Under the "Total Force" concept, Hawaii Air National Guard units are considered to be Air Reserve Components (ARC) of the United States Air Force (USAF). Hawaii ANG units are trained and equipped by the Air Force and are operationally gained by a Major Command of the USAF if federalized. In addition, the Hawaii Air National Guard forces are assigned to Air Expeditionary Forces and are subject to deployment tasking orders along with their active duty and Air Force Reserve counterparts in their assigned cycle deployment window.
Along with their federal reserve obligations, as state militia units the elements of the Hawaii ANG are subject to being activated by order of the Governor to provide protection of life and property, and preserve peace, order and public safety. State missions include disaster relief in times of earthquakes, hurricanes, floods and forest fires, search and rescue, protection of vital public services, and support to civil emergencies.
Components
The Hawaii Air National Guard consists of the following major unit:
The 154th Wing is the major operational component of the Hawaii Air National Guard. It is an associate unit with the USAF Pacific Air Forces 15th Wing. The 154th is a composite wing, consisting of Air Supremacy, Airlift, Radar, and Air Refueling squadrons.[3]
The 201st CCG’s mission is to provide tactical communications and air traffic services in the defense and service of the United States of America and its allies.
201st Air Operations Group
Co-located with the 613th AOC at Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii. The mission of the 613th AOC is to provide command and control of real-world air, space and information operations in the Pacific Theater for the Commander of Air Force forces (COMAFFOR) and coalition or joint forces air component commander (C/JFACC).[4]
The Royal Guard is a volunteer ceremonial unit composed of members of the Hawaii Air National Guard of full or partial Native Hawaiian descent. It was formed in 1963 to honor their rich heritage and wears period correct uniforms and call commands during their drill and ceremony in ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi.[5]
On August 19, 2019, the Hawaii Air National Guard activated the 298th Air Defense Group, which took over control of the 169th Air Defense Squadron, responsible for supporting air defence missions in Hawaii and Guam, and also activated the 298th Support Squadron.[6] "Today the 169th [ADS] effectively became its own group with two squadrons."
History
F-4C Phantom II from the 199th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 9 March 1979.
The Hawaii Territory Air National Guard was formed as the 199th Fighter Squadron, being extended federal recognition on 4 November 1946 by the National Guard Bureau. The territory had been allocated the World War II 463d Fighter Squadron on 24 April, the 469th having served in China as part of Fourteenth Air Force during World War II. The 199th Fighter Squadron was bestowed the lineage, history, honors, and colors of the 463d Fighter Squadron. The squadron was equipped with F-47N Thunderbolts and was operationally gained by Seventh Air Force. Its mission was the air defense of Hawaii.
Aircraft of the Hawaii Air National Guard in 2010. The C-40 Clipper, operated by the 65th Airlift Squadron is part of the 15th Airlift Wing at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. The aircraft provides executive airlift in the Pacific theater and support for worldwide aerial transportation operations.
Bellows Field, which was attacked during the 7 December 1941 Japanese attack on Oahu, was excess after World War II ended, and it served as home for the Hawaii Air National Guard. In 1947, the costs to operate Bellows as an active Air National Guard station led the Territorial government to negotiate with the Army about its future. The Army indicated that it wanted to retain the field in a commissioned status but that it had no funds to maintain the field. The Army offered the Aviation Unit of the Hawaiian National Guard joint use of the field provided all maintenance was assumed by the Guard. A settlement was reached to move the 199th to Hickam Field, and to use excess facilities there. 18 September 1947, however, is considered the Hawaii Air National Guard's official birth, concurrent with the establishment of the United States Air Force as a separate branch of the United States military under the National Security Act.[7] On 1 December 1960, the 199th was authorized to expand to a group level, and the 154th Fighter-Interceptor Group was established by the National Guard Bureau
F-15A's from the 199th Fighter Squadron fire AIM-7 missiles at a air-launched decoy over Hickam Air Force Base, 16 July 2006.
Today the Hawaii ANG 199th Fighter Squadron flies the F-22A Raptor as an associate unit of the USAF with the USAF 15th Wing 19th Fighter Squadron; the 203d Air Refueling Squadron flies the KC-135R Stratotanker as an associate of the 96th Air Refueling Squadron and the 204th Airlift Squadron flies the C-17 Globemaster III as an associate of the 535th Airlift Squadron at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. Other HI ANG units perform air defense radar, combat communications and air operations missions.
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