For many years the 4758th DSES through its many guises provided a threat simulation mission.  After the unit was merged into the 17th DSES the new unit along with others like the 134th DSES (Vermont ANG) provided for the mission.  By the mid 1980s most of those units were also disbanded, or changed missions.  The 4758th DSES is long gone, but the mission still lives on. The United States Army's TSMO fulfills a very similar mission mainly with the use of former Soviet Union aircraft.  The unit is headquarters at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama.  While Biggs AAF provides a major hub for aviation there are also operations at Fort Huachuca, Arizona, Fort Polk, Louisiana , Kirtland AFB, New Mexico and Nevada's Tonopah Range, some of those using former Soviet Union electronics and ground vehicles.  The organization operates the Antonov An-2 "Colt",  Mil Mi-2 "Hoplite", Mi-8/Mi-17 "Hip", Mi-24 "Hind" and Kamov Ka-32 "Helix".  At various times there have been other airframes observed at Biggs such as the Mi-4 "Hound".   The designations are the ones used by the design bureau responsible for the design, but the names are NATO names.  It would be interesting to know what the Russians call them.

    The An-2 is not an uncommon site in the skies over Biggs.  While it is a big lumbering beast that takes forever to make a circuit of the field, it is also a very capable airframe. 

    The first two photos show an An-2 serialed  910074 at, this has been reported to be a US Army serial of "91-0074".  In fact all of these airframes supposedly have U.S. serial numbers.  Though that is somewhat suspect I will use them on this web site.  Both of these photos were taken at the El Paso International Airport in the mid 1990s.

    The third photo is of  "91-6555" at an open house on Biggs in  1997.

    The last two photos are of  "91-22258", with the first one at the 1999 Amigo Airshow on Biggs and the second at Holloman AFB in 2002.

The first two photos show an Mi-24P variously identified as "91-22270",  "92-2270" and even "74-22270".  No matter what the serial, it is an attractive paint scheme.  The first photo dates from 1997 and the second from 2004.

The second Hind is an Mi-24D  reported to be "88-0616".  The two photos are from 1997 and 2003.

As with many military aircraft the Hinds sported nose art at various times.  The first two were carried by 88-0616 in 1997.  The quality of the photo is poor, but the left side artwork is of the "Tasmanian Devil".  22270 carried a vulture with the name "Patience" in 1997.

This Ka-32 is marked "00218".  I t was on display at the  1999 Amigo Airshow.

All photos are mine.

This is an unofficial page, so all opinions, and statements are my own and should not reflect on anyone else in any manner.  (Now is that a good disclaimer, or what?)