2nd Sqn for 100th ARW? - AFM

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So why have two squadrons? There’s no limit to aircraft or crews on a squadron these days.

[Doughnut]

As you say Ramstein already being used as a forward base. But that is a busy airfield with certain limits imposed by the locals. If Mildenhall were to increase the number of based tankers it might upset their locals because of increased flights. I would suggest basing some tankers at Fairford, if / when the RC-135 operations move there the base will become fully manned 24/7.

[Reach1985]

RC-135 ops are not going to FFD. That was announced when it was confirmed that MH will remain open. Have a look in FFD thread on this forum - FFD will be home to recon drone ops / U-2 & bomber deployments. It is as far as I’m aware open ‘full time’ now anyway.

-135 activity in Europe will be focused on MH - I can’t remember the poster on this forum - probably in the MH closing topic - but watch out in the coming fiscal yr. budgets for work at MH to upgrade facilities. There is plenty of room for additional tankers there. They will be fwd deployed to Germany/Spain/Poland etc. as req. but ostensibly based at MH as is currently the case. I don’t know how many 100ARW aircraft are currently at MH but a few wks ago it was in the single figures hence the req. for the additional KC-10/-135/-46) ops.

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I bet there's a whole new chapter of European USAF base changes ahead, some of which will help explain why the 100th (and not necessarily Mildenhall) in the medium term require a second ARS. Maybe the 100th will move to Spang for example.

[EAGLE]

I bet there's a whole new chapter of European USAF base changes ahead, some of which will help explain why the 100th (and not necessarily Mildenhall) in the medium term require a second ARS. Maybe the 100th will move to Spang for example.

It was originally planned for the 100th to be moving to Spang this year, along with the 352nd, But that idea was scrapped in 2020, and I have heard that Mildenhall has had some core infrustructure upgrades since then.

I don’t know how many 100ARW aircraft are currently at MH but a few wks ago it was in the single figures hence the req. for the additional KC-10/-135/-46) ops.

As of last night all but 2 were back at Mildenhall. The 2 that are away are currently operating out of Moron.

[Reach1985]

Eagle - when it was announced MH would close the plan was for the 100th to go to Ramstein & 352nd to Spang & the 95th RS to FFD. There was going to be a lot of $$$ spent in Germany w/ upgrades to infrastructure at Spang to support rotational F-22 deployments - new HAS or upgraded HAS were to be built for this but I think when MH closure was overturned & then Spang was ear marked for closure this was cancelled or put on hold.

[Stewyb1]

Reckon FFD would be a good outside bet for a 2nd ARW squadron, what with new maintenance hangars being built and the NE loop being totally redesigned!

[STN RAMP RAT]

IF it happens it’s a second squadron for the Wing, I can’t see the Wing being split over two bases so I assume it will be at Mildenhall.

Currently the WG has 15 allocated jets with one squadron which makes the Squadron one of the larger ARS’s. Some ARS’s have 10 or less jets so it’s possible there could be a new squadron formed with a net gain of only about 5 additional jets.

[Thunder]

or no extra aircraft at all and just extra personal, with both Squadrons sharing an aircraft pool.

[Forestfan]

I’d read about the 349th being a potential candidate, coincidentally also once part of the 100th bomber group but nothing confirmed.

[Geek mode on!]
349th is still active with the 22nd ARW at McConnell, as is the 350th. The 100th BG's fourth sqn the 418th is now a Test Sqn at Edwards. Be interesting to see if something comes of this though.

[Geek mode off!]

[Agent K]

So why have two squadrons? There’s no limit to aircraft or crews on a squadron these days.

It's more about organisational strucure I'd imagine, yes a squadron could have 100 + aircraft, theoretically, but can one XO, or one Squadron Commander or one Engineering Officer ++ manage all the operations and maintenance and resource and personnel and more that such a size implies? To keep to a finite squadron structure provides the organisation required?

[Doughnut]

or no extra aircraft at all and just extra personal, with both Squadrons sharing an aircraft pool.

Extra aircraft at Mildenhall should not be an issue regards parking/maintenance, extra flying might upset the locals ?
Extra aircrew / ground crew would require additional accommodation which might be more of a problem.

[f106dart]

I’d read about the 349th being a potential candidate, coincidentally also once part of the 100th bomber group but nothing confirmed.

[Geek mode on!]
349th is still active with the 22nd ARW at McConnell, as is the 350th. The 100th BG's fourth sqn the 418th is now a Test Sqn at Edwards. Be interesting to see if something comes of this though.

[Geek mode off!]

Doesn't mean anything. Take for instance the 355th FS it's now at Eileson back with the 354th FW. Back in the day it was at Myrtle Beach. Along with the 353rd and 356th. So the whole wing is back together again

The 355th was an active duty unit colocated with the 457th FS at joint base Carswell, a year or 2 ago now replaced by the 24th FS.