| Unit Name: | 710th Combat Operations Squadron |
| Dates: | 1952–1983; 2004-present |
| Role: | Air Operations |
| Size: | 130 personnel |
| Command Structure: | Air Force Reserve Command |
| Current Commander: | Colonel Ulla A. Kaartti |
| Garrison: | Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia |
| Nickname: | The Gryphons |
| Motto: | la|Primus Nuntius|First Notice (1952-1983) |
| Mascot: | A Gryphon |
| Decorations: | Air Force Outstanding Unit Award |
| Identification Symbol Label: | 710th Combat Operations Squadron Emblem[1] |
| Identification Symbol 2 Label: | Patch with 710th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron emblem |
The 710th Combat Operations Squadron is a reserve unit, stationed at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, where it has augmented the 610th Air Operations Center since its activation in March 2004. Its first predecessor was established in Alaska in 1952 as the 710th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron and provided air defense radar coverage until inactivating in 1983. The two squadrons were consolidated in June 2004.
The mission of the 710th Combat Operations Squadron at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, is to provide trained, combat mission-ready air operations center warriors to the United States Central Command Combined Forces Air Component Commander. The 710thS is aligned with U.S. Air Forces, Central Command. When deployed, squadron members provide continuity and expertise to augment the active duty air operations center force.
The 710th Aircraft Warning and Control Squadron was activated on 8 December 1952 at Cape Prince of Wales Air Force Station and assigned to the 160th Aircraft Control and Warning Group, a Washington Air National Guard unit that had been mobiized for the Korean War in 1951 and deployed too Alaska in 1951 to help establish an aircraft warning system there. The 160th was returned to state control in February 1943, and the 710th was transferred to the 548th Aircraft Control and Warning Group, a regular unit that had absorbed the 160th's mission, personnel, and equipment. The squadron operated the radars at one of the ten original sites constructed in Alaska for air defense.
The squadron initially operated an AN/FPS-3 radar, which was upgraded to a later version AN/FPS-20A in 1958 and later replaced by an improved AN/FPS-93A, to gather information, which it transmitted to the direction center at Murphy /dome Air Force Station. In 1983, these were replaced by an AN/FPS-117 minimally attended radar. As this system became operational, the squadron was inactivated and replaced by a small number of contractors.
The 710th Combat Operations Squadron was activated on 1 March 2004 at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia. A little over two months later, it was consolidated with the 710th Aircraft Warning and Control Squadron.[1] The squadron is one of Air Force Reserve Command's two air operations center augmentation units. It operates the AN/USQ-163 Air Operations Center weapon system, the senior element of the theater air control system. It provides the Combined Forces Air Component Commander with the capability to plan, task, execute and assess airpower and space power to support the Combined Force commander's campaign plan.[2]
Although the squadron does not have campaign participation credit as a unit, its personnel have participated in Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation New Dawn, Operation Inherent Resolve, and Operation Freedom Sentinel. It also routinely supports military exercises, including Ardent Sentry (an annual homeland security exercise), Austere Challenge (a combined exercise with the United Kingdom, Germany and Israel), Blue Flag, Eager Lion, Eagle Resolve (a multi nation exercise in the Persian Gulf region), Red Flag, Key Resolve, Neptune Falcon (a bomber/tanker interoperability exercise), Pacific Sentry (a joint exercise in the Pacific), Terminal Fury (exercise of army units operating vessels to respond to emergencies), Ulchi-Freedom Guardian, and Virtual Flag (a battle management exercise).[2]
The 710th's Detachment 1 was activated on 1 September 2017 at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina to act as a partner of the 609th Air Operations Center and Air Forces Central through the 609th Air Operations Center's Detachment 1.[2]
Activated on 8 December 1952
Inactivated on 1 November 1983
Activated on 1 March 2004