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Karo-Aviation 194 FS  at Fresno CA 2015-3
Article and pictures by Ronald de Roij


The 194th Fighter Squadron, of the California Air National Guard, is on off the US Air Force’s latest F-15 Eagle unit to form. Based at the Fresno / Yosemite International Airport in central California,
the 194th FS has been a resident since 1955.

The 144th FW primary mission is to provide air defence protection for California from the Mexican border to Oregon utilizing the F-15 Eagle.

The Squadron previously flew the F-16 Fighting Falcon, having transferred the last F-16 Fighting Falcon to the Arizona Air National Guard in November 2013. The Squadron Now operates 21 F-15 Eagle's and one C-26A transport aircraft.

The origin of the 144th Fighter Wing dates back to April 4, 1948, barely six months after the formation of the Air National Guard in September 1947. On that date, the 61st Fighter Wing received federal recognition at Alameda, Calif., followed by activation of the 194th Fighter Squadron on June 25, 1948.

On November 1, 1954, the 194th accomplished the transition from the piston-engine, propeller driven P-51 to its first jet aircraft, the F-86A. At the same time, the 194th relocated to Fresno, followed by the wing in 1957.

The 144th continued to fly jets transiting from the F-86A to the F-86L, which was flown until 30 June 1964. When the 144th began flying the F-102 Delta Dagger continued flying this aircraft until July 24, 1974. On July 25, 1974, the 144th brought the F-106 Delta Dart into service, and continued to fly this aircraft until December 31, 1983. On the first of January 1984, the F-4D Phantom  became the wing's new aircraft, and was flown until September 30, 1989.

In 1979, the 144th Fighter Interceptor Wing was reassigned from the Air Defense Command to the Tactical Air Command. On October 1, 1989, the wing began a new era by completing the transition to the air defense version of the F-16A Fighting Falcon, the Air Force's most advanced tactical fighter. 144 FW continued to fly this aircraft until September 1995, when the transition to the newer F-16C became complete. The wing's inventory of aircraft included 18 F-16Cs, and one RC-26B aircraft.

In 1992, the 144th FW was reassigned to Air Combat Command. Effective March 16, 1992, the 144th Fighter Interceptor Wing was redesignated as the 144th Fighter Wing (144th FW), with all related Fighter Interceptor Groups and Squadrons becoming Fighter Groups and Fighter Squadrons.

The 144th FW operated the F-16 Falcon since 1989, first operating the F-16 ADF (Air Defense Version), and then upgrading to the F-16C in 1995. It had been long rumoured that the 194 FS would get the F-15 Eagle for its air defence mission. It finally came to fruition in June 2013, when the first F-15C Eagle, 84-0014, arrived from the 120th Fighter Wing, Montana ANG. Incidentally, the 120th FW had only been operating the Eagle for a few years after transitioning from the F-16C.

The trademark tail markings would where applied to the Eagles as the unit continued its conversion process. In November 2013, the last flight of the F-16C Falcon was made, flying alongside the first Eagle to arrive, now marked in high visibility 144th FW markings. Other Eagles flowed in to the unit, including some former 65th Aggressor Squadron F-15Cs from Nellis AFB wearing the sand/brown camouflage. Unit markings were applied to these aircraft while they retained their unique paint jobs (until the first full service). The current 144th FW Eagle inventory is 22 aircraft.
 

The future of the 144th Fighter Wing at Fresno had been uncertain until recently. The Fresno base had been considered for closure several times, but with the F-15 projected to be a viable air defence asset through 2025, the wing's future at Fresno appears secure for the foreseeable future.