497th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group

The 497th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group is an active United States Air Force intelligence unit stationed at Joint Base Langley–Eustis, Virginia. It is part of the Air Force's ISR enterprise and reports through Air Combat Command. The group's mission is to deliver real-time, high-confidence intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance products and services to Joint and Coalition forces and other designated government agencies. Its work supports operational planning, targeting, and situational awareness for air, space, and cyber operations. The group is composed of four active-duty squadrons — the 497th Operations Support Squadron, the 45th Intelligence Squadron, the 30th Intelligence Squadron, and the 10th Intelligence Squadron — along with one Air National Guard unit, the 192nd Intelligence Squadron (Virginia Air National Guard), and a classic Air Reserve unit, the 718th Intelligence Squadron, which was stood up to support total force integration of the wing and combat ISR operations. This mix of active, Guard, and Reserve components reflects the Air Force's total force approach to intelligence manning. The 497th traces its lineage to the 497th Reconnaissance Technical Squadron, activated at Wiesbaden Air Base, Germany, on 3 May 1951, to meet United States Air Forces Europe's need for reconnaissance technical support. Over the following decades it evolved through several designations and locations, including service as the USAFE Intelligence Research Center, the 497th Reconnaissance Technical Group, the 497th Intelligence Group, and the 497th Information Operations Group. It was inactivated in 1992 after the end of the Cold War, reactivated in 1993 at Bolling Air Force Base, redesignated in 2000, and inactivated again in 2001. It returned to service as the 497th Intelligence Group at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia, on 1 December 2008, and was redesignated the 497th Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Group on 1 January 2009. As a military organization rather than a commercial enterprise, the 497th does not sell products or services in a marketplace. Its "offerings" are intelligence products and ISR support to government and coalition customers. Its history reflects the evolution of U.S. Air Force intelligence from Cold War photographic reconnaissance and chart production to modern networked ISR and information operations.

The 497th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group traces its origins to the early Cold War. In 1951, United States Air Forces Europe (USAFE) identified a need for a reconnaissance technical squadron in the European theater to process and produce aerial reconnaissance materials, interpret photographic reconnaissance, and compile and reproduce aeronautical charts and related products. Accordingly, USAFE activated the 497th Reconnaissance Technical Squadron at Wiesbaden Air Base, Germany, on 3 May 1951. Because USAFE lacked resources in theater to train and man the unit, the squadron moved to Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, the home of the 363d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, in July 1951. After completing training, the squadron sailed on the USS General S. D. Sturgis for Europe, where it was stationed at sites in Wiesbaden while its base at the Schierstein Administrative Office was being renovated. By the end of April, the unit moved to Schierstein. On 6 June 1966, USAFE transferred the personnel of its Directorate of Air Targets to the squadron, which became the "USAFE Intelligence Research Center." With the increased mission, the Air Force decided to inactivate the 497th Reconnaissance Technical Squadron, and on 1 October 1967, it organized the 497th Reconnaissance Technical Group, which assumed the personnel, equipment and expanded mission of the 497th Squadron. The 497th Reconnaissance Technical Group provided intelligence support to flying units in Europe during the Cold War. In September 1968, the group assumed a joint intelligence role when the Army incorporated personnel into the 497th. The next year, USAFE moved to Ramstein Air Base while the group remained at Schierstein. With the move, the unit stopped producing charts and maps but assumed operational control of the photographic processing facility at Wiesbaden Air Base. Marine Corps personnel were added to the group in 1978, and a micrographics production capability was added as well. In the Spring of 1979, the Air Force activated an Operating Location of the group at Ramstein Air Base to provide expanded imagery intelligence support to Headquarters, USAFE. The group accomplished photographic intelligence exploitation including studies, analysis and estimates as well as precision targeting, plotting and production. It also staffed and supported the USAFE Intelligence Development Center and processed and interpreted reconnaissance imagery for the commander of United States European Command and North Atlantic Treaty Organization's Allied Command Europe, and specified U.S. intelligence agencies. In 1982, the 496th Reconnaissance Technical Squadron, based at RAF Alconbury, was activated and assigned to the group. It provided imagery services to Air Force units in the United Kingdom and served as a backup to the group's main operating location. In September 1989, the group detachment at Ramstein became a squadron, the 495th Reconnaissance Technical Squadron. The Group provided intelligence imagery products during the build-up and execution of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. On 1 July 1991, the group moved to RAF Molesworth, United Kingdom, where it served as the foundation for European Command's Joint Analysis Center. With the fall of the Soviet Union and withdrawal of Russian forces from Eastern Europe, the Air Force inactivated the group on 1 July 1992. The Air Force redesignated the group as the 497th Intelligence Group and activated it at Bolling Air Force Base, District of Columbia, on 1 October 1993 as part of Air Intelligence Agency. The group's mission included three main functions: intelligence systems, operations applications, and security and communications management. As the Air Force developed its doctrine for information superiority and information operations, the 497th was redesignated the 497th Information Operations Group on 1 August 2000. The group was the primary planning, policy implementation, and functional management arm of the Directorate of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance of Headquarters, United States Air Force. The unit also supported a number of Air Staff offices, and other United States Department of Defense and joint customers around the world. It provided intelligence infrastructure services and security, weapons system support, automation, and information operations support to users worldwide. It contributed to development of intelligence support infrastructure requirements for weapons systems. The group inactivated on 1 February 2001. The group returned to its former name as the 497th Intelligence Group and was activated at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia, on 1 December 2008. The 10th and 30th Intelligence Squadrons were assigned to the group. On 1 January 2009, the unit was again redesignated, this time as the 497th Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Group. Prior to the establishment of the 480th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group, the 497th's 31st Intelligence Squadron performed duties as the Air Force component supporting the National Security Agency Central Security Service-Georgia operations site. Today the group is based at Joint Base Langley–Eustis, Virginia, and consists of four active-duty squadrons, one Air National Guard unit, and one Air Reserve unit.

• 2009

  Redesignated 497th Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Group.

• 2008

  Activated as 497th Intelligence Group at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia.

• 2001

  Group inactivated.

• 2000

  Redesignated 497th Information Operations Group.

• 1993

  Redesignated 497th Intelligence Group and activated at Bolling Air Force Base, D.C., under Air Intelligence Agency.

• 1992

  Group inactivated following the fall of the Soviet Union.

• 1991

  Group moved to RAF Molesworth, United Kingdom, as foundation for European Command's Joint Analysis Center.

• 1989

  Group detachment at Ramstein became the 495th Reconnaissance Technical Squadron.

• 1982

  496th Reconnaissance Technical Squadron activated at RAF Alconbury and assigned to the group.

• 1979

  Operating Location activated at Ramstein Air Base for expanded imagery intelligence support.

• 1978

  Marine Corps personnel added to the group; micrographics production capability added.

• 1968

  Group assumed a joint intelligence role with the incorporation of Army personnel.

• 1967

  497th Reconnaissance Technical Group organized, assuming the squadron's personnel, equipment and expanded mission.

• 1966

  USAFE transferred Directorate of Air Targets personnel to the squadron, which became the USAFE Intelligence Research Center.

• 1951

  497th Reconnaissance Technical Squadron activated at Wiesbaden Air Base, Germany.

• 1951

  Squadron moved to Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, for training.

A total-force U.S. Air Force ISR group providing real-time, high-confidence intelligence to Joint and Coalition warfighters.

Product categories. Real-time intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance products · Imagery intelligence analysis · Precision targeting support · Intelligence infrastructure services

1. 1497th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
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