114th Fighter Wing

A-7D Corsair II 70-933, about 1980

In 1970, Aerospace Defense Command was reducing the CONUS interceptor force, as the chances of a bomber attack by the Soviet Union seemed remote in the age of Intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM). The Group was transferred to Tactical Air Command (TAC) on 23 May 1970 and was re-designated as the 114th Tactical Fighter Group. The 175th Tactical Fighter Squadron began receiving F-100 Super Sabre tactical fighters that were being withdrawn from service in the Vietnam War.

News was received in March 1976 of the replacement of the unit's F-100D aircraft with A-7D Corsair II jets. The last Super Sabres left Joe Foss Field in June 1977. In 1979, the unit began a 12-year era of participation in Operation Coronet Cove at Howard AFB providing for defense of the Panama Canal. Both aircrew and support personnel were extended there in the summer of 1979 during the Nicaraguan crisis. The unit was awarded the Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamer for combat duty as a part of Operation Just Cause during 1989–1990.

Tactical Air Command began retiring the A-7D in the late 1980s, with units being transitioned from the A-7D/K to the F-16C/D block 30. The first F-16 to arrive with the 175th Fighter Squadron was on 14 August 1991. In June 1993 the squadron deployed eight aircraft to Brustem AB, Belgium as Coronet DART for the European exercise Central Enterprise 1993. In December 1993 the squadron deployed again, this time for their first combat deployment with the F-16. Stationed at Incirlik AB, Turkey the squadron flew missions over Northern Iraq to guard the no-fly zone to protect Kurdish refugees.

Combat patrol missions were flown over the northern "No Fly" zone of Iraq during Operation Provide Comfort from December 1993 to January 1994.[1] The 114th Fighter Group was re-designated as the 114th Fighter Wing in October 1995. The unit subsequently supported Operation Northern Watch, based out of Turkey in 1995 and 2002, and Operation Southern Watch based out of Kuwait in 1998 and Saudi Arabia in 2001. The Fighting Lobos were also deployed to Belgium, Singapore, the Netherlands Antilles and Israel.

114th Fighter Wing F-16 at Balad AB, Iraq, 2010

A new chapter was opened in the history of the Air National Guard with the terrorist attacks on America on 11 September 2001. In addition to the unit's ongoing tasking as part of Air Expeditionary Force rotations, unit members were also activated to support Operation Noble Eagle within the United States and Operation Enduring Freedom. The unit also deployed to Iraq three times, to Balad AB, Iraq (October–December 2006; June–September 2008; January–April 2010. Unit members also deployed to the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Jordan, Cyprus, Pakistan, Romania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Turkey, Spain, France and Germany.

On 25 October 2005 an F-16 of the unit was attempting to take fuel from a McDonnell Douglas KC-10 Extender, when the boom operator's accidental oscillation caused damages to both aircraft, which were able to land safely. The jet suffered more than $930,000 of damage, an unusual accident for a squadron that has enjoyed a tremendous safety record. In 2007, the squadron received the National Guard Bureau’s Winston P. Wilson Trophy, an annual award for the most outstanding Air National Guard unit. The squadron won the trophy again in 2010.

The 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Commission recommended that the 175th Fighter Squadron retire its older block 30 F-16s and upgrade to the block 40. The first F-16C block 30 to depart was 'Cujo' aircraft (#85-1434), which occurred on 7 May 2010 with destination AMARG. Over the next five months they received block 40 Vipers from all three squadrons at Hill AFB, Utah which were largely as a result of the closure of the 34th Fighter Squadron.

In 2020 the wing trained in Canada during Exercise Maple Flag.[2] In June 2023, the 114th FW deployed to Northern Germany, and participated in exercise Air Defender 23.[3]

• 133d Air Defense Wing, 16 April 1956
• 132d Air Defense Wing, 1 December 1957
• South Dakota Air National Guard, 1 August 1964
• 132d Tactical Fighter Wing, 23 May 1970
• South Dakota Air National Guard, 16 October 1995

Gaining Commands

Air Defense Command (later Aerospace Defense Command), 16 April 1956

Tactical Air Command, 23 May 1970

Air Combat Command, 1 June 1992 – present

• 114th Operations Group, 11 October 1995 – present
• 175th Fighter-Interceptor (later Tactical Fighter, Fighter) Squadron, 16 April 1956 – 11 October 1995

• Sioux Falls Municipal Airport (later Sioux Falls Regional Airport, Joe Foss Field Air National Guard Station, South Dakota, 16 April 1956 – present

• Operation Provide Comfort
• Maple Flag[5]
• Operation Northern Watch
• Operation Southern Watch
• Operation Coronet Nighthawk
• Operation Freedom's Sentinel[6]
• Operation Resolute Support
• Operation Iraqi Freedom
• Operation Enduring Freedom
• Operation Inherent Resolve