157th Air Operations Group
The 157th Air Operations Group is a Missouri Air National Guard unit that staffs an Air Operations Center supporting aerospace command and control across the Pacific Air Forces area of responsibility.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
The 157th Air Operations Group is a United States Air Force Air National Guard operations unit based at Jefferson Barracks National Guard Base in St. Louis, Missouri. Although it is geographically separated from its supporting wing, the Missouri Air National Guard's 131st Bomb Wing, the group provides specialized personnel for theater-level air operations and command-and-control missions. It is not a commercial brand or consumer-facing organization; its identity is that of a military formation whose capabilities are organized around operational planning, intelligence, communications, and combat operations. The group's principal mission is to man an Air Operations Center, or AOC, supporting Headquarters Pacific Air Forces. The Pacific Air Forces area of responsibility extends across a very large geographic region, from the eastern coast of Africa through the Indo-Pacific and toward the western coast of the Americas. Within the Theater Air Control System, the AOC is the senior command-and-control element for aerospace operations. Using the AN/USQ-163 Falconer system and associated interoperable networks, its personnel help plan, execute, monitor, and assess air and space operations during contingencies and conflicts. The group enables a Joint Forces Air Component Commander to direct theater aerospace forces in support of a joint force commander. The unit traces its lineage to the 582d Signal Aircraft Warning Battalion, which was constituted in late 1943 and activated on 15 January 1944. During the Second World War, the battalion operated in the Mediterranean and European theaters as part of the Twelfth and Ninth Air Forces. It was organized in Italy from provisional signal aircraft-warning formations and operated through mobile radar detachments. Elements participated in Operation Dragoon, the Allied invasion of southern France. After Victory in Europe, the battalion remained in Germany as part of the occupation force before being inactivated in November 1945. The lineage entered the Air National Guard in 1946, when the battalion was converted and redesignated the 157th Aircraft Control and Warning Group. It was organized in the Missouri National Guard and received federal recognition in 1948. The group was called to federal service during the Korean War in 1951, served at Alexandria Air Force Base in Louisiana, and was released from active duty in November 1953. During that period its designation changed to the 157th Tactical Control Group, reflecting a shift from an air-defense warning role toward the control of tactical strike aircraft. Further mission evolution produced the 157th Air Control Group designation in 1992 and the current 157th Air Operations Group designation in 2001. In 2016, the organization changed from a non-traditional group-to-division structure to a more conventional group-to-squadron structure. The reorganization established the 157th Combat Operations Squadron, 157th Air Intelligence Squadron, and 157th Air Communications Squadron, each reporting to the group commander. The same year, the organization gained an additional mission supporting United States Air Force Global Strike Command and the 608th Air Operations Center at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. That supporting element became the 257th Combat Operations Flight, which was operationally associated with the group from 2017. Today, the 157th Air Operations Group's value lies in its trained personnel, operational readiness, and ability to integrate command, intelligence, communications, and combat-operations functions. Its activities are conducted in support of national defense and joint military operations rather than commercial sales or public marketing. Publicly available information identifies the group as an active Missouri Air National Guard organization with Pacific Air Forces and, for the 257th Combat Operations Flight, Air Force Global Strike Command affiliations.
History
The unit's lineage began during the Second World War. It was constituted as the 582d Signal Aircraft Warning Battalion on 27 November 1943 and activated on 15 January 1944. Organized in Italy from provisional signal aircraft-warning elements, the battalion served with the Twelfth and Ninth Air Forces in the Mediterranean and European theaters. Its radar detachments were mobile and moved frequently as Allied armies advanced. Elements of the battalion supported Operation Dragoon, the August 1944 invasion of southern France. After the German surrender, the battalion remained in Germany as part of the occupation force. It was inactivated in November 1945 after substantial personnel turnover, with remaining personnel transferred to another signal aircraft-warning battalion. On 24 May 1946, the lineage was converted to the Air Corps, redesignated the 157th Aircraft Control and Warning Group, and allotted to the National Guard. The organization was activated in the Missouri National Guard on 22 September 1946 and received federal recognition on 26 April 1948. Its early postwar structure included multiple aircraft-control and warning squadrons and flights. The unit was called to federal service on 1 November 1951 during the Korean War. It operated within the Tenth and Ninth Air Forces and was stationed at Alexandria Air Force Base, Louisiana, after service at Jefferson Barracks. During this mobilization, the group was redesignated the 157th Tactical Control Group on 20 November 1952, reflecting a transition from an air-defense warning mission toward tactical control of strike aircraft. It was released from active duty and returned to the Missouri Air National Guard on 1 November 1953. Over subsequent decades, the organization operated through a changing succession of tactical-control, aircraft-control, warning, and direct-air-support squadrons and flights. These included the 131st, 133d, 157th, 117th, 119th, 128th, 129th, and other formations at different points in its history. The organization was redesignated the 157th Air Control Group on 16 June 1992. Its gaining-command relationship later included Pacific Air Forces, which has remained its principal operational affiliation. The current designation, 157th Air Operations Group, took effect on 18 April 2001. The change reflected the evolution from relatively narrow tactical-control and warning functions to a broader air-operations-center mission. The group staffs an Air Operations Center using the AN/USQ-163 Falconer system. An AOC serves as the senior element of the Theater Air Control System and provides the processes and systems required to plan, direct, monitor, and assess theater aerospace operations. The group supports Joint Forces Air Component Commanders, who use the AOC to exercise command and control of aerospace forces on behalf of a Joint Force Commander. In 2016, the group reorganized from a non-traditional group-to-division arrangement into a traditional group-to-squadron structure. The reorganization established the 157th Combat Operations Squadron, 157th Air Intelligence Squadron, and 157th Air Communications Squadron, with the squadron commanders reporting to the 157th Air Operations Group commander. The change aligned the unit's organizational structure with its operational functions and clarified command relationships. The group also received an additive mission in 2016 to support United States Air Force Global Strike Command and the 608th Air Operations Center at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. The added element was designated the 257th Combat Operations Flight once fully operational and has been associated with the group from 2017. The flight's commander reports directly to the 157th Air Operations Group commander, while its gaining-command relationship is with Air Force Global Strike Command. The group remains located at Jefferson Barracks National Guard Base in St. Louis, Missouri, where it is geographically separated from the Missouri Air National Guard's 131st Bomb Wing. Its principal operational focus is the Pacific Air Forces area of responsibility, a region extending from the east coast of Africa across the Indo-Pacific to the west coast of the Americas. Its lineage therefore combines World War II mobile radar operations, Cold War tactical control, Air National Guard service, and modern theater-level air and space command-and-control.
- 2017
257th Combat Operations Flight associated
[1]The 257th Combat Operations Flight entered the group's listed component structure in support of Air Force Global Strike Command.
- 2016
Group-to-squadron reorganization
[1]The group shifted to a traditional group-to-squadron structure and established combat operations, intelligence, and communications squadrons.
- 2016
Global Strike Command support added
[1]The group gained an additional mission supporting Air Force Global Strike Command and the 608th Air Operations Center.
- 2001
Current designation adopted
[1]The unit became the 157th Air Operations Group on 18 April.
- 1992
Air Control Group designation
[1]The organization was redesignated the 157th Air Control Group on 16 June.
- 1952
Tactical-control redesignation
[1]The organization became the 157th Tactical Control Group on 20 November as its mission shifted toward tactical strike-aircraft control.
- 1951
Korean War federal service
[1]The group was called to federal service on 1 November and operated through Tenth and Ninth Air Force relationships.
- 1948
Federal recognition
[1]The Missouri National Guard organization received federal recognition on 26 April.
- 1946
Transfer to the National Guard lineage
[1]The lineage was converted to the Air Corps, redesignated the 157th Aircraft Control and Warning Group, and allotted to the National Guard.
- 1945
Postwar inactivation
[1]The World War II battalion was inactivated in November after remaining in Germany as part of the occupation force.
Products and positioning
A specialized Air National Guard command-and-control organization providing theater air operations, intelligence, communications, and combat-operations support to United States Air Force and joint-force commanders.
Military command and control
Air Operations Center support
The group's principal capability is staffing an Air Operations Center, the senior Theater Air Control System element for theater aerospace operations. Personnel support the planning, execution, monitoring, and assessment of air and space operations and help Joint Forces Air Component Commanders direct aerospace forces in support of joint-force objectives.
Air operations system
AN/USQ-163 Falconer
The AN/USQ-163 Falconer is the Air Operations Center system identified with the group's modern mission. It provides an integrated environment in which related command, control, planning, execution, intelligence, communications, and assessment functions can interoperate during contingency or conflict operations.
Combat operations · 2016
157th Combat Operations Squadron
Established as part of the 2016 reorganization, the 157th Combat Operations Squadron forms part of the group's traditional squadron structure. It contributes personnel and functions associated with the conduct and coordination of theater air operations.
Military intelligence · 2016
157th Air Intelligence Squadron
The 157th Air Intelligence Squadron was established in the 2016 restructuring. It provides the intelligence component of the group's Air Operations Center organization, supporting operational planning, situational understanding, and assessment.
Military communications · 2016
157th Air Communications Squadron
The 157th Air Communications Squadron was created during the 2016 organizational conversion. It supports the communications and information infrastructure required for Air Operations Center activities and for coordination among operational elements.
Combat operations · 2017
257th Combat Operations Flight
The 257th Combat Operations Flight is an additive mission element associated with the group from 2017. It supports Air Force Global Strike Command and the 608th Air Operations Center at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. Its commander reports directly to the 157th Air Operations Group commander.
Brand decisions
2016
Conversion to a traditional squadron structureStrategyBackground
The group operated under a non-traditional group-to-division organization that was replaced to align command relationships with operational specialties.
Action taken
The group established the 157th Combat Operations Squadron, 157th Air Intelligence Squadron, and 157th Air Communications Squadron, each reporting to the group commander.
Aftermath
The reorganization clarified the unit's internal structure and grouped combat operations, intelligence, and communications functions under dedicated squadrons.
2016
Addition of Global Strike Command supportStrategyBackground
The organization expanded its responsibilities beyond its Pacific Air Forces support mission through an additional assignment connected to Air Force Global Strike Command.
Action taken
The group gained an additive mission supporting the 608th Air Operations Center at Barksdale Air Force Base, with the associated element designated the 257th Combat Operations Flight once operational.
Aftermath
The additional mission broadened the group's command-and-control support portfolio and established a continuing relationship with Air Force Global Strike Command.
2001
Conversion to Air Operations GroupStrategyBackground
The unit's mission had developed into theater-level air operations center support rather than a narrowly defined warning or tactical-control function.
Action taken
The organization adopted the 157th Air Operations Group designation on 18 April.
Aftermath
The current title established the unit's modern identity as an Air National Guard Air Operations Center manning organization.
1992
Adoption of Air Control Group designationStrategyBackground
The organization's command-and-control responsibilities continued to develop after decades of tactical-control and warning missions.
Action taken
The unit was redesignated the 157th Air Control Group on 16 June.
Aftermath
The new designation preceded its conversion into an Air Operations Group and reflected a broader air-control role.
1952
Shift from aircraft warning to tactical controlStrategyBackground
During federal service in the Korean War period, the organization's mission evolved beyond air-defense warning toward control of tactical strike aircraft.
Action taken
The group was redesignated the 157th Tactical Control Group on 20 November.
Aftermath
The redesignation marked an early major transition toward the tactical-control and air-operations functions reflected in later organizational titles.
Sources1 sources
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