ACC Command team gets first-hand look at ISR capabilities with 363 ISRW

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. AJ Hyatt
  • 363d Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Wing
JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. --  U.S. Air Force Gen. Ken Wilsbach, commander of Air Combat Command, and Chief Master Sgt. Dave Wolfe, ACC command chief, visited the 363rd Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Wing, Sept. 23. Wilsbach and Wolfe were accompanied by their spouses, Cindy Wilsbach and Dr. Doniel Wolfe.
 
During their immersion, the ACC command team met with the wing commander and received unit mission briefings from the wing, the 361st ISR Group from Hurlburt Field, Fla., the 363rd ISR Group from JB Langley-Eustis, and the 365th ISR Group from Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada.
 
The wing is comprised of three groups and two detachments, with a footprint spanning 15 states, England, and Japan. They conduct lethal, resilient, and ready operations in four core mission areas: analysis for air, space, and cyber operations; full-spectrum targeting; and ISR testing, tactics development, and advanced training. 
 
“When you see this wing come together, you see the professionalism, the innovation and the leadership – I’m really proud of this team,” Wilsbach said. “We must be agile, balanced, and able to cover down on a number of other threats, and this team does.”
 
Wilsbach and Wolfe’s tour continued with a familiarization flight briefing to highlight 361st ISR Group flight operations, which train and equip both direct support and tactical systems operators who are qualified to fly as aircrew members onboard Air Force Special Operations Command aircraft.
 
“They both truly get what the 363rd does,” said U.S. Air Force Colonel John Thorne, 363rd ISR Wing commander. “COMACC has serious joint targeting chops from his time at Central Command and United States Forces Korea, plus he’s flown the MC-12 and truly appreciates the contributions of our career enlisted aviators. Similarly, Chief Wolfe immediately clicked with our Airmen. He’s deployed around the globe and understands what combat readiness really means.”
 
After their flight, the 363d ISR Group demonstrated precision targeting on their operations floor. The group serves as the Air Force’s center of expertise for precision targeting, weaponeering, collateral damage, and battle damage assessment training, tools and tactics.
 
“This is a championship team,” Wolfe said. “We’ve never lost, and we don’t plan to lose. It’s not in our DNA. It’s a privilege to be associated with this winning culture – and it comes with extra work.”
 
Mrs. Wilsbach and Dr. Wolfe toured the 363d ISR Group Targeting Center, a $45.1 million construction project, which is expected to be fully functional in September 2025. The center will deliver content-dominant analytical expertise, and full-spectrum targeting to the warfighter.
 
The spouses also had the opportunity to meet the Wing’s Airmen Resiliency Team and learn about the Wing’s Wall of Heroes, a memorial wall that honors 363d ISR Wing heroes who sacrificed their lives in the line of duty.
 
The ART team’s goal is to improve mental, physical, and spiritual fitness, which helps quality-of-life and holistic health, sustains high occupational performance, access to care, and overall readiness. 
 
Wilsbach and Wolfe concluded their visit by hosting an all call to discuss ACC’s mission, vision, and priorities.
 
“Leaders, give your folks opportunities to do hard things together and then coach, teach and mentor,” Wilsbach said. “Until we do that – we are never going to be as strong as we want to be. We want each and every one of you to be the best version of yourself, and we must have the whole team at 100 percent.”
 
With the future changes coming to the Air Force, the 363rd ISR Wing continues to push forward, and this visit displayed the importance of the work being done.