The squadron was reconstituted as the 56th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, activated at Selfridge AFB, Michigan in November 1952, assigned to the 4708th Air Defense Wing, and equipped with North American F-86F Sabres.
In February 1953 the 56th was assigned to the 575th Air Defense Group, and in July converted to radar equipped and Mighty Mouse rocket armed F-86Ds.

On 18 August 1955, as part of Air Defense Command's Project Arrow, which was designed to bring back on the active list the fighter units which had compiled memorable records in the two world wars.,
the 56th FIS moved on paper from Selfridge to Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, where it assumed the mission, personnel and aircraft of the 97th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron.
At Wright-Patterson the squadron was assigned to the 4706th Air Defense Wing until the spring of 1956 when it transferred to the 58th Air Division.
The squadron was the primary air defense unit for southwestern Ohio and the research facilities at Wright-Patterson.

In the Spring of 1957, the 56th FIS began re-equipping with the North American F-86L Sabre, an improved version of the F-86D which incorporated data link to communicate directly with Semi Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE) computers.
The unit became proficient with both the F-86L and SAGE, and won an Air Defense Command "A" award for live rocket SURE-FIRE missions in the late summer of 1957.

The transition into the F-86L was short-lived however, as the squadron began transition into the "missile-with-a-man-in-it", the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter in May 1958, becoming the second ADC squadron equipped with the Starfighter.
The squadron received both single seat F-104As and the two-seat, dual-control, combat trainer F-104B. The performance of the F-104B was almost identical to that of the F-104A, but the lower internal fuel capacity reduced its effective range considerably.
 The 56th FIS was under operational control of 30th Air Division (Air Defense), before being transferred to the Detroit Air Defense Sector in April 1959.

It was found that the F-104A was not very well suited for service as an interceptor.
Its short interception range was a problem for North American air defense, and its lack of all-weather capability made it incapable of operating in conjunction with the SAGE system.
 Its service with the ADC was consequently quite brief, and the F-104As of the 56th FIS were transferred to the Air National Guard.

With the transfer of the Starfighters, ADC shut down operations at Wright-Patterson and the 56th FIS was inactivated at Wright-Patterson on 1 March 1960.
The squadron was reconstituted as the 56th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, activated at Selfridge AFB, Michigan in November 1952, assigned to the 4708th Air Defense Wing, and equipped with North American F-86F Sabres. In February 1953 the 56th was assigned to the 575th Air Defense Group, and in July converted to radar equipped and Mighty Mouse rocket armed F-86Ds.
On 18 August 1955, as part of Air Defense Command's Project Arrow, which was designed to bring back on the active list the fighter units which had compiled memorable records in the two world wars., the 56th FIS moved on paper from Selfridge to Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, where it assumed the mission, personnel and aircraft of the 97th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron. At Wright-Patterson the squadron was assigned to the 4706th Air Defense Wing until the spring of 1956 when it transferred to the 58th Air Division. The squadron was the primary air defense unit for southwestern Ohio and the research facilities at Wright-Patterson.
In the Spring of 1957, the 56th FIS began re-equipping with the North American F-86L Sabre, an improved version of the F-86D which incorporated data link to communicate directly with Semi Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE) computers. The unit became proficient with both the F-86L and SAGE, and won an Air Defense Command "A" award for live rocket SURE-FIRE missions in the late summer of 1957.
The transition into the F-86L was short-lived however, as the squadron began transition into the "missile-with-a-man-in-it", the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter in May 1958, becoming the second ADC squadron equipped with the Starfighter. The squadron received both single seat F-104As and the two-seat, dual-control, combat trainer F-104B. The performance of the F-104B was almost identical to that of the F-104A, but the lower internal fuel capacity reduced its effective range considerably.  The 56th FIS was under operational control of 30th Air Division (Air Defense), before being transferred to the Detroit Air Defense Sector in April 1959.
It was found that the F-104A was not very well suited for service as an interceptor. Its short interception range was a problem for North American air defense, and its lack of all-weather capability made it incapable of operating in conjunction with the SAGE system.  Its service with the ADC was consequently quite brief, and the F-104As of the 56th FIS were transferred to the Air National Guard.
With the transfer of the Starfighters, ADC shut down operations at Wright-Patterson and the 56th FIS was inactivated at Wright-Patterson on 1 March 1960.
56th Training Squadron