The 350th Spectrum Warfare Wing has activated two new units—the 950th Spectrum Warfare Group and the 17th Electronic Warfare Squadron—during an assumption of command ceremony at the Museum of Aviation, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, on October 29. These units, activated three years ahead of schedule, represent a significant enhancement in the U.S. Air Force’s ability to assess and refine its electromagnetic warfare (EW) capabilities to meet modern combat needs.
Col. Michael G. Middents assumed command of the 950th Spectrum Warfare Group, and Lt. Col. Christopher R. Cox took command of the 17th Electronic Warfare Squadron. The two units are headquartered at Robins and mark the fifth activation since the 350 SWW’s establishment in 2021, underscoring the Air Force’s commitment to advancing EW assessments and tactics.
“We don’t know how much time we have before the Air Force is ordered into large-scale combat again,” Middents stated. “The team that dominates the Spectrum will have the upper hand in the modern fight.” He emphasized the importance of evolving Combat Shield—a program that assesses EW capabilities on Air Force platforms—into a comprehensive system evaluation framework. This approach will allow commanders and senior leaders to monitor the state of Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations (EMSO) capabilities in real time.
The 950 SWG will be responsible for various critical functions, including conducting EW assessments for all Air Force aircraft, improving current capabilities, supporting future capabilities, and evaluating large-force exercises and combat operations worldwide. The newly formed units have already supported the Air Force’s Bamboo Eagle 24-2 exercise, assessing EW systems and the effectiveness of replicated threat environments.
These activations mark a strategic pivot from the group’s roots in intelligence and reconnaissance to a focus on EMSO readiness at a Department of the Air Force level. Col. Larry Fenner Jr., 350 SWW commander, stressed that this expansion reflects the Air Force’s need to secure the operational integrity of its platforms, ensuring they perform in line with combatant commanders’ objectives during conflict.
The heritage of these units, rooted in historic contributions to EW dating back to WWII, continues to inform their mission. Lt. Col. Cox, reflecting on the 17th’s origins, emphasized its role in preparing warfighters with strategies to disrupt adversaries. “This reactivation is a sign of turning tides,” he noted, highlighting the unit’s legacy of teaching forces how to outmaneuver threats in the electromagnetic spectrum.
The establishment of the 950th Spectrum Warfare Group and its squadrons is viewed as a critical step in maintaining the Air Force’s operational edge, preparing it to effectively employ EMSO capabilities in future conflicts.
We’ve never needed local news more than we have today. With newspapers going out of business and fewer reporters around to watchdog local government, cover events or sports, and make sure you know what’s going on in your community
Donate today to keep local, independent and accountable journalism in your community today!
Plus, we’ll give you some cool swag when you make your donation monthly.
Stop scrolling social media to find out what’s going on in Niceville. Sign up for our weekly newsletter for the info impacting your daily life!