The USAF 18th Wing Group (18th WG) is a USAF Wing based at Kadena Air Base on the island of Okinawa. The tail code of the 18th WG is ZZ.
History
The 18th WG began life as the 18th Fight Wing (18th FW) in 1948 at Clark AFB in Philippines. In January 1950, it was renamed the 18th Fighter-Bomber Wing (18th FBW). The 18th was among the first units of the USAF to see action in the Korean War in June 1950 when it was reassigned to South Korea. In January 1953, the Wing received the F-86 Sabre.
In 1954, the 18th FBW moved to its last permanent base at Kadena. In 1958, it was renamed the 18th Tactical Fighter Wing (18th TFW). The 18th took part in the Vietnam War. Between 1972 and 1975, F-4C/D Phantom IIs from the 18th TFW were deployed to Ching Chuan Kang Air Base to defend the Republic of China (Taiwan).
On 1 October 1991, the 18th TFW was renamed the 18th Wing. In February 1993, the 33rd Rescue Squadron (33rd RQS) gave the 18th the ability to conduct rescue missions. In 1999, one of the three F-15 squadrons assigned to the 18th (12th FS), was reassigned to the 3rd Wing at Elmendorf AFB in Alaska.
In 2023, the 18th WG's remaining two F-15 squadrons were reassigned from Japan back to the United States.
