552nd ACW Airmen return from deployment Published Oct. 7, 2010 By Ken LaFayette Tinker Public Affairs TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- Approximately 100 Airmen from the 552nd Air Control Wing returned to Tinker Oct. 4 from a four-month deployment to Southwest Asia in support of ongoing operations in Afghanistan. The 552nd ACW personnel and aircraft provide all weather surveillance and communications needed by commanders of U.S. and NATO air defenses forces to detect, identify and track fixed-wing aircraft, maritime surface vessels, and to direct friendly aircraft against the enemy before they release ordnance against friendly forces. During their deployment, the Airmen generated and flew more than 120 E-3 sorties, providing more than 1,500 hours of command and control in Afghanistan and over the Arabian Gulf. They tracked more than 26,000 aircraft, directed more than 800 aerial refueling missions allowing tanker to off-load more than 16.5 million pounds of fuel to other airborne aircraft, and controlled more than 5,000 U.S. and coalition aircraft. They responded to more than 80 instances of U.S. and coalition troops in contact with enemy forces and controlled aircraft to attack enemy forces and save the lives of friendly ground troops.