USAF Patch Fighter USAFE b 57 FIS Fighter Interceptor Squadron Iceland F 4 Phantom b3a

USAF Patch USAFE 57 FIS Fighter Interceptor Squadron Iceland F 4 Phantom 1970s fully embroidered cut edge 80mm by 73mm three and one eighth inches by two and seven eighth inches.

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History

57 FIS Fighter Interceptor Squadron was activated on 20 March 1953 at Presque Isle AFB Maine assigned to the 528 Air Defense Group under Air Defense Command ADC equipped with F 89C Scorpion interceptors maintaining a 24 hour interceptor alert at Presque Isle AB.

On 12 November 1954 the 57 FIS relocated to Keflavik Airport Iceland replacing 82 FIS to provide monitoring of the Greenland Iceland United Kingdom GIUK gap in the North Atlantic which formed a naval warfare choke point during the Cold War. ADC was a tenant unit under the Military Air Transport Service Iceland Air Defense Force MATS IADF.

57 FIS responded to alerts from ADC Ground Control Intercept GCI and warning stations on Iceland which guided the interceptor aircraft toward intruders with over 1000 intercepts of Soviet aircraft taking place inside Icelands Military Air Defense Identification Zone ADIZ.

On 18 December 1955 the IADF was redesignated as MATS 1400 Operations Group as Keflavik was expanded to accommodate Tactical Air Command and Strategic Air Command transient aircraft.

In 1959 a reduction of USAF operations began including cutting back ADCs F 89 interceptors and SAC activities. USAF activities were reorganized and on 1 July 1960 placed under the ADC Air Forces Iceland and on 1 July 1961 the USAF transferred jurisdiction of Keflavik Airport to the to the United States Navy renamed Naval Air Station Keflavik NASKEF. The Air Force units at Keflavik operated in a tenant status with 57 FIS and two Radar Aircraft Control and Warning Squadrons ACWS.

In 1962 57 FIS reequipped with F 102 Delta Daggers to continue interception of Soviet aircraft on flights over the North Atlantic and along the US Eastern Seaboard to bases in Cuba throughout the 1960s.

F 4C Phantom II aircraft was assigned to the Squadron on 16 April 1973 with the last F 102s replaced in early 1975. In March 1978 the first F 4Es arrived to replace the F 4Cs with the last F 4Cs leaving on 14 June 1978. A number of F 106 Delta Darts were received in 1977 from ADC units inactivating in the United States prior to the conversion to F 4Es.

On 1 October 1979 Tactical Air Command TAC absorbed ADCs assets including 57 FIS. In July 1985 F 15Cs and F 15Ds replaced the F 4 Phantoms.

On 1 June 1992 Air Combat Command ACC assumed command and control of Air Forces Iceland and the 57 FIS. The Squadron was redesignated 57 Fighter Squadron on 1 January 1993. Air Forces Iceland was inactivated on 31 May 1993 with its mission taken over on 4 June 1992 by 35 Fighter Wing transferred from the closure of George AFB California. On 1 October 1994 35 Fighter Wing was transferred to Misawa Air Base Japan and 85 Wing was activated at Keflavik to carry out the mission.

USAF reductions and a new agreement with the Government of Iceland led to the 57 FIS interceptor mission carried out by Regular USAF and Air National Guard F 15 Eagle fighter units on TDY 90 Day rotational deployments to Iceland and 57 FS was deactivated on 1 March 1995.

85 Wing was reduced to Group status and redesignated 85 Group on 1 July 1995. In 2002 jurisdiction of Air Force units in Iceland was transferred from ACC to United States Air Forces in Europe USAFE with TDY rotational air defence deployments provided by 48 Fighter Wing from 8 October 2004 until 85 Group was deactivated on 28 June 2006 when the USAF left Iceland.

This patch dates from the 1970s.