24th Tactical Air Support Squadron: Inactivated
On 23 December 2020, the 24th Tactical Air Support Squadron was inactivated during a ceremony at Nellis Air Force Base (NV)
The inactivation of the 24th TASS, equipped with F-16CMs, is part of an overall US Air Force strategy to reactivate the 65th Aggressor Squadron.
The Air Force is repurposing the F-16CM assigned to the Close Air Support (CAS)-focused 24th TASS and moving them to an aggressor role as part of the 65th AGRS to enhance air-to-air training and provide adversary aircraft that will better replicate peer adversary military forces.
The 24th TASS was activated at Nellis in March 2018 and its decision to inactivate the squadron was finalized in May 2020. Its primary mission was to train forward air controllers (airborne) and joint terminal attack controllers (JTAC) in a seven-week course. After the course, the pilots were qualified to control CAS-airstrikes from the cockpit of their fighter jets. The squadron’s pilots flew their Fighting Falcons for the final time from Nellis on the 23rd.
The Scramble database showed twelve CMs assigned to the 24th TASS:
Photo by Tech. Sgt. Alexandre Montes