▁The ▁unit ' s ▁combat ▁mission ▁is ▁to ▁support ▁tact ical ▁air , ▁ground ▁and ▁naval ▁operations ▁by ▁confusing ▁the ▁enemy ' s ▁def enses ▁and ▁dis rupt ing ▁its ▁command ▁and ▁control ▁capabilities . ▁ ▁The ▁squad ron ▁f lies ▁the ▁EC - 1 3 0 H ▁aircraft , ▁a ▁spe cially ▁configured ▁version ▁of ▁the ▁Air ▁Force ' s ▁proven ▁C - 1 3 0 ▁transport . ▁To ▁execute ▁its ▁unique ▁miss ions , ▁the ▁aircraft ▁were ▁modified ▁with ▁electronic ▁counter me asures ▁systems , ▁special ized ▁jam ming ▁equipment , ▁the ▁cap ability ▁to ▁aer ial ▁ref uel , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁upgrad ed ▁engines ▁and ▁av ion ics . ▁Mod ifications ▁made ▁to ▁the ▁aircraft ▁vary ▁between ▁the ▁two ▁squad rons , ▁to ▁help ▁each ▁squad ron ▁meet ▁its ▁specific ▁mission - orient ed ▁needs . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁The ▁ 4 3 rd ▁E CS ▁has ▁a ▁long ▁and ▁varied ▁history ▁beginning ▁ 1 7 ▁August ▁ 1 9 1 7 , ▁as ▁the ▁ 8 6 th ▁A ero ▁Squadron . ▁It ▁served ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁zone ▁of ▁advance ▁in ▁France ▁during ▁the ▁latter ▁part ▁of ▁World ▁War ▁I . ▁Then ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 5 , ▁it ▁was ▁an ▁observation ▁squad ron ▁operating ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Air ▁Corps ▁T act ical ▁School ▁at ▁Max well ▁Field , ▁Alabama . ▁Begin ning ▁ 7 ▁December ▁ 1 9 4 1 , ▁the ▁squad ron ▁conducted ▁pat rol s ▁over ▁the ▁Hawai ian ▁islands .