122d Fighter Wing
The 122d Fighter Wing is an Indiana Air National Guard fighter unit based at Fort Wayne Air National Guard Station in Indiana.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
The 122d Fighter Wing is a unit of the Indiana Air National Guard headquartered at Fort Wayne Air National Guard Station in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The wing is a military organization rather than a commercial brand, and its identity is associated with the Indiana Air National Guard, the 163rd Fighter Squadron, and successive generations of United States Air Force fighter and reconnaissance aircraft. When called into federal service, the wing falls under the operational control of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command. The wing traces its formal establishment to October 1950, during the period when the United States was expanding and reorganizing air-defense forces. It was initially activated as the 122nd Fighter Wing and was soon redesignated the 122nd Fighter-Interceptor Wing. The organization served in the active-duty structure during the Korean War era, but was inactivated in February 1952 and returned to Indiana Air National Guard status later that year as the 122nd Fighter-Bomber Wing. Its designations subsequently reflected changes in mission and force structure, including the 122nd Fighter-Interceptor Wing, the 122nd Tactical Fighter Wing, and the 122nd Tactical Fighter Wing (Special Delivery). The wing has operated from several Indiana locations. It was associated with Stout Field in Indianapolis after the Second World War and moved to Baer Field in Fort Wayne in 1951. The Fort Wayne installation was designated Fort Wayne Air National Guard Station in 1991 and has remained the wing's principal base. The wing's subordinate structure includes the 122nd Operations Group, 163rd Fighter Squadron, 122nd Maintenance Group, 122nd Mission Support Group, and 122nd Medical Group. Aircraft transitions have repeatedly shaped the wing's operational identity. The 163rd Fighter Squadron operated F-16 Fighting Falcons for many years, including Block 25 aircraft. In 2005, the wing introduced the Theater Airborne Reconnaissance System, making it one of the early units to employ that reconnaissance capability. In 2008 and 2009, it received Block 30 F-16C/D aircraft formerly associated with the Michigan Air National Guard. During this transition, the squadron's tail code changed from FW, referring to Fort Wayne, to IN, reflecting Indiana after the 181st Fighter Wing became a non-flying organization. In 2010, the wing completed a conversion from the F-16 to the A-10 Thunderbolt II. The conversion followed a decision announced in 2009, a year in which the unit also commemorated its predecessor organization, the 358th Fighter Group, with a heritage aircraft. The A-10 period gave the wing a close-air-support and battlefield-attack role associated with that aircraft type. In 2023, following direction connected to the National Defense Authorization Act, the wing began converting back to the F-16 platform. The first replacement aircraft began arriving in October 2023, with a planned total of 21 aircraft to be delivered over the course of the transition. This return to the F-16 represents another major change in the wing's aircraft inventory and mission profile. The wing's lineage also includes federalization during the Berlin Crisis period. It was ordered to active service on October 1, 1961, attached to the Seventeenth Air Force, and returned to Indiana state control on August 31, 1962. In March 1992, it received its current 122nd Fighter Wing designation. Since June 1992, it has been gained by Air Combat Command. Its continuing role combines state-level support under the Indiana Air National Guard with readiness for federal activation and deployment.
History
The 122d Fighter Wing's lineage developed from the postwar expansion of the United States air-defense and tactical-air forces. The wing was established in the Indiana Air National Guard on or about October 30, 1950, and activated shortly afterward. On February 10, 1951, it was redesignated the 122nd Fighter-Interceptor Wing and called to active duty. During this period it was associated with the Air Defense Command structure, first through the Eastern Air Defense Force and later the Central Air Defense Force. It was inactivated on February 7, 1952. The organization returned to Indiana Air National Guard service on November 1, 1952, under the designation 122nd Fighter-Bomber Wing. It was redesignated the 122nd Fighter-Interceptor Wing in 1955 and the 122nd Tactical Fighter Wing in 1958. In 1959, the designation was expanded to 122nd Tactical Fighter Wing (Special Delivery), reflecting the terminology and mission structure of the period. The wing was again federalized on October 1, 1961, during the Berlin Crisis-era mobilization, and served under the Ninth Air Force while attached to the Seventeenth Air Force. It was released from active duty and returned to Indiana state control on August 31, 1962. The wing's early postwar stations included Stout Field in Indianapolis and, from May 1951, Baer Field in Fort Wayne. The Fort Wayne installation became Fort Wayne Air National Guard Station in 1991. The 122nd Fighter-Interceptor Group and its successor formations served as the wing's operational component for much of the early period. The 163rd Fighter Squadron, whose lineage includes fighter, fighter-interceptor, and tactical-fighter designations, has been a central flying component of the organization. The wing's modern history has been marked by several aircraft and mission changes. In 2005, it introduced the Theater Airborne Reconnaissance System, placing the unit among the early Air National Guard organizations to operate that capability. In 2008, after approximately 17 years with Block 25 F-16 aircraft, the wing received Block 30 F-16C/D aircraft transferred from the Michigan Air National Guard's 107th Fighter Squadron, which was transitioning to the A-10. The tail code used by the 163rd Fighter Squadron changed from FW to IN in 2009, although not every aircraft was immediately recoded. The wing announced a further transition in 2009 and completed conversion to the A-10 Thunderbolt II in 2010. The change moved the unit away from its long-running F-16 operation and toward the A-10's close-air-support and battlefield-attack mission. The 2009 period also included a heritage effort honoring the predecessor 358th Fighter Group through a specially marked aircraft. The organization was redesignated the 122nd Fighter Wing on March 16, 1992, and became aligned with Air Combat Command from June 1 of that year. In 2023, the wing began converting back to the F-16 under a change associated with the National Defense Authorization Act. Aircraft began arriving in October 2023, with 21 F-16s planned for the new inventory. The wing continues to combine Indiana Air National Guard responsibilities with readiness for federal activation by the United States Air Force.
- 2023
Return to F-16 operations
[1]F-16 aircraft began arriving in October as the wing converted back from the A-10 platform, with 21 aircraft planned.
- 2010
A-10 operations begin
[1]The wing completed its conversion from the F-16 to the A-10 Thunderbolt II.
- 2009
A-10 conversion announced
[1]The wing announced that the 163rd Fighter Squadron would retire its older F-16s and transition to the A-10 Thunderbolt II.
- 2005
Theater Airborne Reconnaissance System introduced
[1]The wing introduced the Theater Airborne Reconnaissance System, expanding its airborne reconnaissance capability.
- 1992
Current fighter-wing designation adopted
[1]The organization was redesignated the 122nd Fighter Wing and became associated with Air Combat Command.
- 1961
Federalization during the Berlin Crisis period
[1]The wing was ordered to active service on October 1 and remained federally activated until August 31, 1962.
- 1952
Return to Indiana Air National Guard service
[1]After inactivation in February, the organization was reactivated in the Indiana Air National Guard as the 122nd Fighter-Bomber Wing in November.
- 1951
Federal activation and move to Baer Field
[1]The unit was redesignated the 122nd Fighter-Interceptor Wing, called to active duty, and moved to Baer Field in Fort Wayne.
- 1950
Wing established in the Indiana Air National Guard
[1]The 122nd Fighter Wing was established in late October 1950 and activated shortly afterward.
Products and positioning
An Indiana-based Air National Guard fighter wing focused on combat readiness, aircraft operations, reconnaissance capability, and support for state and federal missions.
Multirole fighter aircraft
F-16 Fighting Falcon
The F-16 has been a major aircraft type in the wing's modern history. The wing operated Block 25 aircraft for many years, received Block 30 F-16C/D aircraft around 2008, and began converting back to the platform in 2023 after its A-10 period. The renewed inventory was planned to total 21 aircraft.
Close air support aircraft · 2010
A-10 Thunderbolt II
The 122d Fighter Wing operated the A-10 Thunderbolt II after completing a conversion from the F-16 in 2010. The aircraft supported the wing's close-air-support and battlefield-attack role until the organization began returning to the F-16 platform in 2023.
Airborne reconnaissance capability · 2005
Theater Airborne Reconnaissance System
Introduced by the wing in 2005, the Theater Airborne Reconnaissance System provided an airborne reconnaissance capability and represented an important expansion beyond conventional fighter operations.
Marketing campaigns
- 2009358th Fighter Group heritage aircraft
United States · Indiana Air National Guard
The wing honored its predecessor 358th Fighter Group with a heritage-marked aircraft during the period in which it was preparing to transition from F-16s to A-10s.
Outcome. The heritage aircraft commemorated the unit's lineage while the wing proceeded with its aircraft conversion.
Brand decisions
2023
Return from A-10 operations to the F-16 platformStrategyBackground
A change associated with the National Defense Authorization Act led to a new aircraft decision for the wing.
Action taken
The wing began receiving F-16 aircraft in October 2023, with 21 aircraft planned for delivery.
Aftermath
The conversion restored the F-16 as the wing's principal fighter platform and was scheduled to continue as the remaining aircraft arrived.
2009
Conversion from F-16 fighters to A-10 aircraftStrategyBackground
The wing's F-16 fleet was aging, and the organization was selected for a change in aircraft and mission profile.
Action taken
The 163rd Fighter Squadron retired its older F-16s and transitioned to the A-10 Thunderbolt II, completing the conversion in 2010.
Aftermath
The wing operated A-10 aircraft for more than a decade before beginning a return to the F-16 platform.
2008
Upgrade from Block 25 to Block 30 F-16 aircraftGeneration changeBackground
The wing's Block 25 F-16s had been operated for roughly 17 years and were approaching the end of their planned operational lifespans.
Action taken
The wing received Block 30 F-16C/D aircraft transferred from the Michigan Air National Guard.
Aftermath
The aircraft change was followed by a tail-code transition from FW to IN in 2009, although some aircraft retained the earlier code for a period.
Recent events
- 2023
122d Fighter Wing begins return to the F-16 platform[1]
Product generation
The wing began receiving F-16 aircraft in October 2023 as it converted from the A-10 Thunderbolt II back to the F-16 platform. The planned transition involved 21 aircraft.
- 2018
New commander named for Fort Wayne Air National Guard base[3]
Leadership change
A report covered the appointment of a new commander for the Fort Wayne Air National Guard base associated with the 122d Fighter Wing. The available reference does not identify the commander in the supplied material.
Sources3 sources
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