[3] The wing mission is "to provide world wide precision intelligence and command and control, along with trained and experienced airmen for expeditionary combat support and homeland security."

In addition, the website says that their Air Force–based mission is in line with the ability of joint force commanders to keep pace with information and incorporate it into a campaign plan.

[dubious – discuss] In 1946, the 102nd was activated at Logan International Airport where it stayed until 1968, when it moved to Otis Air Force Base.

Military downsizing through the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process removed the wing's F-15C Eagles beginning in 2007, leaving the 102nd with an intelligence gathering mission.

It fought in the Pacific as part of bomber escort missions to Japan, and participated in aircraft carrier operations, rarely experienced by the Army Air Force.

[14] Despite the introduction of jet fighters, the Guard units were left with generally overused World War II propeller aircraft, and had few funds for training.

[14] As the Cold War intensified, the Air Force looked to the Guard to fill United States–based interception missions and started overhauling their organization.

[14] Although the Massachusetts Air National Guard was not federalized for the Korean War, many airmen volunteered for active duty and flew in Korea.

[14] From 195, the 102nd was commanded by Brigadier General Charles W. Sweeney, pilot of the B-29 Superfortress Bockscar that dropped the Fat Man nuclear bomb on Nagasaki, Japan.

The wing flew the F-84F Thunderstreak from 1964 until June 1971, when a squadron of F-100D Super Sabres was transferred directly from units fighting the Vietnam War.

The wing occasionally shadowed drug smuggling aircraft, and on one occasion was scrambled to escort an unidentified object, which later turned out to be a weather balloon.

Between January and April 1988, the wing converted to the F-15A Eagle, which it received from the 5th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron which was inactivating at Minot Air Force Base.

[21] It then resumed its alert commitment at Otis, and also established a new Detachment 1 at Loring Air Force Base, taking over for the inactivating 5th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron.

In 1992, the wing deployed eight pilots, five F-15 Eagles, and 48 maintenance and security personnel, for five days training at Canadian Forces Base Goose Bay, Labrador, Canada.

[1] On 11 February 1993, jets were scrambled to intercept the hijacked Lufthansa Flight 592, which eventually landed at John F. Kennedy International Airport without incident.

[24] In 1994, the 102nd received more F-15A/B Eagles from the 32nd Fighter Group at Soesterberg Air Base, which was inactivating as part of the post Cold War draw down of forces in Europe.

The next year, the 102nd participated in Operation Northern Watch and was deployed to Turkey in order to enforce the no-fly zone over Iraq north of the 36th Parallel.

The sector in turn responded by ordering the commander of the weapons team which controlled the jets, Major Kevin Naspany, to place the fighters on "battle stations."

[24] Difficulties in accurately locating Flight 11 caused a delay of five minutes, to 8:43 am, before the scramble order was given and pilots Duffy and Nash could respond.

"[24] Unsure of their target, they were directed to a holding pattern in military-controlled airspace Whiskey 105 off of Long Island to avoid New York area air traffic.

Knowing that they could not await on guidance from the North American Aerospace Defense Command, the recalled all training flights and began loading fuel and weapons onto all available fighter jets.

Six jets which were on a training mission were traversing through the Whiskey Airspace when they were told by the Boston Air Route Traffic Control Center to head back to Otis immediately.

With the grounding of the F-15 Eagles, the 158th Fighter Wing, which is based in Vermont took over the role of patrolling the Northeast's skies earlier than expected.

[20] The unit is wing commander, Colonel Anthony Schiavi, led the flight, accompanied by Major Daniel Nash, who was one of the first responders for 9/11.

Fire trucks were on hand when the team landed a half-hour later, giving the planes and the pilots the customary ceremonial hose-down for the last time.

[20] When it was announced that the wing would be restructured and Otis Air National Guard Base would remain open, discussions began about the future of the 102nd.

Staff of the 102nd and those at Massachusetts Air National Guard headquarters considered a plan centered on the idea that the wing could transition to an intelligence mission to support the growing War on Terror.

[43] Original Base Realignment and Closure commission plans only hinted at a Distributed Common Ground System being created at Otis.

[45] In an article published on April 13, 2023, the New York Times revealed that the individual responsible for the 2023 Pentagon document leaks was a junior enlisted member of the 102nd.

[46][47] The FBI arrested Airman 1st Class Jack Teixeira, cyber transport systems journeyman of the 102nd Intelligence Wing, Joint Base Cape Cod for allegedly uploading Top Secret information to a Discord server.