116th Air Control Wing
| 116th Air Control Wing | |
|---|---|
116th Air Control Wing E-8C Joint STARS, AF Ser. No. 96-0042 | |
| Active |
|
| Country | United States |
| Allegiance | Georgia (U.S. state) |
| Branch | Air National Guard |
| Type | Wing |
| Role | Command and Control |
| Part of | Georgia Air National Guard |
| Garrison/HQ | Robins Air Force Base, Warner-Robins, Georgia |
| Motto | Vincet Amor Patriae (Latin for 'Love of Country Shall Conquer') (later "He Conquers Through Love of Country") |
| Engagements | Korean War |
| Decorations | Air Force Outstanding Unit Award |
| Insignia | |
| 116th Air Control Wing emblem | |
| Tail code | GA |
The 116th Air Control Wing is a wing of the Georgia Air National Guard/United States Air Force, stationed at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. If activated for federal service, the wing is gained by Air Combat Command.
The 116th is the only Air National Guard unit operating the E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (Joint STARS), an airborne ground surveillance and battle management aircraft. Joint STARS detects, locates, classifies, tracks and targets ground movements on the battlefield, communicating real-time information through secure data links with U.S. command posts.
On 1 October 2002, the 116th ACW was established as the first (and only) Joint Air National Guard/United States Air Force Unit. The Joint unit was inactivated on 30 September 2011 and the 116th was returned to the sole jurisdiction of the Georgia Air National Guard on 1 October 2011.