By Herb Harper
551st Strategic Missile Squadron Bombardment, Detachment IV 98th Veterans Association: 1949 - Present
98th RANGE WING, (REGULAR A.F.) NELLIS AFB, NV. 2001 - Present
Reactivated on 5 November 2001 and re-designated as the 98th Range Wing under the command of Colonel Wilhelm F. Percival, the 98th is the first and only Wing dedicated to range management in the USAF.
The 98th Range Wing is responsible for the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR). Comprised of 2.9 million acres and almost 16,000 square miles of air space. The NTTR maintains the densest threat simulator environment in the world. In addition to communications jamming equipment, the simulated threats include a wide range of SAMs, AAA, GCI, and passive detection systems. These assets provide year round training to U.S. and allied air crews in Red Flag weapons school exercises in addition to electronic combat. Unmanned bombing ranges are also used. Each range consists of tactical type targets representing airfields, surface to air missile (SAM) sites, truck convoys, munitions and fuel storage sites, and artillery companies. The Nevada Test Site, operated by the Department of Energy borders the NTTR.
The 98th Range Wing, under the Air Warfare Center, consists of the following subordinate units:
98th Operations Group: Includes the 98th Operations Support Squadron and 98th Range Squadron.
98th Air Base Group: Includes the 98th Support Squadron and 98th Logistics Squadron.