Air Force Activates Electronic Warfare Squadron

On May 17, the 53rd Wing of the U.S. Air Force at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida celebrated the establishment of its new 87th Electronic Warfare Squadron that will join the wing’s 53rd Electronic Warfare Group.

The squadron will provide electronic warfare evaluations, cyber assessments and technical expertise to aid combat and mobility air forces. In particular, the squadron will direct, manage, plan, formulate, execute and assess all aspects of Combat Shield, the Air Force’s electronic warfare assessment program, the wing’s announcement stated. The service established Combat Shield to assess electronic warfare readiness through examination of electronic warfare system performance, maintenance practices and operational processes.

“The activation of the 87th EWS aligns with Air Force priorities to maintain air, space and cyberspace superiority now and into the future," said Col. David Abba, 53rd wing commander. “This squadron’s activation puts Combat Shield on par with other weapons system evaluation programs such as air-to-air weapons (Combat Archer) and air-to-ground weapons (Combat Hammer); each already has its own squadron. This recognizes that electronic warfare, and operations across the electromagnetic spectrum more broadly, are fundamental to achieving National Defense Strategy objectives.”

The squadron’s activation will enable multiple Combat Shield teams to support assessments for the major commands across the globe, “maximizing the effectiveness of their evaluations while also achieving efficiencies in manpower utilization,” the wing stated.