152d Air Operations Group
The 152d Air Operations Group is a New York Air National Guard unit that supports the United States Air Forces Europe air operations center at Ramstein Air Base, Germany.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
The 152d Air Operations Group, commonly abbreviated 152 AOG, is a unit of the New York Air National Guard based at Hancock Field Air National Guard Base near Syracuse, New York. It is a military organization rather than a commercial consumer brand. Its federal mission is to augment and support the 603d Air Operations Center at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, the principal air operations center associated with United States Air Forces Europe and the wider European and African theaters. The group contributes personnel and operational expertise to the Air Operations Center weapons system, centered on the AN/USQ-163 Falconer. This system supports the planning, direction, coordination and execution of air operations. In a conflict or major contingency, the air operations center can operate as an air, joint air and space, or combined air and space operations center, depending on the forces and coalition partners involved. Its work can include developing strategy, preparing combat plans, managing combat operations, integrating intelligence and surveillance information, and coordinating air mobility. Communications personnel support the mission systems required to produce and execute the Air Tasking Order. The organization traces its lineage to a Signal Aircraft Warning Company established in Panama in 1939. During the Second World War it expanded into a battalion, provided air-warning and air-defense support in the Panama Canal Zone, and was later reactivated in the China-Burma-India Theater. After the war, the unit was transferred to the Air Corps, redesignated as an aircraft warning and control group, and allotted to the National Guard. It received federal recognition in New York in 1948 as an air-control element associated with the 52d Fighter Wing. Its mission and designations changed repeatedly as United States air-defense and tactical-air-control structures evolved. It was federalized during the Korean War period, moved to New Hampshire and then supported radar activities in Canada, and later returned to state control. In 1954 it became the 152d Tactical Control Group, shifting from a primarily air-defense role toward the control of tactical aircraft in offensive and defensive operations. During the Berlin Crisis of 1961 it was again called to active duty and deployed to Germany to operate radar sites. The group moved to Hancock Field in 1984. It became the 152d Air Control Group in 1992 and adopted its present Air Operations Group designation in 1996. In 2000 its federal mission was changed to support the Ramstein Air Operations Center, aligning the unit with theater-level planning and command-and-control functions rather than a local radar network. The group has also been mobilized for overseas and contingency support. In March 2011, more than 40 members were dispatched within roughly 48 hours in support of Operation Odyssey Dawn, the initial United States phase of the international intervention in Libya. The group remains a New York Air National Guard organization that can operate under state authority or be federalized for United States military missions.
History
The unit began in December 1939 as the Signal Aircraft Warning Company, Panama, under the Panama Canal Department. In 1942 it expanded to battalion strength and served as part of the air-warning structure protecting the Panama Canal Zone. It was inactivated in December 1942. The organization was reactivated in August 1944 as the 558th Signal Aircraft Warning Battalion in the China-Burma-India Theater. It served through the final stages of the Second World War and remained in that theater until January 1946, when it returned to the United States and was inactivated. In 1946 the lineage was transferred to the Air Corps. The organization was redesignated the 152d Aircraft Warning and Control Group and allotted to the National Guard. Federal recognition and activation in the New York Air National Guard followed on 15 March 1948 at Westchester County Airport. At that time it served as an air-control element of the 52d Fighter Wing and included several aircraft-warning and control squadrons in New York and New Jersey. The group was called to active duty on 1 August 1951 during the Korean War-era expansion of the United States Air Force. It moved to Grenier Air Force Base in New Hampshire and became associated with the Air Defense Command structure. Although it did not deploy to Korea, it moved to Canada and operated newly constructed radar sites for the Northeast Air Command. The group was inactivated in December 1952 and returned to New York state control. After its return, the organization moved through several New York locations, including the White Plains Armory and Roslyn Air National Guard Station. Its mobilization relationship changed from Air Defense Command to Tactical Air Command. On 1 December 1954 it was redesignated the 152d Tactical Control Group, reflecting a shift from fixed air-warning functions toward tactical control of aircraft in offensive and defensive combat operations. The Berlin Crisis produced another federal activation in October 1961. The group deployed to Germany and operated a network of radar sites. It was released from active duty and returned to New York control around November 1962. In 1984 it relocated to Hancock Field Air National Guard Base near Syracuse. In 1992 it became the 152d Air Control Group as the Air Force removed the terms tactical and strategic from many unit designations following the reorganization of the Air Force command structure. On 1 August 1996 it was redesignated the 152d Air Operations Group. A major functional change took place in 2000, when the group’s federal mission became augmentation of the 603d Air Operations Center at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. Rather than primarily operating a regional radar network, the group began contributing personnel to theater-level air planning, direction and control. Its work supports the AN/USQ-163 Falconer system, which enables the Air Operations Center to integrate intelligence, strategy, combat planning, combat operations and air mobility into an Air Tasking Order. The group was federalized for periods in December 2001 and January 2003, with the latter activation ending in February 2003. In March 2011 it provided rapid support to Operation Odyssey Dawn in Libya. More than 40 members were dispatched within approximately 48 hours to help establish and operate the air operations center for the intervention. The United States later transferred operational command to NATO, which continued the campaign as Operation Unified Protector. The 152d Air Operations Group remains assigned to the New York Air National Guard and is available for state or federal missions.
- 2011
Supported Operation Odyssey Dawn
[1]More than 40 members deployed rapidly to support the air operations center during the opening United States phase of the Libya intervention.
- 2000
Mission shifted to Ramstein air-operations support
[1]The group’s federal mission changed to augment the 603d Air Operations Center at Ramstein Air Base for United States Air Forces Europe.
- 1996
Adopted the Air Operations Group designation
[1]On 1 August the unit was redesignated the 152d Air Operations Group.
- 1992
Became the 152d Air Control Group
[1]The group adopted a new designation as the Air Force reorganized terminology for its air-control units.
- 1984
Moved to Hancock Field
[1]The organization relocated to Hancock Field Air National Guard Base near Syracuse, New York.
- 1961
Deployed during the Berlin Crisis
[1]The group was federalized and deployed to Germany, where it operated radar sites until returning to state control the following year.
- 1954
Redesignated 152d Tactical Control Group
[1]The redesignation marked the unit’s transition toward tactical aircraft control for offensive and defensive operations.
- 1951
Federalized during the Korean War period
[1]The group entered active federal service, moved to New Hampshire and supported radar operations associated with Northeast Air Command in Canada.
- 1948
Joined the New York Air National Guard
[1]Federal recognition and activation were granted on 15 March at Westchester County Airport as the 152d Aircraft Warning and Control Group.
- 1944
Reactivated in the China-Burma-India Theater
[1]The 558th Signal Aircraft Warning Battalion was activated in August and served in the China-Burma-India Theater through the end of the Second World War.
Products and positioning
A specialized Air National Guard command-and-control unit focused on theater air operations, operational planning and rapid augmentation of United States Air Forces Europe.
Air operations command-and-control system
AN/USQ-163 Falconer
The AN/USQ-163 Falconer is the air operations center weapons system supported by the group and the 603d Air Operations Center. It provides the operational framework for planning and executing air missions, integrating theater strategy, intelligence, combat planning, combat operations, air mobility and communications. Its output includes the Air Tasking Order used to coordinate airborne resources.
Marketing campaigns
- 2011Operation Odyssey Dawn
Libya · European theater
The group sent more than 40 members within approximately 48 hours to support the United States air operations center during the opening phase of the international intervention in Libya. The operation enforced a United Nations-mandated no-fly zone and protected opposition-held areas from attacks by forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi before command transitioned to NATO.
Outcome. The United States transferred command to NATO on 31 March 2011, after which the mission continued as Operation Unified Protector. The group’s rapid augmentation was cited as an example of the Air National Guard’s ability to activate specialized command-and-control personnel quickly.
Brand decisions
2000
Adopted a theater air-operations-center augmentation missionStrategyBackground
The Air Force was reorganizing air command-and-control functions, and the group’s previous air-control lineage was adapted to support theater-level operations.
Action taken
The group’s federal mission was changed to augment the 603d Air Operations Center at Ramstein Air Base in support of United States Air Forces Europe.
Aftermath
The unit became focused on operational planning, direction and control of air forces through the Falconer air operations center system.
1996
Redesignated as the 152d Air Operations GroupOtherBackground
The unit’s designation evolved as the Air Force consolidated and modernized its air command-and-control structure.
Action taken
The 152d Air Control Group was redesignated the 152d Air Operations Group on 1 August.
Aftermath
The new designation reflected the group’s role in air operations-center functions rather than only tactical air control.
Sources2 sources
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