Became Special Operations group in 1972, flying Cessna A-37 Dragonfly; Tactical Fighter Group in 1973, receiving A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft in 1981. The units of this Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) wing was composed of the 45th and 47th Fighter Squadrons with their A-10s, and the 93d Bomb Squadron in the B-52H Formal Training Unit (FTU) mission and the 343d Bomb Squadron flying combat missions as an associate unit to the 2d Bomb Wing in the B-52H. The 917th's mission was to train pilots and crews to fly the A-10 and B-52H and perform strategic heavy bombardment and maritime operations with the B-52s. The Wing had approximately 1,600 Air Force Reserve personnel. On 8 January 2011, Air Force Reserve Command inactivated the 917th Wing, transferring its B-52 units to the newly activated 307th Bomb Wing. The 917th Operations Group was re-designated as the 917th Fighter Group. The Group realigned under the 442d Fighter Wing, Whiteman AFB, Missouri. The assigned aircraft is the A-10 Thunderbolt II.