Description
Computer made/mounted on velcro 3.5 inch-90mm
21st OPERATIONS GROUP DETACHMENT 4
Detachment 4, 21st Operations Group, provides optical surveillance for the Space Surveillance Network. The unit is located at Moron AB, Spain. It is a geographically separated unit which reports to the 21st Operations Group, and is assigned to the 21st Space Wing, Peterson AFB, CO. The 15 space operations and maintenance personnel assigned to Detachment 4 perform the only permanent operational U.S. Air Force space mission in Europe.
BACKGROUND
There are more than 9,000 known objects in orbit around the Earth. These objects range from active payloads, such as weather or communications satellites, to launch vehicle debris and debris generated from satellite breakups.
The responsibility for keeping track of all man-made objects in orbit belongs to the Joint Space Operations Center, located at Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station, Colo. The center receives orbital data from space surveillance sensors located around the world, including the Moron Optical Space Surveillance System.
HISTORY
MOSS was initially deployed in June 1990 as the Transportable Optical System, the optical sub-component of the Combined Radio-Frequency Optical Surveillance System, located at San Vito Air Station, Italy. The system was fielded to replace the aging Baker-Nunn optical telescope. During this period, the system was operated by Detachment 1, 73rd Space Surveillance Group.
Detachment 1, 73rd Space Surveillance Group was inactivated in September 1993 due to closure of San Vito Air Station, and TOS was returned for refurbishment to the Experimental Test Site at Socorro, NM, which is managed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Lincoln Laboratories.
TOS was redeployed in June 1997 and assigned to the newly constituted Detachment 4, 18th Space Surveillance Squadron, Moron AB, Spain. Detachment 4 reached initial operational capability in September 1998, at which time the system was redesignated the Moron Optical Space Surveillance System. The unit was renamed Detachment 4, 18th Space Control Squadron in March 2003. In Jun 2004 the unit was again renamed as Detachment 4, 21st Operations Group due to the 18th Space Control Squadron’s inactivation.
MISSION
Detachment 4 operates the state-of-the-art Moron Optical Space Surveillance System (MOSS) to detect, track and identify all manmade deep-space objects in support of the USSTRATCOM’s space control mission. The unit also reports new foreign and domestic launches to the Space Control Center, operated by the 1st Space Control Squadron, and to the National Air and Space Intelligence Center.
In this role, Detachment 4 supports the worldwide space surveillance network, providing real-time space control for warfighters and national decision makers.
This site plays a vital role in tracking more than 2,500 objects orbiting objects, particularly those in deep space orbits more than 3,000 miles from Earth, including navigational and geostationary communications satellites.
EQUIPMENT
The Moron Optical Space Surveillance is a passive, ground-based, real-time, electro-optical, deep-space surveillance sensor. It provides information on man-made objects in deep space, including satellites in geosynchronous and semi synchronous Earth orbit. The system primarily provides high-quality metric (positional) data on all detected objects. The system also collects object brightness data for space object identification. MOSS was deployed to augment the Ground-Based Electro-Optical Deep Space Surveillance network in order to provide coverage over the Mediterranean region.
21st OPERATIONS GROUP
Lineage. Established as 21 Bombardment Group (Medium) on 13 Jan 1942. Activated on 1 Feb 1942. Disestablished on 10 Oct 1943. Reestablished and consolidated (31 Jul 1985) with the 21 Fighter Group, which was established on 31 Mar 1944. Activated on 21 Apr 1944. Inactivated on 10 Oct 1946. Redesignated 21 Fighter-Bomber Group on 15 Nov 1952. Activated on 1 Jan 1953. Inactivated on 8 Feb 1958. Redesignated: 21 Tactical Fighter Group on 31 Jul 1985; 21 Operations Group on 25 Sep 1991. Activated on 26 Sep 1991. Inactivated on 19 Dec 1991. Activated on 15 May 1992.
Assignments. Air Force Combat Command, 1 Feb 1942; III Bomber Command, 11 Mar 1942; XII Bomber Command, 2 May 1942; III Bomber Command, 8 May 1942-10 Oct 1943. US Army Air Forces, Central Pacific Area, 21 Apr 1944; VII Fighter Command, 24 Apr 1944; 7 Fighter Wing, 3 Jul 1944; VII Fighter Command, 10 Nov 1944 (attached to 7 Fighter Wing, 10 Nov 1944-Feb 1945); US Army Strategic Air Forces, 16 Jul 1945; 20 Fighter Wing, 5 Aug 1945-10 Oct 1946. 21 Fighter-Bomber Wing, 1 Jan 1953-8 Feb 1958. 21 Wing, 26 Sep-19 Dec 1991. 21 Space Wing, 15 May 1992-.
Components. Squadron. 8 Reconnaissance (later, 398 Bombardment): attached 1 Feb-21 Apr 1942, assigned 22 Apr 1942-10 Oct 1943. 21 Crew Training: 15 May 1992-1 Oct 1994. 43 Fighter: 26 Sep-19 Dec 1991. 46 Fighter: 15 Jun 1944-10 Oct 1946. 54 Fighter: 26 Sep-19 Dec 1991. 72 Fighter (later, 72 Fighter-Bomber): 15 Jun 1944-10 Oct 1946; 1 Jan 1953-8 Feb 1958 (detached 27 Aug-17 Sep 1953 and 15 Apr 1957-8 Feb 1958). 90 Fighter: 26 Sep-19 Dec 1991. 313 Bombardment: 1 Feb 1942-10 Oct 1943. 314 Bombardment: 1 Feb 1942-10 Oct 1943. 315 Bombardment: 1 Feb 1942-10 Oct 1943. 416 Fighter-Bomber: 1 Jan 1953-8 Feb 1958 (detached 12 Sep-c. 2 Oct 1953 and 15 Apr 1957-8 Feb 1958). 531 Fighter (later, 531 Fighter-Bomber): 15 Jun 1944-10 Oct 1946; 1 Jan 1953-8 Feb 1958 (detached 26 Sep-c. 17 Oct 1953 and 15 Apr 1957-8 Feb 1958). Flights. 84 Airlift: 1 Nov 1993-1 Apr 1997.
Stations. Bowman Field, KY, 1 Feb 1942; Jackson AAB, MS, 6 Feb 1942; Columbia AAB, SC, 21 Apr 1942; Key Field, MS, 24 May 1942; MacDill Field, FL, 24 Jun 1942-10 Oct 1943. Wheeler Field, TH, 21 Apr 1944; Mokuleia Field, TH, 13 Oct 1944-9 Feb 1945; Central Field, Iwo Jima, 26 Mar 1945; South Field, Iwo Jima, 16 Jul 1945; Isley Field, Saipan, 4 Dec 1945; Northwest Field, Guam, 17 Apr-10 Oct 1946. George AFB, CA, 1 Jan 1953-26 Nov 1954; Chambley AB, France, 12 Dec 1954-8 Feb 1958. Elmendorf AFB, AK, 26 Sep-19 Dec 1991. Peterson AFB, CO, 15 May 1992-.
Aircraft. A-20, 1942; B-18, 1942; B-25, 1942; B-26, 1942-1943. P-39, 1944; P-38, 1944-1945; P-51, 1944-1946; P-47, 1946. F-51, 1953; F-86, 1953-1958; T-33, 1957-1958. C-21, 1993-1997. Satellites, 1993-.
Operations. Upon activation in 1942, trained medium bombardment crews; flew some antisubmarine patrols over Gulf of Mexico. Following activation in 1944, group conducted day and night interception missions in defense of Hawaiian Islands. In Mar 1945, group moved to Iwo Jima to escort B-29s bombing Japanese mainland from the Marianas. Suffered Japanese guerilla attack the night after its arrival but next day flew its first combat mission against targets in enemy-occupied Bonin Islands. On group’s first mission to Japan on 7 Apr 1945, earned Distinguished Unit Citation for escorting B-29s that bombed the heavily-defended Nakajima aircraft factory near Tokyo. On 19 Apr 1945, participated in the first strafing mission to Japan. During May 1945, struck airfields near Tokyo and Nagoya and air installations on southern Kyushu; and escorted B-29s hitting Japanese port of Yokohama. During summer of 1945, group struck enemy installations and shipping in vicinity of Bonin Islands, especially enemy airfield at Suzuka. From V-J Day to 1946, performed occupation duty in Pacific area and assisted in defense of Iwo Jima and Marianas Islands. Upon activation in 1953, provided air defense for US. Between 1954 and 1958, served in France as part of North Atlantic Treaty Organization forces. From 1992, operated worldwide network of missile warning, space surveillance, communications, and space support units.
Service Streamers. None.
Campaign Streamers. World War II: Antisubmarine, American Theater; Air Offensive, Japan.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citation: Japan, 7 Apr 1945. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Oct 1992-30 Sep 1994; 1 Oct 1995-30 Sep 1997; 1 Oct 1997-30 Sep 1999; 1 Jan-31 Dec 1998; 1 Jan-31 Dec 1999; 1 Jan 2000-31 Aug 2001.
Emblem. Group will use the wing emblem with the group designation in the scroll.