Creech AFB

On June 20, 2005, Indian Springs Air Force Auxiliary Field officially changed its name to Creech Air Force Base in honor of Gen.Wilbur L. "Bill" Creech. As the commander of Tactical Air Command from 1978 to 1984, General Creech shaped the Air Force of today with a call for new weapons and tactics. He revolutionized the Air Force by espousing a philosophy of decentralized authority and responsibility. He was also known as the "father of the Thunderbirds," the Air Force's premiere air demonstration squadron.

The airfield that now bears General Creech's name was originally built by the Army in the early 1940s to support the war effort during World War II. A month after the December 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor, the Army began building a training camp near the community of Indian Springs, NV. By the end of 1942, the service had contracted for regular facilities and by the end of February 1943, the base was being used as a divert field and base for air-to-air gunnery training. The little post was in service supporting B-17s and T-6s until March 1945 when the Army put the base in stand-by status maintained by a small housekeeping staff.

When Las Vegas Army Air Field inactivated in January 1947, Indian Springs also closed down. The base re-opened in January 1948, and two years later received its first permanently assigned Air Force unit. In August 1951, the base became an auxiliary field and in July 1952 transferred from Air Training Command to the Air Research and Development Command, reporting to the Air Force Special Weapons Center in Albuquerque, N.M.

In 1961, the base transferred to the Tactical Air Command. It officially became Indian Springs Air Force Auxiliary Field during the 1980s. Following the inactivation of Tactical Air Command in 1992, the base became a component of Air Combat Command.

On May 1, 2007, the 432nd Wing stood up and is now home to the MQ-1B Predator and MQ-9 Reaper Unmanned Aircraft Systems. Along with being home to the 432nd Wing "Hunters," Creech AFB is also home to the Joint Unmanned Aircraft Systems Center of Excellence, 99th Ground Combat Training Squadron, and 98th Southern Ranges Support Squadron. The 432nd Wing was also designated an Air Expeditionary Wing in May 2008.

Location
Creech AFB is about 45 miles northwest of Nellis AFB. It takes an hour to drive from Nellis to Creech. Nellis AFB provides daily round-trip shuttle bus service from Nellis to Creech. There is also a park-and-ride facility on US 95 in northwest Las Vegas that serves Creech AFB and the Department of Energy's Nevada Test Site. Very few Airmen assigned to Creech AFB live in the nearby town of Indian Springs, which has a population of slightly under 2,000 people. Minimal services are available in Indian Springs.

Assigned Units
432nd Wing, 432nd Air Expeditionary Wing
The 432nd Wing, 432nd Air Expeditionary Wing "Hunters" consist of combat-ready Airmen who fly the MQ-1B Predator and MQ-9 Reaper aircraft to support United States and coalition warfighters. Assigned Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems provide real-time reconnaissance, surveillance, and precision attack against fixed and time-critical targets. The Hunters conduct RPA initial qualification training for aircrew, intelligence, weather and maintenance personnel. The 432nd Wing stood up at Creech AFB May 1, 2007. One year later, the 432nd Wing also became an Air Expeditionary Wing due to the increasing requirement for RPA support to Overseas Contingency Operations. As the 432nd AEW, the wing has command and control over two active duty units and more than 625 Air National Guard personnel flying the MQ-1B Predator that are a part of units in California, North Dakota, Texas, Arizona and New York.

The wing oversees operations of the 432nd Operations Group, 432nd Maintenance Group, 11th Reconnaissance Squadron, 15th Reconnaissance Squadron, 17th Reconnaissance Squadron, 18th Reconnaissance Squadron, 30th Reconnaissance Squadron, 42nd Attack Squadron, 432nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, 432nd Maintenance Squadron, and the 432nd Operations Support Squadron.

432nd Operations Group
The 432nd Operations Group/Expeditionary Operations Group employs Remotely Piloted Aircraft Combat Air Patrols around the clock, every day of the year in support of combatant commander needs, and deploys combat support forces worldwide. This includes combat command and control, tactics development, intelligence support, weather support and standardization and evaluation oversight for United States Air Force Air Combat Command, United States Air Force Central Command, Air Force Materiel Command, Air National Guard, Royal Air Force, and Air Reserve Command RPA units. The Group is also responsible for all air traffic control, airfield management, and weather services for RPA operations at Creech AFB.

The 432nd Operations Group currently oversees global operations of six squadrons: 11th Reconnaissance Squadron, 15th Reconnaissance Squadron, 17th Reconnaissance Squadron, 18th Reconnaissance Squadron 30th Reconnaissance Squadron, 42nd Attack Squadron, and the 432nd Operations Support Squadron.

11th Reconnaissance Squadron
The 11th Reconnaissance Squadron trains the world's best MQ-1B Predator pilots & sensor operators. It is the United States Air Force's first and premiere Predator formal training unit that conducts five basic and advanced training courses: Initial Qualification, Instructor Upgrade Training, Foreign Officer Course, Senior Officer Course and Launch & Recovery Course.

15th Reconnaissance Squadron
The 15th Reconnaissance Squadron became one of the first armed Remotely Piloted Aircraft squadrons. The squadron provides combatant commanders with persistent intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capability, full-motion video and precision weapons engagement. Its global operations architecture supports continuous MQ-1B Predator employment providing real-time actionable intelligence, strike, interdiction, close air support, and special missions to deployed war fighters.

17th Reconnaissance Squadron
The 17th Reconnaissance Squadron is the U.S. Air Force's only dual-aircraft, combat-coded squadron. A highly disciplined multifunctional team, the squadron develops and utilizes new Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems tactics, techniques and procedures while operating the MQ-1B Predator and MQ-9 Reaper. The 17th RS organizes, trains and equips forces to provide special capabilities and tactics to combatant commanders and warfighters for worldwide operations requiring remotely piloted aircraft.

18th Reconnaissance Squadron
The 18th Reconnaissance Squadron provides combatant commanders with persistent intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, full-motion video, and precision weapons employment. Global operations architecture supports continuous MQ-1B Predator employment providing real-time actionable intelligence, strike, interdiction, close air support, and special missions to deployed war fighters.

30th Reconnaissance Squadron
The 30th Reconnaissance Squadron is a flight test squadron based at the Tonopah Test Range in Nevada.

42nd Attack Squadron
The 42nd Attack Squadron is USAF's first MQ-9 Reaper RPA attack squadron. It operates a medium altitude MQ-9 multi-sensor platform to locate, identify and destroy enemy positions. The squadron provides combatant commanders with deployable precision engagement capabilities for time-critical targets, air interdiction, close air support, strike coordination, and reconnaissance. The 42nd ATKS also distributes real-time imagery and combat assessment to theater and national level leadership.

432nd Operations Support Squadron
The mission of the 432nd Operations Support Squadron is to increase the capability of the 432nd Wing/Aerospace Expeditionary Wing through leadership in program development. The squadron provides combat and local weather support for nine flying squadrons; exercise, airshow and frequency management; Wing scheduling and training functions; Predator simulator contract oversight; Host Aviation Resource Management support; weapons and tactics training management; airfield operations oversight; Wing communications development and contract management; and inbound Air Combat Command Remotely Piloted Aircraft pilot/sensor operator student training flow management. The 432nd OSS also runs ACC's only RPA Intelligence Formal Training Unit, producing more than 200 trained intelligence specialists/RPA mission coordinators each year.

432nd Maintenance Group
The 432nd Maintenance Group ensures that Airmen, MQ-1B and MQ-9 aircraft, ground control stations, Predator Primary Satellite Links, and a global integrated communications network are fully mission capable to support aircrew training, combat operations, operational test and evaluation, and natural disaster support.

432nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron
The 432nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron provides Predator MQ-1B and Reaper MQ-9 aircraft and equipment in support of worldwide expeditionary operations, USAF Weapons School and Predator formal training, unit training, and operational test and evaluation customers. Maintenance expertise is provided by a mixture of contractor and military personnel ensuring that worldwide operations are performed without interruption.

432nd Maintenance Squadron
The mission of the 432nd Maintenance Squadron is to perform on- and off-equipment maintenance and maintenance operations services for the MQ-1B Predator and MQ-9 Reaper aircraft. The squadron also performs operations services for ground control stations in support of aircrew training and Overseas Contingency Operations. Expertise is provided by nine different Air Force specialties, which include education and training, maintenance analysis, scheduling, aerospace ground equipment, fuels systems, aircraft structural maintenance, nondestructive inspection, engines, and munitions systems.

Creech Public Affairs Office
www.creech.af.mil
Public Affairs Office
Telephone: (702) 404-1371 or (702) 404-1407
The 432nd Wing Public Affairs Office is responsible for communicating the mission of the 432nd Wing and 432nd Air Expeditionary Wing to internal and external audiences. PA works with senior commanders and agencies to ensure that the wing is well informed about activities that impact the Air Force. PA contributes to and maintains the Creech AFB public website, www.creech.af.mil, which includes local and Air Force news and features on wing personnel and units. PA conducts tours and operates a community outreach program, giving the American public a behind-the-scenes look at their Air Force in action. PA also runs an active media relations program, working with numerous local, national and international journalists annually to inform the public about the MQ-1B Predator and M-9 Reaper missions, people and activities.

Creech Protocol Office
Telephone: (702) 404-1364
The 432nd Wing Protocol Office is responsible for protocol decorum, customs and courtesies during Air Force ceremonies, conferences and social events; as well hosting distinguished visitors at Creech Air Force Base. They work special projects requiring an understanding of international, diplomatic or political sensitivity to individuals and groups representing a variety of politics, cultures, nationalities and religions. Creech Protocol is available to assist military and government agencies in protocol matters pertaining to the application of established service customs.

98th Southern Ranges Support Squadron
The 98th Southern Ranges Support Squadron is responsible for the Point Bravo logistics site and the Nevada Test and Training Range southern ranges.

99th Ground Combat Training Squadron
The 99th Ground Combat Training Squadron provides warrior skills training for all Air Combat Command security forces and combat support elements at Creech AFB. This squadron provides advanced ground combat weapons and tactics instruction that enhance the combat capabilities of U.S. Air Force ground forces essential to sortie generation who are confronted with a potential for combat during hostilities.

Joint Unmanned Aircraft Systems
Center of Excellence
The Joint Unmanned Aircraft Systems Center of Excellence is a direct reporting unit to the commander, U.S. Joint Forces Command, operationally focused on developing joint UAS employment and training standards, providing relevant products, analysis and information to the joint force. This organization provides support to the joint operator, services and combatant commands by facilitating the development and integration of common UAS operating standards, capabilities, concepts, technologies, doctrine, tactics, techniques, procedures and training.

The center was established in June 2005 at Creech AFB by the direction of the Joint Requirements Oversight Council and reached full operational capability in January 2007. The 99th Air BaseWing serves as the combatant command support activity for the JUAS COE and, in this role, provides administrative support and common functions.