The 177th Fighter Wing is a New Jersey Air National Guard fighter unit responsible for protecting America’s skies and responding to foreign threats. Known as the “Jersey Devils” the unit has served a number of missions both home and abroad, to include: air sovereignty, combat/irregular air patrols, strategic air defense, defensive counter-air and air-to-ground attack. The 177th Fighter Wing is comprised of more than 1,200 trained, professional and experienced Airmen.
The 177th Fighter Wing is equipped with the F-16C Fighting Falcon, which is a compact, multi-role fighter aircraft. It is highly maneuverable and that has proven itself in air-to-air combat and air-to-surface attack. It provides a relatively low-cost, high-performance weapon system for the United States and allied nations. 177th pilots are trained in day or night operations with offensive and defensive counter air, interdiction, and precision strike capabilities specializing in air defense, close air support, joint air attack tactics, joint maritime operations, and employing precision guided munitions, including Maverick, laser guided bombs and joint direct attack munitions.
The 177th Fighter Wing is a classic example of the Air National Guard’s Dual Mission Fighter Wing serving both Federal and State missions.
Federal Mission
The 177th Fighter Wing serves two Federal missions – Air Sovereignty Alert (ASA) mission for NORAD’s Eastern Area Defense Sector and Aerospace Expeditionary combat forces to USCENTCOM during wartime.
– The 177th Fighter Wing is strategically located within the Northeast Corridor and provides vital NORAD Air Sovereignty and Air Defense operations in the North. The Wing maintains a dedicated NORAD Alert Force and maintains the capability to significantly robust flying operations as required by the USNORTHCOM combatant commander.
– From October 2001 to the present, the 177th Fighter Wing has supported various contingencies including Operations Freedom’s Sentinel, New Dawn, Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, Noble Eagle, Joint Guardian and Jump Start. More than 800 wing personnel have deployed in support of these operations with deployments to: Iraq, Afghanistan, Diego Garcia, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Djibouti, Yemen, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyz Republic, Turkey, Albania, England and Germany.
— The 177th Fighter Wing was the first single squadron unit – active duty, Guard, or Reserve – to fly 1,000 combat /irregular air patrol missions in support of Operation Noble Eagle.
— Since September 11, 2001 the 177th Fighter Wing is a NORAD Home Station Alert Site.
— As of March 2023, the 177th Fighter Wing Operations and Maintenance Airmen have generated more than 3,000 sorties totaling nearly 8,000 flying hours in support of Operation Noble Eagle.
State Mission
The 177th Fighter Wing supports the citizens of New Jersey by protecting life and property, preserving the peace, order, and public safety when called upon by the Governor. The mission is supported by the 177th Fighter Wing Core Competencies:
– Quick Reaction Force packages
– Emergency management expertise
– Fire fighter support/HAZMAT capabilities
– On-scene Command and Control
– Explosive Ordnance Disposal capability
– Medical assistance
– Weapons of Mass Destruction training and response
– Secure/Non-Secure Communications
– Transportation support
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A U.S. Air Force F-16C Fighting Falcon takes off from the 177th Fighter Wing, Dec. 20, 2022, at the Atlantic City Air National Guard Base, Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey. Col. Thomas Griffin, retired 177th Fighter Wing commander, and other members of the Monmouth Area Flying Club, received a tour of the 177th FW, including a briefing, four F-16C Fighting Falcon takeoffs, and the Wing's flight simulators. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Senior Airman Hunter Hires)
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Members of the 177th Fighter Wing's 227th Air Support Operations Squadron and a New Jersey Army National Guard UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter crew, from the 1-150 Assault Helicopter Battalion, perform a demonstration of Special Patrol Insertion and Exfiltration (SPIES) and Fast Rope Infiltration and Extraction (FRIES) Aug. 18, 2021, over Atlantic City, N.J. The SPIES and FRIES demonstration was one of many acts performed at the 2021 Atlantic City Air Show, "A Salute to Those Who Serve". (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Senior Airman Hunter Hires)
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Members of the 227th Air Support Operations Squadron, from the 177th Fighter Wing, and a New Jersey Army National Guard UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter crew perform a demonstration of Special Patrol Insertion and Exfiltration (SPIES) and Fast Rope Infiltration and Extraction (FRIES) Aug. 18, 2021, over the Atlantic Ocean by Atlantic City, N.J. The SPIES and FRIES demonstration was one of many acts performed at the 2021 Atlantic City Air Show, "A Salute to Those Who Serve". (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Senior Airman Hunter Hires)
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U.S. Army Sgt. Victoria Stackhouse, New Jersey Army National Guard UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter crew member from the from the 1-150 Assault Helicopter Battalion, prepares for a demonstration of Special Patrol Insertion and Exfiltration (SPIES) and Fast Rope Infiltration and Extraction (FRIES) Aug. 18, 2021, at Bader Field in Atlantic City, N.J. The SPIES and FRIES demonstration was one of many acts performed at the 2021 Atlantic City Air Show, "A Salute to Those Who Serve". (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Senior Airman Hunter Hires)
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U.S. Air Force Capt. Janelle Baron, F-16 fighter pilot, and Senior Master Sgt. Andrew Moseley, superintendent of Public Affairs, both with the New Jersey Air National Guard's 177th Fighter Wing, pose for photo after participating in a flyover for the 2019 Atlantic City Airshow, "A Salute To Those That Serve," on Aug. 21, 2019. F-16C and D Fighting Falcon fighter jets from the 177th Fighter Wing and a KC-135 Stratotanker military refueling aircraft from the 108th Wing performed individual passes and a composite formation flyover during the airshow and then conducted refueling and training over the Atlantic Ocean. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Senior Master Sgt. Andrew J. Moseley)
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U.S. Air Force F-16C Fighting Falcons from the 177th Fighter Wing head towards the Atlantic City Airshow over Atlantic City, N.J., Aug. 18, 2021. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Matt Hecht)
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A U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon assigned to the 177th Fighter Wing in Egg Harbor Township N.J., performs a flyover May 12, 2020, across various locations in the tri-state area. The New Jersey Air National Guard units conducted a joint flyover as part of #AirForceSalutes in an effort to honor healthcare workers, first responders, mortuary affairs and other essential personnel who are working on the front lines to combat COVID-19. (U.S. Air National Guard Photo by Staff Sgt. Cristina J. Allen)
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U.S. Air Force Capt. Beau DeLeon and maintenance Airmen inspect a KC-135R Stratotanker on Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., Aug. 18, 2021. DeLeon, a pilot with New Jersey's 108th Wing, was prepping for a flyby during the Atlantic City Airshow. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Matt Hecht)
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New Jersey Air National Guard aircraft fly in formation after performing a flyover for the 2019 Atlantic City Airshow, "A Salute To Those That Serve," over the boardwalk on Aug. 21, 2019. F-16C and D model Fighting Falcon fighter jets from the 177th Fighter Wing and a KC-135 Stratotanker military refueling aircraft from the 108th Wing performed individual passes and a composite formation flyover during the airshow and then conducted refueling and training over the Atlantic Ocean. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Senior Master Sgt. Andrew J. Moseley)
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New Jersey Air National Guard aircraft fly in formation after performing a flyover for the 2019 Atlantic City Airshow, "A Salute To Those That Serve," over the boardwalk on Aug. 21, 2019. F-16C and D model Fighting Falcon fighter jets from the 177th Fighter Wing and a KC-135 Stratotanker military refueling aircraft from the 108th Wing performed individual passes and a composite formation flyover during the airshow and then conducted refueling and training over the Atlantic Ocean. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Senior Master Sgt. Andrew J. Moseley)
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New Jersey Air National Guard aircraft fly in formation after performing a flyover for the 2019 Atlantic City Airshow, "A Salute To Those That Serve," over the boardwalk on Aug. 21, 2019. F-16C and D model Fighting Falcon fighter jets from the 177th Fighter Wing and a KC-135 Stratotanker military refueling aircraft from the 108th Wing performed individual passes and a composite formation flyover during the airshow and then conducted refueling and training over the Atlantic Ocean. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Senior Master Sgt. Andrew J. Moseley)
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New Jersey Air National Guard aircraft fly in formation after performing a flyover for the 2019 Atlantic City Airshow, "A Salute To Those That Serve," over the boardwalk on Aug. 21, 2019. F-16C and D model Fighting Falcon fighter jets from the 177th Fighter Wing and a KC-135 Stratotanker military refueling aircraft from the 108th Wing performed individual passes and a composite formation flyover during the airshow and then conducted refueling and training over the Atlantic Ocean. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Senior Master Sgt. Andrew J. Moseley)
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New Jersey Air National Guard aircraft perform a flyover for the 2019 Atlantic City Airshow, "A Salute To Those that Serve," over the boardwalk on Aug. 21, 2019. F-16C and D model Fighting Falcon fighter jets, from the 177th Fighter Wing, and a KC-135 Stratotanker military refueling aircraft, from the 108th Air Wing, performed individual passes and a composite flyover during the airshow and then conducted refueling and training over the Atlantic Ocean. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Senior Master Sgt. Andrew J. Moseley)
