HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah -- The Ogden Air Logistics Complex is home to diverse missions, but one of its most unique doesn’t even reside here.
Operating from Kadena Air Base, Japan, for four decades, the 525th Electronics Maintenance Squadron has been an integral support unit for Department of Defense services and allied forces in the Indo-Pacific.
Celebrating its 40th anniversary this month, the squadron specializes in providing parts and repair services for various air assets in the region.
The 525th EMXS is part of the 309th Electronics Maintenance Group, one of six depot-level groups within the Ogden Air Logistics Complex at Hill AFB.
“This year marks 40 years of excellence by the Support Center Pacific. The 525th provides in-theater, organic depot level sustainment necessary for ensuring operational readiness across the Indo-Pacific,” said Maj. Gen. Kenyon Bell, Ogden Air Logistics Complex commander. “Their expertise in maintaining a wide range of aircraft, from F-15s to Taiwanese F-16s, reflects the team’s high-level skill and dedication to integrated deterrence in the competitive operating environment.”
Established on May 13, 1984, as Det. 35 with five employees, the unit underwent a significant expansion in 1994, transforming from Det. 35 to Support Center Pacific, and eventually adopting is current name in 2006.
Today, SCP’s workforce includes more than 90 members, and the unit has expanded is operations to encompass more than 125 different aircraft components. It remains a crucial resource for multiservice aircraft operations in the Indo-Pacific theater.
Unlike the potential multi-day delays faced when relying solely on stateside support, the SCP collaborates directly with counterparts at depots and within the supply chain, to provide in-theater support.
The center services a diverse fleet of aircraft, including the A-10, C-5, C-130, and F-16. The SCP’s support network spans bases such as Misawa, Osan, Kunsan, and allied forces, ensuring that air assets are supported wherever they are deployed.
At Kadena AB, the 525th EMXS provides support for various aircraft platforms, including the F-15C/D, F-15E, KC-135, HH-60, E-3, and MQ-9. Operating near the base’s airfield, it is positioned to swiftly address maintenance needs.
SCP employees also possess diverse skills across multiple disciplines.
“Unlike most depot employees who specialize in one major area, SCP personnel are cross trained to handle various workloads and functions,” said Chad Brandenburg, 525th EMXS director. “The SCP draws expertise from all three of the Air Force’s ALCs and other sites, earning it a reputation akin to a schoolhouse. Skilled personnel gain diverse experience here and carry it forward in their careers.”
Since its beginning, Brandenburg said the SCP has been in a constant state of change, continually expanding capability and supporting aircraft to meet the needs of the customer.
“I think we are particularly proud that whenever the question of whether we should be here or not arises, it is our customers who answer by extolling the benefits the 525th has provided them and how much they have relied on our support,” Brandenburg said. “After 40 years, there are countless stories of the Support Center Pacific’s ability to provide support either in urgent situations or when no one else could.”