List of wings of the United States Air Force

This is a list of wings in the United States Air Force, focusing on AFCON wings. Air Force active duty and civilian personnel strength now must be at 1,000 or more for wings.

AFCON versus MAJCOM Wings

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This page currently focuses on one of the two historical categories of USAF wings: "AFCON" (Headquarters (US) Air Force CONtrolled) units or "permanent" units, which during the Cold War period were readily distinguished by having one, two or three digit designations, such as the 1st Fighter Wing, 60th Military Airlift Wing, 355th Fighter Wing, and could go through a series of inactivations and activations and still retain their lineage.

There were also MAJCOM (major air command controlled) wings, such as the Strategic Wings of the 50s and 60s, which, under the USAF organization and lineage system, are four-digit units, for example, the 4137th Strategic Wing, and whose lineage (histories, awards, and battle honors) ended with their discontinuance and could never be revived. MAJCOM wings are fundamentally "temporary", though many stayed in existence for a very long time, and then were revived with a different name but the same number. But under the USAF lineage system they cannot carry on the histories of the previous unit.

When the B-52 dispersal began in the fifties, the new Strategic Air Command units created to support this program were MAJCOM wings and given four-digit designations. Headquarters SAC was well aware of the historical significance of records and accomplishments of the strategic wings and the need to perpetuate this lineage as well as the lineage of many illustrious units that were no longer active.

In order to retain the lineage of the combat units and to perpetuate the lineage of many currently inactive units with illustrious World War II records, Headquarters SAC received authority from Headquarters USAF to discontinue its strategic wings that were equipped with combat aircraft and to activated AFCON units, most of which were inactive at the time.

The reorganization process, which took place from January to September 1963, was applied to 22 B-52 strategic wings, three air-refueling wings, and the 4321st Strategic Wing at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska. "These units were discontinued and two and three-digit AFCON units were activated. In most cases, the bombardment squadron that had been assigned to the strategic wings were inactivated and bombardment squadrons that had previously been assigned to the newly-activated wings were activated. While these actions were almost tantamount to redesignation, they were not official redesignation. Therefore, the records, awards and achievements of the strategic wing could not be inherited by the bomb wings."[1]

During the Gulf War of 1990–91 MAJCOM wings, such as the 7440th Composite Wing (Provisional) at Incirlik AB, Turkey, served alongside Provisional Wings such as the 801st Bomb Wing (Provisional) at Morón Air Base, Spain, and other AFCON wings.

In the 1990s MAJCOM wings were mostly inactivated and replaced with AFCON wings. Perhaps the most well known example was the 4404th Wing in Saudi Arabia which was replaced by a three-digit AFCON wing, the 363rd Air Expeditionary Wing. It is not clear whether any MAJCOM wings still exist, or whether the system is still in use.

Active USAF Wings

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Wing Shield Base Command Equipment
1st Fighter Wing (FW)
 
Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia ACC F-22A
1st Special Operations Wing (SOW)
 
Hurlburt Field, Florida AFSOC CV-22, AC-130, MC-130
2nd Bomb Wing (BW)
 
Barksdale AFB, Louisiana AFGSC B-52
3rd Wing (WG)
 
Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska PACAF F-22A C-17 E-3
4th Fighter Wing (FW)
 
Seymour Johnson AFB, North Carolina ACC F-15E
5th Bomb Wing
 
Minot AFB, North Dakota AFGSC B-52
6th Air Mobility Wing (AMW)
 
MacDill AFB, Florida AMC KC-135, C-37
7th Bomb Wing
 
Dyess AFB, Texas AFGSC B-1
8th Fighter Wing
 
Kunsan Air Base, Korea PACAF F-16
9th Reconnaissance Wing
 
Beale AFB, California ACC U-2, T-38
10th Air Base Wing (ABW)
 
U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado USAFA
11th Wing
 
Joint Base Andrews, Maryland AFDW UH-1N USAF Honor Guard
12th Flying Training Wing
 
Joint Base San Antonio, Texas AETC T-6A Texan II, T-38 Talon
14th Flying Training Wing
 
Columbus AFB, Mississippi AETC T-6, T-38
15th Wing
 
Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam, Hawaii PACAF C-17, F-22
17th Training Wing (TRW)
 
Goodfellow AFB, Texas AETC
18th Wing
 
Kadena Air Base, Japan PACAF F-15C, KC-135, E-3
19th Airlift Wing
 
Little Rock AFB, Arkansas AMC C-130
20th Fighter Wing
 
Shaw AFB, South Carolina ACC F-16CJ
22nd Air Refueling Wing (AMW)
 
McConnell AFB, Kansas AMC KC-135 KC-46
23rd Wing
 
Moody AFB, Georgia ACC A-10 HH-60 Pave Hawk MC-130
24th Special Operations Wing
 
Hurlburt Field, Florida AFSOC Special Tactics
27th Special Operations Wing
 
Cannon AFB, New Mexico AFSOC MC-130W, MQ-1B, RQ-9, PC-12
28th Bomb Wing
 
Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota AFGSC B-1
31st Fighter Wing
 
Aviano Air Base, Italy USAFE F-16, HH-60G, Control and Reporting Center
33rd Fighter Wing
 
Eglin AFB, Florida AETC F-35
35th Fighter Wing
 
Misawa Air Base, Japan PACAF F-16
36th Wing
 
Andersen AFB, Guam PACAF
37th Training Wing
 
Joint Base San Antonio, Texas AETC
39th Air Base Wing
 
Incirlik AB, Turkey USAFE
42nd Air Base Wing
 
Maxwell-Gunter AFB, Alabama AETC
47th Flying Training Wing
 
Laughlin AFB, Texas AETC T-6, T-38
48th Fighter Wing
 
RAF Lakenheath, England USAFE F-15E F-35A
49th Wing
 
Holloman AFB, New Mexico ACC MQ-1 RQ-9
51st Fighter Wing
 
Osan Air Base, Korea PACAF F-16 A-10 C-12J
52nd Fighter Wing
 
Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany USAFE F-16
53rd Wing
 
Eglin AFB, Florida ACC F-15C F-15E F-15EX F/QF-16 A-10 F-22A RQ-1 F-35A
55th Wing
 
Offutt AFB, Nebraska ACC RC-135 EC-130 E-4
56th Fighter Wing
 
Luke AFB, Arizona AETC F-16, F-35A, Control and Reporting Center
57th Wing
 
Nellis AFB, Nevada ACC F-15C F-15E F-16 A-10 HH-60
58th Special Operations Wing
 
Kirtland AFB, New Mexico AETC MH-53 MC-130 CV-22 UH-1N HH-60G Pave Hawk
59th Medical Wing
 
Joint Base San Antonio, Texas AETC
60th Air Mobility Wing (AMW)
 
Travis AFB, California AMC C-5 KC-10 C-17
62nd Airlift Wing (AW)
 
Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington AMC C-17
67th Cyberspace Wing
 
Joint Base San Antonio, Texas ACC
70th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing
 
Fort George G. Meade, Maryland AFISRA
71st Flying Training Wing
 
Vance AFB, Oklahoma AETC T-6, T-38
72nd Air Base Wing
 
Tinker AFB, Oklahoma AFMC
75th Air Base Wing
 
Hill AFB, Utah AFMC
76th Maintenance Wing
 
Tinker AFB, Oklahoma AFMC
78th Air Base Wing
 
Robins AFB, Georgia AFMC
79th Medical Wing
 
Joint Base Andrews, Maryland AFDW
80th Flying Training Wing
 
Sheppard AFB, Texas AETC T-6, T-38
81st Training Wing
 
Keesler AFB, Mississippi AETC Technical Training
82nd Training Wing
 
Sheppard AFB, Texas AETC Technical Training
86th Airlift Wing
 
Ramstein Air Base, Germany USAFE C-21 C-130
87th Air Base Wing
 
Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey AMC
88th Air Base Wing
 
Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio AFMC
89th Airlift Wing
 
Joint Base Andrews, Maryland AMC C-32 C-37 C-40
90th Missile Wing
 
Francis E. Warren AFB, Wyoming AFGSC Minuteman III, UH-1
91st Missile Wing
 
Minot AFB, North Dakota AFGSC Minuteman III, UH-1
92nd Air Refueling Wing
 
Fairchild AFB, Washington AMC KC-135
93rd Air Ground Operations Wing
 
Moody AFB Georgia ACC
94th Airlift Wing
 
Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Georgia AFRC C-130
96th Test Wing
 
Eglin AFB, Florida AFMC F-15C F-15E F-16 A-10 AC-130 MH-53
97th Air Mobility Wing
 
Altus AFB, Oklahoma AETC C-17 KC-135 KC-46
99th Air Base Wing
 
Nellis AFB, Nevada ACC
100th Air Refueling Wing
 
RAF Mildenhall, England USAFE KC-135 Stratotanker
301st Fighter Wing
 
NAS Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base, Texas AFRC F-16C
302nd Airlift Wing
 
Peterson AFB, Colorado AFRC C-130
305th Air Mobility Wing
 
Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey AMC KC-10 KC-46 C-17
307th Bomb Wing
 
Barksdale AFB, Louisiana AFRC B-52
309th Maintenance Wing
 
Hill AFB, Utah AFMC
310th Space Wing
 
Schriever AFB, Colorado AFRC
314th Airlift Wing
 
Little Rock AFB. Arkansas AETC C-130
315th Airlift Wing
 
Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina AFRC C-17
316th Wing
 
Joint Base Andrews, Maryland AFDW UH-1N
319th Reconnaissance Wing
 
Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota ACC RQ-4
325th Fighter Wing
 
Tyndall AFB, Florida ACC F-22A
341st Missile Wing
 
Malmstrom AFB, Montana AFGSC Minuteman III, UH-1
349th Air Mobility Wing
 
Travis AFB, California AFRC KC-10 C-5 C-17
350th Spectrum Warfare Wing
 
Eglin AFB, Florida ACC
354th Fighter Wing
 
Eielson AFB, Alaska PACAF F-16 F-35A
355th Fighter Wing
 
Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona ACC A-10
363rd Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing
 
Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia Sixteenth Air Force
366th Fighter Wing
 
Mountain Home AFB, Idaho ACC F-15E Strike Eagle
374th Airlift Wing
 
Yokota Air Base, Japan PACAF C-21 C-130
375th Air Mobility Wing
 
Scott AFB, Illinois AMC C-21
377th Air Base Wing
 
Kirtland AFB, New Mexico AFGSC
388th Fighter Wing
 
Hill AFB, Utah ACC F-35A
402nd Maintenance Wing
 
Robins AFB, Georgia AFMC
403rd Wing
 
Keesler AFB, Mississippi AFRC WC-130
412th Test Wing
 
Edwards AFB, California AFMC RQ-4 Range Hawk
419th Fighter Wing
 
Hill AFB, Utah AFRC F-35A
433rd Airlift Wing
 
Joint Base San Antonio, Texas AFRC C-5
434th Air Refueling Wing
 
Grissom Air Reserve Base, Indiana AFRC KC-135
435th Air-Ground Operations Wing
 
Ramstein Air Base, Germany USAFE
436th Airlift Wing
 
Dover AFB, Delaware AMC C-5 C-17
437th Airlift Wing
 
Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina AMC C-17
439th Airlift Wing
 
Westover Air Reserve Base. Chicopee, MA AFRC C-5
440th Airlift Wing
 
Pope Field, North Carolina AFRC C-130
442nd Fighter Wing
 
Whiteman AFB, Missouri AFRC A-10
445th Airlift Wing
 
Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio AFRC C-17
446th Airlift Wing
 
Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington AFRC C-17
448th Supply Chain Management Wing
 
Tinker AFB, Oklahoma AFMC
452nd Air Mobility Wing
 
March Air Reserve Base, California AFRC KC-135 C-17
459th Air Refueling Wing
 
Joint Base Andrews, Maryland AFRC KC-135
461st Air Control Wing
 
Robins AFB, Georgia ACC E-8C JSTARS
478th Aeronautical Systems Wing
 
Inactive AFMC
480th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing
 
Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia AFISRA
482nd Fighter Wing
 
Homestead Air Reserve Base, Florida AFRC F-16
501st Combat Support Wing
 
RAF Alconbury, England USAFE GSU advocacy and support
502nd Air Base Wing
 
Joint Base San Antonio, Texas AETC Joint Basing Host Wing
505th Command and Control Wing
 
Hurlburt Field, Florida ACC Operational-level C2
507th Air Refueling Wing
 
Tinker AFB, Oklahoma AFRC KC-135
509th Bomb Wing
 
Whiteman AFB, Missouri AFGSC B-2
512th Airlift Wing
 
Dover AFB, Delaware AFRC C-5
514th Air Mobility Wing
 
Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey AFRC KC-10 C-17
515th Air Mobility Operations Wing
 
Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam, Hawaii AMC
521st Air Mobility Operations Wing
 
Ramstein AB, Germany AMC
552nd Air Control Wing
 
Tinker AFB, Oklahoma ACC Control and Reporting Center, E-3 Sentry
557th Weather Wing
 
Offutt AFB, Nebraska ACC
615th Contingency Response Wing
 
Travis AFB, California AMC
621st Contingency Response Wing
 
Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey AMC
628th Air Base Wing
 
Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina AMC Joint Basing Host Wing
633rd Air Base Wing
 
Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia ACC Joint Basing Host Wing
635th Supply Chain Operations Wing
 
Scott AFB, Illinois AFMC Global Logistics Support Center
673rd Air Base Wing
 
Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska PACAF Joint Basing Host Wing
688th Cyberspace Wing
 
Joint Base San Antonio, Texas ACC
689th Combat Communications Wing
 
Robins AFB, Georgia ACC
711th Human Performance Wing
 
Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio AFMC
908th Airlift Wing
 
Maxwell-Gunter AFB, Alabama AFRC C-130
910th Airlift Wing
 
Youngstown Air Reserve Station, Ohio AFRC C-130
911th Airlift Wing
 
Pittsburgh Joint Air Reserve Station, Pennsylvania AFRC C-130
914th Airlift Wing
 
Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station, New York AFRC C-130
916th Air Refueling Wing
 
Seymour Johnson AFB, North Carolina AFRC KC-46
919th Special Operations Wing
 
Duke Field, Florida AFRC MC-130
920th Rescue Wing
 
Patrick Space Force Base, Florida AFRC HC-130 HH-60
927th Air Refueling Wing
 
MacDill Air Force Base, Florida AFRC KC-135
931st Air Refueling Wing
 
McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas AFRC KC-135 KC-46
932nd Airlift Wing
 
Scott AFB, Illinois AFRC C-40 Clipper
934th Airlift Wing
 
Minneapolis-St Paul Joint Air Reserve Station, Minnesota AFRC C-130
939th Air Refueling Wing
 
Portland International Airport, Portland, Oregon AFRC KC-135
940th Wing
 
Beale AFB, California AFRC RQ-4
944th Fighter Wing
 
Luke AFB, Arizona AFRC F-16

Active Air National Guard Wings

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Air Expeditionary Wings

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AFCON and MAJCOM wings

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References

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  1. ^ Office of the Historian, Headquarters Strategic Air Command, Offutt AFB, NE. The Development of the Strategic Air Command 1946–1986, Pages 117–118.