368th Expeditionary Air Support Operations Group

The 368th Expeditionary Air Support Operations Group is a United States Air Force combat-support organization rather than a commercial consumer brand. Its central mission is to integrate air-power capabilities with surface-force operations by providing tactical command and control to the Joint Forces Air Component Commander and the Joint Forces Commander. In practical terms, the group links air operations with land campaigns, helping coordinate the employment of aircraft, air-support personnel, weather information, communications systems, and air-support control elements. The organization traces its lineage to the 68th Tactical Air Support Group, established on 2 December 1969 and activated at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, on 15 January 1970. At activation, it assumed the mission, personnel, and equipment of the 4467th Tactical Air Support Group. During its original Tactical Air Command period, the group trained and equipped tactical air-support squadrons and tactical air-control parties. These elements supported surface forces through tactical air strikes, reconnaissance, airlift, communications, and related control functions. The group operated aircraft and systems associated with forward air support, including Cessna O-2 Skymasters, Sikorsky CH-3 and CH-53 helicopters, Beechcraft QU-22 Pave Eagles, and North American Rockwell OV-10 Broncos. The original group was inactivated on 15 June 1974. Its mission was transferred to the 507th Tactical Air Control Wing, which consolidated tactical control and tactical air-support organizations for Ninth Air Force. The lineage was later redesignated as the 368th Tactical Air Support Group on 31 July 1985. The modern expeditionary designation reflects the Air Force practice of creating provisional organizations for deployed operations. On 12 February 2009, the unit was redesignated the 368th Expeditionary Air Support Operations Group and converted to provisional status, allowing Air Combat Command to activate or inactivate it as operational requirements changed. During Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn, the group operated from an undisclosed location in Iraq and supported Multi-National Corps–Iraq. By July 2010, its subordinate structure included the 22d Expeditionary Weather Squadron and the 82d Expeditionary Air Support Operations Squadron. The group was inactivated in December 2011 following the withdrawal of United States forces from Iraq and the end of Operation New Dawn. The organization was activated again in May 2015 in support of Operation Inherent Resolve and Operation Spartan Shield. The structure described for that activation included Army Weather Support Detachment 1, Air Support Operations Center Detachment 2, the 72d Expeditionary Air Support Operations Squadron, and the 82d Expeditionary Air Support Operations Squadron. These components indicate the group's continuing role as an integrating headquarters for weather support, air-support coordination, and air operations in joint and coalition environments. Because the group is a military unit, conventional brand attributes such as retail products, commercial revenue, shareholders, and consumer positioning do not apply. Its institutional identity is based on lineage, mission, expeditionary status, and relationships with United States Air Force and joint-force command structures. Public reference material does not establish a current permanent location, a current commander, or whether the provisional group remains activated after the 2015 activation.

The unit's lineage begins with the establishment of the 68th Tactical Air Support Group on 2 December 1969. It was activated at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, on 15 January 1970, taking over the mission, personnel, and equipment of the 4467th Tactical Air Support Group. As a Tactical Air Command organization assigned to Ninth Air Force, it trained and equipped tactical air-support squadrons and tactical air-control parties for operations supporting surface forces. Its original responsibilities covered the control and coordination of air activity in support of ground operations. These activities included tactical air strikes, reconnaissance, airlift, and the operation of aircraft and communications systems used by forward air-support elements. Components associated with the group included the 703d Special Operations Squadron, later redesignated the 703d Tactical Air Support Squadron; the 704th Tactical Air Support Squadron; the 681st and 682d Direct Air Support Center Squadrons; the 424th Tactical Air Support Training Squadron; and an Air Education and Training Command studies and analysis squadron. Aircraft listed in the unit's historical record include the Cessna O-2 Skymaster, Sikorsky CH-3 and CH-53 helicopters, Beechcraft QU-22 Pave Eagle, and North American Rockwell OV-10 Bronco. The group was inactivated on 15 June 1974. Its mission passed to the 507th Tactical Air Control Wing, which combined tactical-control and tactical-air-support functions for Ninth Air Force. The lineage was revived administratively when the organization was redesignated the 368th Tactical Air Support Group on 31 July 1985. A major change came on 12 February 2009, when the group received the designation 368th Expeditionary Air Support Operations Group and was converted to provisional status. Under this arrangement, Air Combat Command could activate or inactivate the organization as operational needs required. During Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn, it served in Iraq from an undisclosed location and supported Multi-National Corps–Iraq. By July 2010, the group included the 22d Expeditionary Weather Squadron and the 82d Expeditionary Air Support Operations Squadron. The unit was inactivated in December 2011 after the withdrawal of United States forces from Iraq and the conclusion of Operation New Dawn. The group was activated again in May 2015 for Operation Inherent Resolve and Operation Spartan Shield. The recorded subordinate structure included Detachment 1 for Army Weather Support, Detachment 2 for an Air Support Operations Center, the 72d Expeditionary Air Support Operations Squadron, and the 82d Expeditionary Air Support Operations Squadron. This structure reflects the group's role as an expeditionary headquarters that brings together weather, air-support control, and operational coordination for joint missions. Publicly available material does not identify a permanent headquarters for the provisional organization, a current commander, or a definitive current operational status. Its historical identity is therefore best understood through its lineage and recurring expeditionary activations rather than through a continuously operating peacetime headquarters.

• 2015

  Reactivated for regional operations

  [1]368th Expeditionary Air Support Operations Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The group was activated again in May 2015 for Operation Inherent Resolve and Operation Spartan Shield.

• 2011

  Inactivated after Iraq withdrawal

  [1]368th Expeditionary Air Support Operations Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The group was inactivated in December 2011 following the withdrawal of United States forces from Iraq and the end of Operation New Dawn.

• 2010

  Supported operations in Iraq

  [1]368th Expeditionary Air Support Operations Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The group operated in Iraq in support of Multi-National Corps–Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn.

• 2009

  Converted to expeditionary provisional status

  [1]368th Expeditionary Air Support Operations Groupen.wikipedia.org

  On 12 February 2009, the group was redesignated the 368th Expeditionary Air Support Operations Group and converted to provisional status.

• 1985

  Redesignated 368th Tactical Air Support Group

  [1]368th Expeditionary Air Support Operations Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The lineage was redesignated the 368th Tactical Air Support Group on 31 July 1985.

• 1974

  Original group inactivated

  [1]368th Expeditionary Air Support Operations Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The original Tactical Air Support Group was inactivated on 15 June 1974, with its mission transferred to the 507th Tactical Air Control Wing.

• 1970

  Activated at Shaw Air Force Base

  [1]368th Expeditionary Air Support Operations Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The group was activated on 15 January 1970 at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, assuming the mission, personnel, and equipment of the 4467th Tactical Air Support Group.

• 1969

  Lineage established

  [1]368th Expeditionary Air Support Operations Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The 68th Tactical Air Support Group was established on 2 December 1969.

A deployable United States Air Force joint-force enabler focused on integrating air operations, weather support, and tactical air control with ground and coalition combat operations.

• Military operational capability · 1970

  Tactical air-support command and control

  The group's principal capability is the tactical coordination of air-power assets for joint commanders. It connects air operations with surface-force requirements, supporting the planning and control of air strikes, reconnaissance, airlift, and related missions. This is an operational military function rather than a commercial product.

• Military command support · 2015

  Air-support operations-center support

  Air-support operations-center elements provide a coordination interface between air-component and ground-component headquarters. In the 2015 structure, Detachment 2 was identified as an Air Support Operations Center element, indicating the group's role in integrating air missions with joint and coalition operational planning.

• Military environmental support · 2010

  Expeditionary weather support

  Weather organizations support air and ground operations by supplying environmental information relevant to aircraft employment, mission timing, mobility, and battlefield activity. The group included the 22d Expeditionary Weather Squadron during its Iraq deployment and Army Weather Support Detachment 1 in the structure recorded for its 2015 activation.

• 2015Operation Inherent Resolve

  Middle East

  The group was activated in May 2015 in support of Operation Inherent Resolve, a regional military operation involving air and joint-force activities.

  Outcome. The available reference identifies the activation and subordinate structure but does not establish a later final outcome for the group's participation.

  Source
• 2015Operation Spartan Shield

  Middle East

  The group was also activated in support of Operation Spartan Shield, with weather, air-support-center, and expeditionary air-support components.

  Outcome. No later disposition is specified in the available reference material.

  Source
• 2010Operation Iraqi Freedom

  Iraq

  The group supported United States and coalition combat operations in Iraq through tactical air-support command and control and associated weather and air-support elements.

  Outcome. The group remained part of the Iraq theater structure until the later transition associated with Operation New Dawn.

  Source
• 2010Operation New Dawn

  Iraq

  The provisional group supported Multi-National Corps–Iraq during Operation New Dawn, with the 22d Expeditionary Weather Squadron and 82d Expeditionary Air Support Operations Squadron among its listed subordinate units.

  Outcome. The group was inactivated in December 2011 after United States forces withdrew from Iraq and the operation ended.

  Source

• 2015

  Reactivation for new regional operationsStrategy

  Background

  Changing operational requirements in the Middle East created a renewed need for an expeditionary headquarters integrating air-support operations and weather support.

  Action taken

  The group was activated in May 2015 to support Operation Inherent Resolve and Operation Spartan Shield.

  Aftermath

  The recorded 2015 structure included four subordinate elements spanning Army weather support, an air-support operations center, and two expeditionary air-support squadrons.

  Source

• 2011

  Inactivation after the Iraq withdrawalStrategy

  Background

  The United States withdrawal from Iraq and the cessation of Operation New Dawn reduced the requirement for the group's deployed command-and-control structure in that theater.

  Action taken

  The group was inactivated in December 2011.

  Aftermath

  The group's provisional activation ended after the Iraq mission concluded.

  Source

• 2009

  Conversion to provisional expeditionary statusStrategy

  Background

  The Air Force required a structure that could be activated for deployed combat-support operations without maintaining the group as a continuously active conventional headquarters.

  Action taken

  The organization was redesignated the 368th Expeditionary Air Support Operations Group and converted to provisional status, with Air Combat Command authorized to activate or inactivate it as needed.

  Aftermath

  The provisional construct was used for operations in Iraq and for later regional missions.

  Source

1. 1368th Expeditionary Air Support Operations Groupen.wikipedia.org