The 125th Fighter Squadron, Florida Air National Guard,
is located at Jacksonville International Airport (IAP), FL, with a NORAD
Alert Detachment at Homestead ARB, FL, and a team comprising 1100 citizen
airmen and women.
In June 1995, the 125th converted to the F-15 Eagle, a
fighter which adds air superiority capability to the Air Defense Mission.
The 125th Fighter Squadron has a dual mission - one
state and one federal. The state mission is to provide trained and equipped
personnel to protect life and property and to preserve peace, order, and
public safety. The federal mission is to provide fully trained and qualified
personnel to CINCNORAD in time of war or national emergency for the defense
of the North American Continent. On a daily basis, the 125th is responsible
for the maintenance of a NORAD Air Defense Alert site at Homestead ARB. In
this capacity, the unit provides armed F-15 aircraft capable of
intercepting, identifying, and, if necessary, destroying unknown aircraft
which penetrate sovereign U.S. airspace. In the past, this threat has
included Soviet Bear bombers, Cuban fighters, and narcotics traffickers.
Since conversion to the ADF-16, the 125th was the
first operational NORAD Air Defense Alert, the first operational ADF-16 unit
to employ the AIM-7 missile, the first ADF-16 unit to sit alert with the
AIM-7, and the first unit to deploy to Howard AFB Panama, in support of JCS-directed
operation CORONET NIGHTHAWK using enhanced identification tactics. In
October 1995, the 125th became the first unit ever to complete a transition
from one fourth generation fighter to another fourth generation fighter as
it transitioned from the ADF-16 to the MSIP F-15. In April 1997, the 125th
Fighter Squadron became the first Air Defense Unit to employ as Blue Air in
an Offensive Counter Air role, integrated with an active duty unit, during a
flag exercise.
The unit was rated “Outstanding” during an Alert Force
Evaluation by the North American Air Defense Inspector General in November
1997. This was the highest rating ever given by NORAD. In January 1998, the
125th Fighter Squadron received an “Outstanding” on its Operational
Readiness Inspection.
The unit also operates a C-26B in support of state and
federal law enforcement agencies.
Detachment 1, 125th Fighter Squadron, is responsible
for the maintenance of a NORAD Air Defense Alert site at Homestead ARB.
In this capacity, the unit provides armed F-15
aircraft capable of intercepting, identifying, and, if necessary, destroying
unknown aircraft which penetrate sovereign U.S. airspace. In the past, this
threat has included Soviet Bear bombers, Cuban fighters, and narcotics
traffickers.
The FANG was the first
Air National Guard unit to deploy to Laage, located north of Berlin, in what
was once a Communist Bloc Air Force Base, to fly against one of Germany’s
most sophisticated aircraft.
The deployment
was designed to teach pilots how to successfully engage and win battles
against the MiG-29 FULCRUM. The FULCRUM is one of the most advanced and
maneuverable fighters in the world and is employed by many nations with
hostile intentions toward the United States; in fact, American forces
engaged the MiG-29 in both Iraq and Bosnia. The unit now has more sorties
against the FULCRUM than any other American unit.
While in Germany, pilots flew missions fighting the
Fulcrum in two phases: close-in, dog-fighting “Basic Fighter Maneuvers” and
longer range “Beyond Visual Range” engagements.
Twenty full-and
part-time FANG pilots participated in the training. An additional 65
personnel were airlifted to Germany to provide support for the deployment
including Maintenance, Supply, Security Forces, Intelligence, Life Support,
and Visual Information personnel.
This deployment presented a
unique opportunity to “combat season” FANG pilots against the sophisticated MiG aircraft during a peacetime environment.
