17th Defense Systems Evaluation Squadron

17th Defense System Evaluation System
Squadron Patch
Active	1954-1979
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Air Defense Command
Part of	24th Air Division
Garrison/HQ	Malmstrom Air Force Base
Commanders
Current commander	Col Thomas W. Liner, 28 June 1974 Maj Gen Louis G. Leiser, 30 July 1974 Col David B. Ballou, 29 March 1977 (interim) Maj Gen Don D. Pittman, 29 April 1977 Maj Gen Walter H. Baxter III, 29 September 1978

Martin RB-57E 55-4253 17th Defense Systems Evaluation Squadron, about 1975

Legacy 4677th DSES Emblem

The 17th Defense Systems Evaluation Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 24th Air Division, Aerospace Defense Command at Malmstrom AFB, Montana. It was inactivated on 13 July 1979.

History

Activated at Hill AFB, Utah in 1954 as the 4677th Radar Evaluation Flight, the mission of the flight was to provide Electronic Counter-Measure (ECM) training and evaluation services to the various Aircraft Control and Warning Squadrons.

In order to provide the necessary training, the flight was initially assigned TB-29 Superfortresses, and some TB-25 Mitchells. The B-29s and B-25s contained an assortment of Radar jamming devices to provide the required ECM and a C-47 was used as a support aircraft to ferry personnel and equipment. During the period that the 4677th operated these aircraft, they provided the operators radar squadrons with thousands of hours of ECM training. Effective 8 July 1958, the ADC re-designated the unit as the 4677th Radar Evaluation Squadron (ECM).

By 1959 the World War II aircraft were very expensive to operate, needing excessive amounts of maintenance to remain airworthy and not supportable due to a lack of spare parts. (Note: The last USAF B-29 (a TB-29 radar evaluation aircraft, B-29-15-MO serial number 42-65234) was retired from the USAF inventory at 2010 hours on 21 June 1960, when Major Clarence C. Rarick of the 6023d Radar Evaluation Squadron landed at Naha Air Base, Okinawa, bringing the era of B-29 Superfortress military service to an end.)

The Martin B-57 Canberra, originally developed as a medium bomber for Tactical Air Command was being phased out in favor of the F-100 Super Sabre. A group of 12 of these aircraft were reassigned to the squadron were equipped with an assortment of ECM devices, being re-designated as EB-57Es. These were used as faker target aircraft against F-102 and F-106 interceptors. The squadron also participated in numerous training exercises such as Feudal Indian, Vigilant Overview, and Feudal Keynote.

The unit worked in conjunction with the Semi Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE) DC-20 Direction Center at Malmstrom. The SAGE building was built for $6 million in the late 1950s for the automation of air defense and direction of interceptors against unknown aircraft.

The squadron remained active until 1979 when it was inactivated as part of the draw-down of Aerospace Defense Command.

Lineage

• Activated as 4677th Radar Evaluation Flight, 18 March 1954

Re-designated 4677th Radar Evaluation Squadron (ECM), 8 July 1958

Re-designated 4677th Defense Systems Evaluation Squadron, 1 January 1960

Re-designated 17th Defense Systems Evaluation Squadron, 1 July 1974

Inactivated 13 July 1979

Assignments

• Central Air Defense Force, 18 March 1954
• 29th Air Division, 1 January 1960
• 28th Air Division, 1 July 1961
• Fourth Air Force, 1 April 1966
• Tenth Air Force, 15 September 1969
• Aerospace Defense Command, 15 November 1969
• 24th Air Division, 2 October 1972-13 July 1979

Stations

• Hill AFB, Utah, 1954
• Malmstrom AFB, Montana, 31 August 1972-13 July 1979

Aircraft

• TB-29 Superfortress, 1954-1959
• TB-25 Mitchell, 1954-1959
• B-57B (later EB-57E) Canberra, 1959-1979

See also

• List of United States Air Force defense systems evaluation squadrons

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

• A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization 1946 - 1980, by Lloyd H. Cornett and Mildred W. Johnson, Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado
• Malmstrom AFB History
• Air Force Historical Research Agency: 24th Air Division

External links

• Great Falls Tribune.com: 25 years after NORAD, Great Falls back on radar, By Eric Newhouse, Tribune Projects Editor, June 29, 2008
• Ranger95.com: 17th Defense Systems Evaluation Squadron Patch