Overview
The mission of the 944th Fighter Wing is to train F-16 pilots and provide combat ready fighter pilots for the Air Force. During peacetime, the 944th trains reservists for worldwide deployments and has participated in real-world operational deployments in support of Operation Provide Comfort II and Operation Northern Watch (Northern Iraq), and Deny Flight/Decisive Edge (missions over Bosnia-Herzegovina), Operation Southern Watch (Southern Iraq) and has flown combat missions over the AOR during Operation Enduring Freedom. Additionally, approximately 100 reservists were mobilized in direct support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Noble Eagle.
The unit reports to Headquarters Tenth Air Force (10 AF) at NAS Fort Worth JRB/Carswell ARS, Texas, and Headquarters, Air Force Reserve Command. Within the active Air Force, the wing was previously operationally-gained by the former Tactical Air Command and its successor, the Air Combat Command. It is currently gained by the Air Education and Training Command (AETC).
The unit has an authorized strength of 1,050 personnel. Roughly one-quarter (231) of assigned personnel are full-time Air Reserve Technicians (ARTs) who provide continuity between weekend training periods. The annual payroll comes to almost $22 million. The value of unit resources, weapon systems, capital assets, and inventory comes to almost $300 million. The unit maintains facilities housing over 207,300 square feet (approximately 19.7 percent of Luke AFB facility space).
The majority of personnel are traditional reservists that meet during one required weekend unit training assembly (UTA) each month, augmented by numerous additional weekends and weekdays in an additional drill or active duty status. The reservists represent a wide variety of civilian careers, including airline pilots, doctors, engineers, elected officials, teachers, plumbers, mechanics, corporate managers and local, state and federal government employees.
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