U. S. Air Force Fact Sheet
The 940th Operations Group belongs to the 940th Air Refueling Wing and provides critical aerial refueling capability to the Western United States. From its home station of Beale Air Force Base, California, the 940th Operations Group travels around the world moving cargo and fuel to bases and aircraft. Through the unending perseverance of the Operations Groups people they ensure that planes, people and cargo arrive where they are needed when they are needed.
Commander: Colonel Jeffrey Downs
Parent Command: Air Force Reserve Command (4th Air Force)
Gaining Commands: Air Mobility Command; Pacific Command; Central Command
Subordinate Units:
940th Operational Support Squadron
314th Air Refueling Squadron
Weapon Systems: KC-135R
Personnel: 117, consisting of 87 Traditional Reservists, 30 Air Reserve Technicians, and 3 DoD Civilians
Flight Safety:
Approximately 168,667 accident-free flying hours in KC-135 manned aircraft as of 1 June 2008
Approximately 16,995 total force enterprise flying hours of the remotely piloted RQ-4 as of April 2014.
Unit History:
February 1963: "940th Troop Carrier Group" activated at McClellan AFB, Calif., C-119 Flying Boxcar
March 1974: Converted to C-130A Hercules
January 1977: Moved to Mather AFB, Calif., and converted to the KC-135A Stratotanker
September 1986: KC-135A Stratotankers upgraded to KC-135E configuration
July 1993: Unit moved to temporary facilities at McClellan AFB, Calif.
May 1998: Unit moved to current home at Beale AFB, Calif.
April 2002: Pacer CRAG KC-135 conversion complete (glass cockpit / advanced navigation system / minimum crew of three)
Summer 2005: Upgrade of KC-135E Stratotankers to KC-135R/T model complete
November 2005: The 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Commission determines the 940th Air Refueling Wing will change missions from flying the KC-135 to the RQ-4 Global Hawk, unmanned high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft and other intelligence missions
2005-2007: Unit continues support of Global War on Terrorism through Operations NOBLE EAGLE, ENDURING FREEDOM and IRAQI FREEDOM
Jan. 29, 2008: The first two of eight KC-135Rs leave Beale AFB, Calif., for Seymour Johnson AFB, N. C.
May 3, 2008: The last two KC-135Rs leave Beale AFB, Calif., after 31 years of distinguished service. The aircraft are reassigned to the 916th Air Refueling Wing, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.
Sept. 13, 2008: 314th Air Refueling Squadron and 940th Maintenance Group officially deactivate and the wing officially transfers from 4th Air Force to 10th Air Force
Oct. 1, 2008: The 940th Operations Group officially changes missions as directed by the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Commission from air refueling to command and control, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (C2ISR)
July 1, 2009: The 940th Air Refueling Wing officially re-designates as the 940th Wing and the 940th Operations Group officially becomes the parent unit to the 13th Reconnaissance Squadron, the 50th Intelligence Squadron, the 701st Combat Operations Squadron, Detachment 1/701st Combat Operations Squadron, the 710th Combat Operations Squadron, the 713th Combat Operations Squadron and Detachment 1/713th Combat Operations
May 2011: The standing up of the 718th Intelligence Squadron at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va.
Sept. 15, 2013: The 50th Intelligence Squadron and 718th Intelligence Squadron move under the 655th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio.
April 29, 2016: The 940th Wing officially re-designates as the 940th Air Refueling Wing and the 940th Operations Group officially becomes the parent unit to the 940th Operations Support Squadron and the 314th Air Refueling Squadron. The 13th Reconnaissance Squadron and 713th Combat Operations Squadrons move under the 726th Operations Group at Creech AFB, Nevada and 609th Combat Operations Group at March ARB, California respectively.
(Current as of March 2017)