1 8 th ▁expanded ▁to ▁the ▁Compos ite ▁Air ▁Wing ▁concept ▁of ▁multiple ▁different ▁wing ▁miss ions ▁with ▁different ▁aircraft . ▁The ▁oper ational ▁squad rons ▁of ▁the ▁wing ▁were ▁assigned ▁to ▁the ▁ 1 8 th ▁Oper ations ▁Group . ▁ ▁The ▁mission ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 8 th ▁O G ▁was ▁expanded ▁to ▁include ▁aer ial ▁ref uel ing ▁with ▁Bo eing ▁K C - 1 3 5 R / T ▁Str at ot ank er ▁tank er ▁aircraft ▁( 9 0 9 th ▁AR S ); ▁and ▁surve ill ance , ▁warning , ▁command ▁and ▁control ▁Bo eing ▁E - 3 B / C ▁S entry ▁( 9 6 1 st ▁A AC S ), ▁and ▁communic ations . ▁Added ▁air l ift ▁mission ▁in ▁June ▁ 1 9 9 2 ▁with ▁the ▁Be ech ▁C - 1 2 ▁Hur on , ▁transport ing ▁mission ▁critical ▁personnel , ▁high - p riority ▁cargo ▁and ▁distinguished ▁visitors . ▁ ▁In ▁February ▁ 1 9 9 3 , ▁the ▁ 1 8 th ▁gained ▁responsibility ▁for ▁coordin ating ▁rescue ▁operations ▁in ▁the ▁Western ▁Pacific ▁and ▁Indian ▁Ocean ▁with ▁the ▁addition ▁of ▁the ▁ 3 3 d ▁Res cue ▁Squadron ▁( 3 3 d ▁R Q S ). ▁ ▁In ▁November ▁ 1 9 9 9 , ▁the ▁ 1 8 th ▁under w ent ▁another ▁change ▁as ▁one ▁of ▁its ▁three ▁F - 1 5 ▁units , ▁the ▁ 1 2 th ▁F ighter ▁Squadron , ▁was ▁re ass igned ▁to ▁the