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Pittsburgh International Airport Air Reserve Station
Near Coraopolis, Pennsylvania in the United States of America
A C-17A Globemaster III of the 911th Airlift Wing about to exit the runway with its sister ships on the flight-line at Pittsburgh International Airport ARS
PittsburghLocation in the United States
Coordinates	40°29′40.49″N 080°12′55.71″W / 40.4945806°N 80.2154750°W / 40.4945806; -80.2154750 (Pittsburgh ARS)
Type	Air reserve station
Site information
Owner	Department of Defense
Operator	US Air Force (USAF)
Controlled by	Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC)
Condition	Operational
Website	www.pittsburgh.afrc.af.mil
Site history
Built	1944 (1944)
In use	1944 – present
Garrison information
Garrison	911th Airlift Wing 171st Air Refueling Wing
Airfield information
Identifiers	IATA: PIT, ICAO: KPIT, FAA LID: PIT, WMO: 725200
Elevation	366.6 metres (1,203 ft) AMSL
Runways Direction Length and surface 10R/28L 3,505.2 metres (11,500 ft) concrete 10C/28C 3,284.2 metres (10,775 ft) asphalt/concrete 10L/28R 3,201 metres (10,502 ft) asphalt/concrete 14/32 2,469.1 metres (8,101 ft) concrete
Airfield shared with Pittsburgh International Airport Source: Federal Aviation Administration

Pittsburgh IAP Air Reserve Station is a United States Air Force base, located at Pittsburgh International Airport, Pennsylvania. It is located 12.1 miles (19.5 km) west-northwest of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Overview

Pittsburgh IAP ARS is the home station of the Air Force Reserve Command's (AFRC) 911th Airlift Wing (911 AW). The 911 AW is part of the 4th Air Force, and its 758th Airlift Squadron flies eight C-17A Globemaster III strategic airlift aircraft. It includes approximately 1,220 Air Force Reserve members. The unit employs approximately 320 civilians, including more than 180 Air Reserve Technicians (ART) holding dual civilian and military positions. If mobilization occurs, 911 AW units deploy as part of the Air Mobility Command. The 911 AW hosts an average of 20 military flight operations per week in its role as host to the region's defense center.

The 171st Air Refueling Wing (171 ARW) of the Pennsylvania Air National Guard on the airport's southwestern side is also an Air Mobility Command (AMC)-gained organization and operates sixteen KC-135T Stratotanker air refueling aircraft, providing air refueling and air mobility/strategic airlift services worldwide. The 171 ARW is one of three flying wings in the Pennsylvania Air National Guard and has over 400 full-time staff, consisting of Active Guard and Reserve (AGR), dual civilian-military status Air Reserve Technicians (ART) and other USAF civilians, as well as over 1,000 "traditional" part-time Air National Guard personnel.

Civil Air Patrol

One of the first Civil Air Patrol (CAP) Aviation Cadet Programs in the United States was established at the then-Pittsburgh Army Air Base in 1943. Since then, the CAP has had a continuous presence on the Air Reserve Station and is considered a Flagship Unit. As a key partner with the Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard units on Base, the CAP Squadron was a founding member of the Wings Over Pittsburgh Air Show and hosts an annual family picnic for Air Force and military families in the Metro Pittsburgh area.

Wings over Pittsburgh

Until 2017, Pittsburgh's military heritage was also rekindled each summer as the complex hosted one of the largest air shows on the east coast, Wings over Pittsburgh. The first show was held on 4 and 5 June 2000. Roughly 200,000 spectators attended the two-day show in 2005.

The military end of the airport complex has also been mentioned as the best relocation site for the region's Base Exchange (BX), operated by the Army and Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES). The 2008 scheduled closing of the nearby Charles E. Kelley Support Facility and its Post Exchange (PX) brought PIT the opportunity to host the new BX facility on its military side.

History

Founded as a military airfield for the United States Army Air Forces to answer the region's defense needs during World War II, the airfield was a key training facility for Army Air Force Air Transport Command Aircrews. The 6th Ferrying Service Detachment was activated at the airfield on 15 July 1943, providing repair facilities for aircraft in transit between manufacturing facilities on the West Coast and Midwest to East Coast aerial ports for delivery to overseas units. Also, the 60th College Training Detachment (Army Air Forces Training Command) provided military training at the airfield.

After the war, Pittsburgh Municipal Airport became a part of the Air Force Reserve, with the 444th Army Air Force (Later Air Force) Reserve Training Detachment being established at the civil airport.

In January 1951 the USAF Air Defense Command (ADC) established the active-duty 71st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron at the airport, to provide for the air defense of the Greater Pittsburgh area. During this time the Squadron was led by the legendary Robin Olds. The unit was equipped with F-86A Sabre interceptors and was under the command of the 1st Fighter-Interceptor Wing at George AFB, California, being detached to the Eastern Air Defense Force, Stewart AFB, New York. In February 1953, ADC activated the 500th Air Defense Group at PIT, along with several support squadrons to support the interceptors, which were upgraded to the F-86D model in March. In 1955 the 71st FIS was re-designated as the 42d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, the 500th ADG being re designated as the 54th Fighter Group (Air Defense), to honor notable World War II units.

In 1947, the PA ANG 112th Fighter Group was formed at Pittsburgh Airport, its origins being the World War II 350th Fighter Group. A component of Air Defense Command, the 146th Fighter Squadron operated various types of interceptors until 1975, when it was re-equipped with A-7D Corsair IIs and became part of Tactical Air Command. In 1991, the 112th was re-designated as an Air Refueling Group and became part of Strategic Air Command (SAC). In June 1992 it was reassigned to Air Mobility Command upon the inactivation of SAC. The 112th ARG was inactivated on 1 October 1993, with the 146th ARS transferring to the 171st Air Refueling Wing.

See also

• Pennsylvania World War II Army Airfields
• Aerospace Defense Command Fighter Squadrons

References

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

1. "Airport Diagram – Pittsburgh Intl (PIT)" (PDF). Federal Aviation Administration. 21 May 2020. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
2. ^ "Pittsburgh IAP Air Reserve Station". United States Air Force.
3. "Wings over Pittsburgh". 911TH Airlift Wing and the Pittsburgh IAP ARS Public Affairs Office. Retrieved 1 December 2007.
4. "USAF Historical Research Agency Document 00180432".
5. "USAF Historical Research Agency Document 00151313".
6. "USAF Historical Research Agency Document 00185903".
7. ^ 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

• Maurer, Maurer. Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office 1961 (republished 1983, Office of Air Force History, ISBN 0-912799-02-1)
• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) . Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556.
• Ravenstein, Charles A. Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947–1977. Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama: Office of Air Force History 1984. ISBN 0-912799-12-9

External links

• GlobalSecurity.org - site on military operations and airport specs for Pittsburgh International

v t e  Air National Guard
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Wings and Groups Wings Composite 108th 113th 118th 119th 127th 140th 154th 175th 176th 178th 188th Air Control 116th Airlift 103d 105th 107th 109th 120th 123d 130th 133d 136th 139th 143d 145th 146th 152d 153d 156th 164th 165th 166th 167th 172d 179th 182d 189th Air Refueling 101st 117th 121st 126th 128th 134th 137th 141st 151st 155th 157th 161st 168th 171st 185th 186th 190th Attack 110th 174th Bomb 131st Fighter 52d* 53d* 54th* 55th* 60th* 61st* 62d* 63d* 66th* 67th* 71st* 86th* 104th 106th* 111th 114th 115th 122d 124th 125th 132d 138th 142d 144th 148th 149th 150th 159th 162d 169th 173d 177th 180th 183d 187th 192d Intelligence 102d 181st 184th Reconnaissance 147th 163d Regional Support 194th Rescue 106th 129th Special Operations 150th 193d Groups Composite 170th Airlift 135th* Air Operations 102d 152d 157th Air Refueling 112th* 127th 160th* Combat Communications 162d 163d 201st 226th 252d 254th 281st* Cyberspace Engineering Installation 251st 253d Operations 140th Reconnaissance 214th
Squadrons Flying Air Command and Control 128th Airlift 109th 115th 118th 130th 135th* 137th 139th 142d 143d 144th 155th 156th 158th 164th 165th 167th 169th 180th 181st 183d 186th 187th 189th* 192d 198th* 200th 201st 204th 249th Air Refueling 106th 108th 116th 117th 126th 132d 133d 141st 145th* 146th 147th 151st 153d 166th 168th 171st 173d 174th 191st 197th 203d Attack 103d 105th 111th 124th 136th 138th 160th 162d 172d 178th 184th 196th 214th Bomb 110th Fighter 100th 104th 107th 112th 114th 119th 120th 121st 122d 123d 125th 131st 134th 148th 149th 152d 157th 159th 163d 170th* 175th 176th 179th 182d 190th 194th 195th 199th Rescue 101st 102d 103d 129th 130th 131st 188th 210th 211th 212th Special Operations 150th 185th 193d Training 154th Non-Flying Air Control 103d 109th 116th 117th 123d 128th 133d 134th 141st 176th 255th Air Operations 112th Air Support 113th ASOS 172d Air Traffic Control 243rd 245th 270th Civil Engineering 285th Civil Engineering Squadron Combat Communications 143d 147th 149th 206th 221st 222d 223d 225th 228th 231st 232d 234th 236th 239th 240th 242d 244th 256th 261st 262d 263d 264th 265th 267th 269th 271st 272d 280th 282d 283d 291st 292d 293d Command and Control 119th 127th 153d 222d Engineering Installation 130th 202d 205th 210th 211th 212th 213th 214th 215th 217th 218th 219th 220th 241st 243d 270th 272d Force Support 187th Information Warfare Aggressor 177th Intelligence 101st 117th 123d 152d 161st 194th 234th Joint Communications Support 224th 290th Logistics Readiness 187th RED HORSE 202d 203d 819th Security Forces 187th Space Control 114th Space Operations 111th 148th Space Warning 137th 213th Special Operations Communications 193d 280th Special Tactics 125th Asterisk (*) denotes an inactive unit

v t e Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC)
Air Forces	Fourth Tenth Twenty-Second
Bases	Dobbins Duke Field General Mitchell Grissom Homestead March Minneapolis-Saint Paul Niagara Falls Pittsburgh Westover Youngstown
Command	Air Reserve Personnel Center
Wings/Groups	Air Refueling 434th 459th 507th 916th 939th 940th Airlift 94th 302nd 315th 433rd 439th 440th 445th 446th 512th 908th 910th 911th 914th 927th 932nd 934th Fighter 301st 414th 419th 442nd 476th 477th 482nd 944th other 307th Bomb 310th Space 349th Air Mobility 403rd 452nd Air Mobility 514th Air Mobility 655th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance 919th Special Operations 920th Rescue

v t e Aerospace Defense Command (ADC)
Bases	CONUS Amarillo Beale Charleston Davis-Monthan Dobbins Dover Dow Duluth Eglin Edwards Ellington Ellsworth England Ent Ethan Allen Fairfax Fallon Fort Gregg-Adams Fort Heath Geiger George Glasgow Grand Forks Grenier Griffiss Gunter Hamilton Hancock Homestead Hurlburt Hunter Imeson Key West Kincheloe Kingsley Kirtland Lackland Laredo Larson Luke MacDill March Malmstrom McCoy McChord McClellan McGhee Tyson McGuire Minneapolis-St. Paul Minot Mitchel New Castle Niagara Falls Norton O'Hare Otis Oxnard Paine Perrin Peterson Pittsburgh Portland Presque Isle R.I. Bong Richards-Gebaur Robins K.I. Sawyer Selfridge Seymour Johnson Sioux City Stead Stewart Suffolk County Tinker Travis Truax Tyndall Vandenberg Vincent Walker Webb Westover Wright-Patterson Wurtsmith Youngstown Overseas Ernest Harmon Frobisher Bay Goose Keflavik McAndrew Pepperrell Thule
Stations	CONUS Adair Aiken Almaden Alpena Antigo Arlington Heights Baker Bedford Bellefontaine Belleville Benton Blaine Brookfield Brunswick Bucks Harbor Burns Calumet Cambria Cape Charles Cape Cod Carmi Caswell Chandler Charleston Cheyenne Mountain Claysburg Clear Colville Condon Continental Divide Cottonwood Cross City Crystal Springs Curlew Custer Cut Bank Dallas Center Dauphin Island Dickinson Duncanville Eldorado Empire Finland Finley Flintstone Fordland Fort Fisher Fort Lee Fortuna Gettysburg Grand Marais Grand Rapids Guthrie Hanna City Havre Highlands Houma Hutchinson Joelton Keno Killeen Kingman Kirksville Klamath Lake Charles Lake City Las Cruces Las Vegas Lewistown Lockport Lufkin Lyndonville Madera Makah Mica Peak Miles City Mill Valley Minot Montauk Moriarty Mount Hebo Mount Laguna Mount Lemmon Naselle North Bend North Charleston North Truro Oklahoma City Olathe Omaha Opheim Osceola Othello Owingsville Ozona Palermo Point Arena Port Austin Port Isabel Pyote Red Bluff Rochester Rockport Rockville (Indiana) Roslyn Rye Saint Albans San Clemente Island Santa Rosa Island Saratoga Springs Sault Ste Marie Shemya Snelling Snow Mountain Sweetwater Texarkana Tierra Amarilla Thomasville Tonopah Topsham Two Creeks Wadena Walnut Ridge Watertown Waverly West Mesa Willow Run Winnemucca Winslow Winston-Salem Woomera Yaak Zapata Overseas Armstrong Baldy Hughes Beausejour Cape Makkovik Cartwright Cut Throat Island Elliston Ridge Fox Harbour Hofn Hopedale Kamloops La Scie Langanes Latrar Melville Puntzi Mountain Ramore Red Cliff Rockville Saglek St. Anthony Saskatoon Mountain Sioux Lookout Spotted Island Stephenville
Air Defense units	Forces Central Air Defense Eastern Air Defense Iceland Western Air Defense First Fourth Tenth Fourteenth Air Divisions 8th 9th 20th 21st 23d 24th 25th 26th 27th 28th 29th 30th 31st 32d 33d 34th 35th 36th 37th 58th 64th 73d 85th Sectors Albuquerque Bangor Boston Chicago Detroit Duluth Goose Grand Forks Great Falls Kansas City Los Angeles Minot Montgomery New York Oklahoma City Phoenix Portland Reno Sault Sainte Marie San Francisco Seattle Sioux City Spokane Stewart Syracuse Washington Wings Fighter 1st 4th 23d 32d 33d 50th 52d 56th 78th 81st 325th 328th 507th Detection and Control 71st 73d 551st 552d Air Defense 46th 4620th 4621st 4622d 4624th 4625th 4627th 4628th 4683d 4700th 4702d 4703d 4704th 4705th 4706th 4707th 4708th 4709th 4710th 4711th 4750th 4751st 4752d 4756th 4780th Groups Fighter 1st 4th 14th 15th 23d 32d 33d 50th 52d 53d 54th 56th 57th 78th 79th 81st 82d 84th 325th 326th 327th 328th 329th 337th 343d 355th 408th 412th 414th 473d 475th 476th 478th 507th Air Defense 10th 500th 501st 502d 503d 514th 515th 516th 517th 518th 519th 520th 521st 525th 527th 528th 529th 530th 533d 534th 564th 566th 567th 568th 575th 637th 665th 678th 692d 701st 751st 762d 765th 778th 780th 827th 858th 4606th 4620th 4676th 4700th 4721st 4722d 4727th 4728th 4729th 4730th 4731st 4732d 4733d 4734th 4735th 4750th 4756th Aircraft Control & Warning 503d 505th 540th 541st 542d 543d 544th 545th 546th 563d 564th 565th 566th Squadrons Aerospace Defense Command Fighter Squadrons Aircraft Control and Warning Squadrons
Major weapon systems	Electronic TB-29 EB-57 EC-121 Fighters Propeller: F-47 F-51 P-61 F-82 Subsonic Jet: P-80 F-84 F-86 F-89 F-94 Supersonic Jet: F-101 F-102 F-104 F-106 Missiles AIM-4 AIM-26 AIR-2 CIM-10 Ships Guardian Interceptor Interdictor Interpreter Investigator Locator Lookout Outpost Pickett Protector Scanner Searcher Skywatcher Tracer Watchman Vigil Texas Towers Texas Tower 2 Texas Tower 3 Texas Tower 4
Miscellaneous	Air Defense Command Emblem Gallery (on Wikimedia Commons) General Surveillance Radar Stations

v t e Military installations in Pennsylvania
Defense	Complex Raven Rock Logistics Susquehanna
Army	Barracks Carlisle Depot Letterkenny Tobyhanna Plant Scranton AAP
Navy	Annex Philadelphia Navy Yard Support Activity Mechanicsburg Philadelphia
Air Force	Air Reserve Station Pittsburgh
National Guard	Air Harrisburg ANGB Biddle ANGB Johnstown Pittsburgh ARS Army Fort Indiantown Gap Muir Army Airfield
Coast Guard	Station Erie Philadelphia

• United States Air National Guard
• Pittsburgh International Airport
• Air shows in the United States
• Buildings and structures in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
• Installations of the United States Air National Guard
• 1944 establishments in Pennsylvania