87th Electronic Warfare Squadron reactivation

Photo By Senior Airman Cassidy Woody | U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Michael Brazda, 87th Electronic Warfare Squadron commander, renders his first salute to his squadron, May 17, 2019, at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. The 87th Electronic Warfare Aggressor Squadron was deactivated on July 1, 1997, due to budget restraints but has been reactivated to focus on the U.S. Air Force’s Electronic Warfare Assessment Program (EWAP), COMBAT SHIELD. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Cassidy Woody)  

FL, UNITED STATES

05.17.2019

Story by Senior Airman Cassidy Woody 

33rd Fighter Wing

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – U.S. Air Force leadership reactivated the 87th Electronic Warfare Squadron at Eglin AFB, Fla., to focus on the Electronic Warfare Assessment Program (EWAP), COMBAT SHIELD, May 17, 2019.

The 87th EWS will supplement existing units by providing a dedicated squadron for COMBAT SHIELD assessment.

“The 87th EWS’s 42-member unit, split between Eglin AFB and Nellis AFB, is responsible for assessing electronic warfare combat readiness of all operational Air Force combat units worldwide via the Air Force directed Electronic Warfare Assessment Program, COMBAT SHIELD,” said Lt. Col. Michael Brazda, 87th EWS commander.

Brazda also said while the 53rd Electronic Warfare Group strives to ensure Airmen have the best tools and processes required to achieve the mission, they needed a dedicated team to certify these tools and processes are combat ready.

“This herculean task requires COMBAT SHIELD teams to be on the road for 11 months of the year,” said Brazda, “visiting over 40 wings and geographically separated units and assessing more than 1,000 aircraft and many associated systems.”

The 87th EWS will continue their previous heritage of providing electronic warfare support however needed in today’s Air Force. The squadron was first activated on Oct. 1, 1990, as the 4487th Electronic Warfare Aggressor Squadron at Eglin AFB. Their mission was also to conduct evaluations of tactical electronic warfare systems. On Dec. 1, 1991, the squadron was re-designated as the 87th Electronic Warfare Aggressor Squadron.

During this time the 87th EWAS provided support to not only the U.S. Air Force but also the Canadian air force, and is credited with saving many lives by improving combat effectiveness of aircraft self-protection systems by 25 percent during the four months before the Gulf War. The activation of the 87th EWAS and consolidation of Air Combat Command’s (ACC) electronic countermeasure (ECM) assets allowed the reduction in cost of testing aircraft ECM systems from $5,000 to $500 per hour while increasing system effectiveness significantly.

On July 1, 1997, the squadron was officially deactivated due to budget constraints.

Now the 87th EWS is called back into the fight.

“The best way to predict the future is to invent it,” said Col. William Young Jr., 53rd Electronic Warfare Group commander, during his speech to the new squadron.

• Date Taken: 05.17.2019
• Date Posted: 05.21.2019 09:06
• Story ID: 323228
• Location: FL, US