The 29th Attack Squadron MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) mission is to provide close air support (CAS), air interdiction, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), and attack to eliminate threats when present. The multi-role capabilities of these RPAs allows combat search and rescue operations and extended time over targets to locate, track, target, strike, and assess time-sensitive targets
Historyedit
World War IIedit
Constituted as 13th Observation Squadron (Medium) on 5 February 1942. Activated on 10 Mar 1942 at Brooks Field, Texas, with O-52 observation aircraft and L-4 in the period 1942 to 1943. Redesignated as: 13th Observation Squadron on 4 July 1942; 13 Reconnaissance Squadron (Fighter) on 1 April 1943; 13th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron on 11 August 1943. Operating P-39, 1943-1944 and P-40 1944-1945. Redesignated 29th Reconnaissance Squadron (Night Photographic) on 25 January 1946. Inactivated on 29 July 1946.[1]
Equipped with the McDonnell RF-4C Phantom II due to a critical need for reconnaissance pilots due to the Vietnam War. Performed training on the RF-4C until 24 January 1971 when inactivated due to the USAF drawdown in Vietnam and budget reductions.[1]
Remotely piloted vehicle operationsedit
On 23 October 2009, the 29th Attack Squadron stood up under the 49th Wing at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico under the command of Lt Colonel James S. Merchant. An initial cadre of twelve instructors (six instructor pilots and six instructor sensor operators) manned the unit. The unit replaced the 432d Operations Group, Detachment 3.[3] It is a General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper Formal Training Unit.[4]
Lineageedit
Constituted as the 13th Observation Squadron (Medium) on 5 February 1942
^Escutia, A1C Sondra (8 October 2009). "MQ-9 Reaper makes first local flight". Air Force Print News Today. Archived from the original on 12 March 2012. Retrieved 3 September 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
^"U.S. Air Force Begins Training on New MQ-9 Reaper Block 5". Retrieved 25 March 2020.
^Maurer says 2 March 1942. Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 74–75
^Maurer says 2 April 1942. Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 74–75
^Maurer says assignment began 18 February. Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 74–75
Bibliographyedit
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
Hubbard, Gerardl (1943). "Aircraft Insignia, Spirit of Youth". The National Geographic Magazine. LXXXIII (6). National Geographic Society: 718–722. Retrieved 1 September 2017. (subscription required for web access)
Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II(PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-02-1. LCCN 61060979. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II(PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947–1977. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
External linksedit
Staff writer, no byline (25 August 2011). "MQ-9 sustains damage during landing". U.S. Air Force Public Affairs. Retrieved 3 September 2017.