25th Attack Group activated at Shaw

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Benjamin Ingold
  • 20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. --  U.S. Air Force history was made at Shaw AFB when the 25th Attack Group was activated Oct. 2.

The bedding down of the group at Shaw will provide MQ-9 Reaper crews the ability to train outside of combat missions, provide a new location for Airmen to live and having the increased population with the group will give them a greater voice in the remotely piloted aircraft command.

“I want to thank everyone at Shaw for making us feel welcome,” said Col. Travis Norton, 25th ATKG commander. “We are proud to be a part of Shaw and couldn’t be in a better location.”

Along with the group activation, Shaw activated the 482nd Attack Squadron and is scheduled to stand up the 25th Operational Support Squadron on Nov. 25, which will both be subordinate to the 25th ATKG, a unit assigned to the 432nd Wing and 432nd Air Expeditionary Wing. The 50th ATKS, which has operated at Shaw since Feb. 27, is also subordinate to the new 25th ATKG.

“We won’t just have RPA operations from Creech Air Force Base,” said 1st. Lt. Anne, 50th ATKS MQ-9 Reaper pilot. “We will have operations on the east coast at Shaw as well as our brethren at Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota and Whiteman AFB, Missouri. We are having more units across the country to help us do what we do.”

While conducting RPA operations is a new mission for the 25th, the unit has a storied legacy of defense of the United States.

“We are writing history, but we are not unique,” said Norton. “We stand on the legacy of the 25th Bombardment Group, the 25th Reconnaissance Group and the 25th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing. Those Airmen flew some very unique missions in some very unique aircraft, some of them older than they should have been doing amazing things throughout the Pacific theater. We have a legacy of great Airmen.”

With the increased structure and support around RPA crews, Airmen will work toward establishing dwell. This reconstitution time will allow Airmen to take a break from constant combat missions. Teams will be able to fly more instructional and training missions. These missions will help hone skills and prepare crews for a diverse range of operations.

“We have a group of Airmen who are ready to prove that they can do more with airpower than ever thought possible and for those that would do us harm, we attack,” said Norton.