America’s Cryptologic Wing – Our Story
The 70th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) Wing with headquarters at Fort George G. Meade, Md., falls under Sixteenth Air Force (also known as the U.S. Air Force’s Information Warfare Numbered Air Force). The 70th ISR Wing conducts global ISR in air, space, and cyberspace.
The wing comprises 6,200 Total Force Airmen assigned to five groups, eighteen squadrons, and two detachments spanning twenty-eight locations worldwide. 70th ISR Wing Roosters predominantly work alongside National Security Agency professionals in support of national intelligence needs and build partnerships across the intelligence community in support of Air Force and Joint Force requirements.
The 70th ISR Wing mission is to lead cryptologic mission through air, space, and cyberspace to create decision advantage and information warfare options for America. Its priorities are three-fold: 1. People First, Mission Always; 2. Build Enduring Partnerships; 3. Take Pride in America’s Cryptologic Wing.
As America’s Cryptologic Wing, Airmen at this wing are leaders and warriors in inter-agency and Joint Force cryptologic operations, conducting real-time signals intelligence and cybersecurity missions in support of policy-makers, combatant commanders, Joint Force Air Component Commanders, and warfighters across the globe. The wing also provides installation support services to more than 10,000 Airmen and dependents assigned to Fort Meade.
Organized along four lines of effort – those being People, Partnerships, Mission, and Culture – the 70th ISR Wing aspires to develop Airmen who are resilient and tactically-brilliant Joint Force cryptologic warriors. As well, it partners across a multi-agency and joint service global network in order to match the pace of modern warfare and great power competition in ever-demanding and increasingly-contested environments – in times of peace and war. 70th ISR Wing Roosters push forward cryptologic mission, securing U.S. National Security Systems and critical infrastructure in order to generate deep insights into foreign adversaries. In doing so, our Airmen deliver the distinct advantage of timely, high-quality intelligence that enables strategy, operational art, and tactics, all the while denying our opponents the same. It is thanks to these vigilant, bold, bright, critical-thinking Airmen with a bias for action that our Nation is well-guarded and prepared for whatever lies ahead.
The 70th ISR Wing has a rich history dating back to when it was first established as the 70th Observation Group in 1941. Since then, it has had several mission and name changes to include the 70th Reconnaissance Group, 70th Tactical Reconnaissance Group, 70th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, and 70th Bombardment Wing. Officially, the 70th ISR Wing was activated on Aug. 16, 2000. Groups subordinate to the 70th ISR Wing are: 373d ISR Group, 543d ISR Group, 659th ISR Group, 691st ISR Group, and the 707th ISR Group.
As 70th ISR Wing Roosters say: “Fight’s On!”
70th ISR Wing; Ft. Meade, Maryland
• 70th Operations Support Squadron; Ft. Meade, Maryland
373rd ISR Group; Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska
The 373rd ISR Group is a host service organization and support provider. The 373rd ISRG provides time-critical combat intelligence to U.S. theater battle commanders, unified and specified commands, as well as national and Department of Defense leadership. The squadrons subordinate to the group are the 566th Intelligence Squadron at Buckley AFB, Colorado and the 381st Intelligence Squadron and 301st Intelligence Squadron at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska.
373rd ISR Group, JB Elemendorf-Richardson, Alaska
• Det. 1, Yokota Air Base, Japan
• 301st Intelligence Squadron, JB Elemendorf-Richardson, Alaska
• 381st Intelligence Squadron, JB Elemendorf-Richardson, Alaska
• 566th Intelligence Squadron, Buckley AFB, Colorado
543rd ISR Group; Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas
The 543rd ISR Group is a force provider for national cryptologic operations and serves as Sixteenth Air Force's primary service cryptologic component to the Department of Homeland Security. The group provides air, space and cyberspace signals intelligence analysts for NSA/CSS Texas as well as Air Force National-Tactical Integration for Air Forces Southern and Air Forces Northern air operations centers. The group also supports cryptologic mission sets within North American Aerospace Defense Command, United States Northern Command, as well as United States Southern Command.
543rd ISR Group; JB San Antonio-Lackland, Texas
• 93rd Intelligence Squadron, JB San Antonio-Lackland, Texas
• 531st Intelligence Squadron, JB San Antonio-Lackland, Texas
• 668th Alteration and Installation Squadron, JB San Antonio-Lackland, Texas
659th ISR Group; Ft. Meade, Maryland
The 659th ISR Group activated Sept. 8, 2010, is the newest unit to the wing. The group provides direct ISR support to Sixteenth Air Force and U.S. Cyber Command with focus on digital network analysis and computer network exploitation that directly enables computer network defense and attack, leveraging the National Security Agency enterprise for Sixteenth Air Force tactical operations. More than 800 military and civilian personnel work for the 659th ISRG. They are skilled in the areas of operations, engineering, operations research, intelligence, radar technology, communications, and computer applications. These members provide computer network operations capabilities to warfighters in U.S. Air Force major commands.
659th ISR Group; Ft. Meade, Maryland
• 5th Intelligence Squadron, Ft. Gordon, Georgia
• 7th Intelligence Squadron; Ft. Meade, Maryland
• 35th Intelligence Squadron, JB San Antonio-Lackland, Texas
• 37th Intelligence Squadron, JB Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii
691st ISR Group; Ft. Meade, Maryland
The 691st ISR Group activated May 2016. The group provides intelligence to the President of the United States, Secretary of Defense, combatant commanders, and warfighters worldwide. They enable Air Force National-Tactical Integration and expeditionary signals intelligence. The 691st ISR Group also directs the Global Air Analysis signals intelligence mission.
691st ISR Group; Ft. Meade, Maryland
• 22nd Intelligence Squadron; Ft. Meade, Maryland
• 29th Intelligence Squadron; Ft. Meade, Maryland
• 34th Intelligence Squadron; Ft. Meade, Maryland
707th ISR Group; Ft. Meade
The 707th ISR Group is the largest group in the wing with more than 1,900 Airmen executing Joint Force and national missions. Intelligence provided by 707th ISRG Airmen serves customers such as the President of the United States, Secretary of Defense, combatant commanders and warfighters on the ground engaged in operations in Afghanistan and other areas in the world. The group is a key enabler of, and contributor to, Air Force National-Tactical Integration and expeditionary signals intelligence, as well as the Air Force Distributed Common Ground System, all of which focus on providing the ultimate in combat intelligence to deployed warfighters.
Their mission also includes computer network operations as well as manufacturing and installing communications intelligence equipment for signals intelligence missions worldwide. Finally, the 707th ISRG operates the Consolidated Remote Operations Facility, Airborne, providing near real-time intelligence support to ongoing sensitive reconnaissance missions.
707th ISR Group; Ft. Meade, Maryland
• 32nd Intelligence Squadron; Ft. Meade, Maryland
• 94th Intelligence Squadron; Ft. Meade, Maryland
• 707th Communications Squadron; Ft. Meade, Maryland
• 707th Force Support Squadron; Ft. Meade, Maryland