408th Armament Systems Group

The 408th Armament Systems Group was a United States Air Force Materiel Command organization responsible for armament acquisition support during the Air Force’s early-2000s reorganization of its systems-management structure. Although the group’s final identity dates from 2006, its lineage was connected to earlier Air Force formations that had served very different purposes, including the 408th Bombardment Group of the Second World War and the 408th Fighter Group, an air-defense organization active during the Cold War. The modern organization originated as the Area Attack Systems Group, activated at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, on 27 January 2005. Its creation formed part of an Air Force Materiel Command transformation that replaced many traditional project-office arrangements with numbered wings, groups, and squadrons. In 2006, the Area Attack Systems Group was consolidated with the inactive 408th Tactical Fighter Group lineage. It was redesignated the 408th Armament Systems Group on 10 May 2006 and assigned to the Air to Ground Munition Systems Wing, later known as the 308th Armament Systems Wing. The group’s work was acquisition-oriented rather than operational in the conventional combat-unit sense. Its responsibilities included support for the Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile, the Joint Direct Attack Munition, communications and information technology, Foreign Military Sales, and weaponeering. These functions placed the group within the Air Force’s broader process for developing, managing, integrating, and supporting weapon systems and related capabilities. The group therefore acted as an organizational center for program and systems support rather than as a conventional flying unit with its own operational aircraft. The number 408 also carried an extensive earlier lineage. The 408th Bombardment Group was activated at Key Field, Mississippi, in April 1943 and initially trained with single-engine dive-bomber aircraft. It was redesignated the 408th Fighter-Bomber Group later that year and performed operational and replacement training duties at several American bases. It was disbanded in April 1944 as the Army Air Forces shifted to a functional base-unit system for domestic training and support activities. The lineage was revived in 1956 when the 408th Fighter Group was activated at Klamath Falls Municipal Airport, Oregon, later renamed Kingsley Field. Initially, the group focused heavily on base support and construction while preparing to support air-defense operations in the Pacific Northwest. Its associated units later operated McDonnell F-101 Voodoo and Convair F-106 Delta Dart interceptor aircraft. The fighter group was inactivated in 1970. The 408th Armament Systems Group itself was inactivated on 30 June 2010. This followed the inactivation of the 308th Armament Systems Wing and a return by the relevant Air Force Materiel Command center to a project-office organizational model. The group is consequently a historical and lineage organization rather than an active brand, commercial enterprise, or current military command.

The 408th Armament Systems Group was the final designation of a United States Air Force organization whose modern existence lasted from 2005 to 2010. Its immediate predecessor, the Area Attack Systems Group, was activated at Eglin Air Force Base on 27 January 2005 during an Air Force Materiel Command transformation. The reorganization sought to replace traditional systems-management and project-office arrangements with a hierarchy built around wings, groups, and squadrons. In 2006, the Area Attack Systems Group was consolidated with the inactive 408th Tactical Fighter Group. The organization was redesignated the 408th Armament Systems Group on 10 May 2006 and placed within the Air to Ground Munition Systems Wing, later designated the 308th Armament Systems Wing. Its mission was to provide acquisition and systems support for air armament programs. Responsibilities identified for the group included the Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile, the Joint Direct Attack Munition, communications and information technology, Foreign Military Sales, and weaponeering. The group’s number derived from earlier Air Force lineage. The 408th Bombardment Group was constituted in March 1943 and activated at Key Field, Mississippi, in April of that year. It initially trained with single-engine dive-bomber aircraft and was redesignated the 408th Fighter-Bomber Group in August 1943. Its squadrons provided operational and replacement training, including the preparation of cadres for other groups. The unit moved among several American airfields, including Drew Field in Florida, Abilene Army Air Field in Texas, DeRidder Army Air Base in Louisiana, and Woodward Army Air Field in Oklahoma. It was disbanded on 1 April 1944 when the Army Air Forces replaced many domestic training and support formations with functionally organized numbered base units. The lineage was reconstituted and redesignated the 408th Fighter Group (Air Defense) in 1955, then activated on 8 April 1956 at Klamath Falls Municipal Airport in Oregon. The installation was later renamed Kingsley Field. During its initial period there, the group served as the host organization, oversaw facility development, and supported air-defense units at Kingsley Field and Keno Air Force Station. The 518th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron was assigned but did not become a fully operational unit at the station. In 1959, the 322d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron moved to Kingsley Field and converted to the McDonnell F-101 Voodoo, an interceptor equipped for integration with the Semi-Automatic Ground Environment air-defense network. The 322d was later replaced by the 59th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, while the 460th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron subsequently operated Convair F-106 Delta Darts from the field. The 408th Fighter Group was inactivated in 1970, with remaining support responsibilities transferred to another base organization and the operational fighter-interceptor squadron reassigned to a higher air-defense command. The group was later redesignated the 408th Tactical Fighter Group in 1985, although it was not active under that title. Its lineage was consolidated with the Area Attack Systems Group in 2006, enabling the newly formed armament systems organization to carry the 408 designation. The 408th Armament Systems Group was inactivated on 30 June 2010. The action accompanied the inactivation of the 308th Armament Systems Wing and a broader decision to restore a project-office organizational model for the relevant acquisition functions. The group therefore has no current operating presence, commercial ownership, public stock listing, or active product portfolio. Its historical importance lies in the succession of military missions represented by its lineage: wartime aircraft training, Cold War air defense, and modern armament acquisition support.

• 2010

  Organization inactivated

  [1]408th Armament Systems Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The group was inactivated on 30 June 2010 after the 308th Armament Systems Wing was dissolved.

• 2006

  408th Armament Systems Group designation adopted

  [1]408th Armament Systems Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The Area Attack Systems Group was consolidated with the 408th Tactical Fighter Group lineage and redesignated the 408th Armament Systems Group.

• 2005

  Area Attack Systems Group activated

  [1]408th Armament Systems Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The predecessor to the modern group was activated at Eglin Air Force Base as part of Air Force Materiel Command’s organizational transformation.

• 1970

  408th Fighter Group inactivated

  [1]408th Armament Systems Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The Cold War air-defense group was inactivated and its remaining support responsibilities were transferred to other organizations.

• 1959

  F-101 air-defense operations began at Kingsley Field

  [1]408th Armament Systems Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The 322d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron moved to Kingsley Field and began converting to McDonnell F-101 Voodoo interceptors.

• 1956

  408th Fighter Group reactivated

  [1]408th Armament Systems Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The air-defense lineage was activated at Klamath Falls Municipal Airport, Oregon, on 8 April 1956.

• 1944

  World War II group disbanded

  [1]408th Armament Systems Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The group was disbanded on 1 April during the conversion of domestic training activities to the Army Air Forces Base Unit system.

• 1943

  408th Bombardment Group activated

  [1]408th Armament Systems Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The 408th Bombardment Group was activated at Key Field, Mississippi, on 5 April 1943.

• 1943

  Redesignated as a fighter-bomber group

  [1]408th Armament Systems Groupen.wikipedia.org

  On 10 August, the organization became the 408th Fighter-Bomber Group as the Army Air Forces reorganized its single-engine bomber units.

A United States Air Force Materiel Command acquisition-support organization focused on air armament systems, weapons integration, and related program-management functions.

• Air-to-air missile acquisition support

  Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile

  The group supported acquisition-related work associated with the Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile, including the systems-management and integration activities assigned to its armament acquisition portfolio.

• Precision-guided munition acquisition support

  Joint Direct Attack Munition

  The Joint Direct Attack Munition was among the major weapon programs identified as receiving support from the group. The group’s role was acquisition and systems support rather than manufacture or retail distribution.

• Weapons integration and planning

  Weaponeering

  Weaponeering was part of the group’s armament-support mission. This function concerns the technical and operational matching of weapons, targets, delivery conditions, and desired effects within military planning and acquisition contexts.

• Defense export and acquisition support

  Foreign Military Sales support

  The group supported Foreign Military Sales-related armament activities, helping connect United States weapon-system acquisition expertise with authorized international defense transfers.

• 2010

  Return to a project-office organizational modelStrategy

  Background

  Air Force Materiel Command reversed the wing-and-group arrangement used for the armament systems organizations.

  Action taken

  The 308th Armament Systems Wing, the 408th Armament Systems Group, and its assigned squadrons were inactivated.

  Aftermath

  Relevant acquisition functions returned to a project-office structure, ending the group’s active existence.

  Source

• 2006

  Lineage consolidation and redesignationOther

  Background

  The Air Force sought to associate newly organized systems organizations with historical unit lineages.

  Action taken

  The Area Attack Systems Group was consolidated with the 408th Tactical Fighter Group lineage and redesignated the 408th Armament Systems Group.

  Aftermath

  The organization retained its armament acquisition mission while carrying the historical 408 designation.

  Source

• 2005

  Adoption of a wing-and-group acquisition structureStrategy

  Background

  Air Force Materiel Command was restructuring traditional systems-management offices into numbered wings, groups, and squadrons.

  Action taken

  The Area Attack Systems Group was activated at Eglin Air Force Base to provide armament acquisition support within the new structure.

  Aftermath

  The group later became the 408th Armament Systems Group and operated under the 308th Armament Systems Wing.

  Source

1. 1408th Armament Systems Groupen.wikipedia.org