5th Electromagnetic Warfare Squadron

5th Electromagnetic Warfare Squadron
Emblem of the 5th Electromagnetic Warfare Squadron
Country	United States
Branch	United States Space Force
Type	Space Electromagnetic Warfare
Part of	Space Delta 3
Garrison/HQ	Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado
Motto	We plea the fifth!
Decorations	AFOUA
Commanders
Current commander	Lt Col Andy Wang
Notable commanders	John W. Raymond
Insignia
Emblem of the 5th Space Surveillance Squadron

The United States Space Force's 5th Electromagnetic Warfare Squadron (5 EWS) is a space electromagnetic warfare unit located at Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado.

The mission of the 5 EWS is to provide flexible and responsive space control capabilities to the Commander U.S. Space Command in order to protect and defend national security space capabilities.

The dual LASS/DSTS operation supported USAF space intelligence requirements, while being assisted by the 18th Intelligence Squadron's Det 4 for SIGINT support.¹ This coverage augmented worldwide coverage of space signals activities at similarly equipped sites at Misawa AB, Japan, Osan AB, Republic of Korea and at Griffiss AFB in the United States.²

The Deep Space Tracking System uses sensitive, highly accurate 20-foot dish antennas to detect and track S-band radio signals transmitted by radio beacons on most satellites. There were DSTS receivers located at Griffiss AFB, New York; RAF Feltwell, Great Britain; and Misawa AB, Japan.³

The 5 SSS was inactivated in 2003, with administration of RAF Feltwell transferred to Detachment 4, 18th Intelligence Squadron.

On 15 April 2022, the 5th Space Control Squadron was redesignated the 5th Electromagnetic Warfare Squadron.⁴

• 5th Space Control Squadron (2019–2022)
• 5th Space Surveillance Squadron (1989–2003)

• RAF Feltwell, United Kingdom (1989–2003)

• Lt Col Ronald P. Mitchell, 1 October 1990 – ???
• Lt Col James L. Burling, Jr., August 1994 – 28 September 1996
• Lt Col Steven R. Prebeck, 28 September 1996 – ???⁵
• Lt Col John Amrine, June 1999 – July 2000⁶
• Lt Col John W. Raymond, April 2000 – June 2001⁷
• Lt Col Susan Bedell, 10 October 2019 – June 2021⁸
• Lt Col Alexander Courtney, June 2021 – June 2023⁹
• Lt Col Andy Wang, June 2023 – present¹⁰

• Low Altitude Space Surveillance (LASS) (1989–2003)
• Deep Space Tracking System (DSTS) (1989–2003)

• Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
  • 1 January 2000 – 31 August 2001¹¹
  • 1 January 1999 – 31 December 1999¹²
  • 1 January 1998 – 31 December 1998¹³
  • 1 October 1997 – 30 September 1999¹⁴
  • 1 October 1995 – 30 September 1997¹⁵