter Squadron HL F-16C Fighting Falcon Deployed: 28 August 1990 – 27 March 1991 69th Tactical Fighter Squadron MY F-16C Fighting Falcon Deployed from 347th Tactical Fighter Wing, Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, 8–28 January 1991. Located at King Fahd International Airport, 29 January - 4 March 1991
401st Tactical Fighter Wing (Provisional) Deployed from Torrejón Air Base, Spain Headquarters: Doha International Airport, Qatar Squadron Tail Code Aircraft Type Notes 614th Tactical Fighter Squadron TJ F-16C Fighting Falcon Deployed: 28 August 1990 – 27 March 1991 (24 Aircraft)
4410th Operational Support Wing (Provisional) Deployed from Eglin AFB, Eglin Aux Fld#3, Florida Headquarters: King Khalid Military City, Saudi Arabia Squadron Tail Code Aircraft Type Notes 728th Tactical Control Squadron TPS-43E Tactical Radar Deployed: 8 August 1990 – 17 April 1991 (440 Tons/280 PAX)
15th Air Division (Provisional) 35th Tactical Fighter Wing (Provisional) Deployed from George Air Force Base, California Headquarters: Shaikh Isa Air Base, Bahrain Squadron Tail Code Aircraft Type Notes 561st Tactical Fighter Squadron WW F-4G Phantom II Deployed: 16 August 1990-March 1991 (24 Aircraft) 81st Tactical Fighter Squadron SP F-4G Phantom II Deployed from 52d Tactical Fighter Wing, Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, 16 August 1990-March 1991 (24 Aircraft) 12th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron BA RF-4C Phantom II Deployed from 67th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, Bergstrom Air Force Base, Texas, 14 January-10 May 1991 (6 Aircraft) 106th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron BH RF-4C Phantom II Deployed from 117th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, Birmingham International Airport, Alabama Air National Guard (6 Aircraft) 192d Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron RJ RF-4C Phantom II Deployed from 152d Reconnaissance Group, Reno-Tahoe International Airport, Nevada Air National Guard (6 Aircraft)
552d Airborne Warning and Control Wing (Provisional) Deployed from Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma Headquarters: King Khalid Air Base, Khamis Mushait, Saudi Arabia