Spangdahlem Air Base (IATA:
SPM,
ICAOThe ICAO airport code or location indicator is a four-character alphanumeric code designating each airport around the world. These codes are defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization, and published in ICAO Document 7910: Location Indicators.The ICAO codes are used by air traffic...
:
ETAD, former code EDAD) is a
United States Air ForceThe United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
base located near the small
GermanGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
town of
SpangdahlemSpangdahlem is a municipality in the district of Bitburg-Prüm, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany. The USAF Spangdahlem Air Base is nearby....
, approximately 30 km NNE of the city of
TrierTrier, historically called in English Treves is a city in Germany on the banks of the Moselle. It is the oldest city in Germany, founded in or before 16 BC....
,
Rhineland-PalatinateRhineland-Palatinate is one of the 16 states of the Federal Republic of Germany. It has an area of and about four million inhabitants. The capital is Mainz. English speakers also commonly refer to the state by its German name, Rheinland-Pfalz ....
.
Units
Spangdahlem is home of the
52d Fighter WingThe 52d Fighter Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force stationed at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany.-Mission:The 52 FW maintains, deploys and employs F-16CJ and A/OA-10 aircraft and TPS-75 radar systems in support of NATO and the national defense directives...
which maintains, deploys and employs Lockheed Martin Block 50 F-16CJ and
Republic A/OA-10The Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II is an American single-seat, twin-engine, straight-wing jet aircraft developed by Fairchild-Republic in the early 1970s. The A-10 was designed for a United States Air Force requirement to provide close air support for ground forces by attacking tanks,...
aircraft and TPS-75 radar systems in support of
NATO and the national defense directives. The commander of the 52d Fighter Wing is
Colonel Christopher P. Weggeman
52d Operations Group (Tail Code: SP) are
- 81st Fighter Squadron
The 81st Fighter Squadron is part of the 52d Fighter Wing at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany. It operates the A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft conducting close air support missions.-Mission:...
, C/OA-10
- 480th Fighter Squadron
The 480th Fighter Squadron is an active United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 52d Operations Group, stationed at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany...
, F-16CJ
The 52nd Maintenance
Group consists of four squadrons:
- 52nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron
- 52nd Component Maintenance Squadron
- 52nd Equipment Maintenance Squadron
- 52nd Maintenance Operations Squadron
The 52nd Mission Support
Group consists of civil engineer, communications, contracting, logistics readiness, security forces and force support squadrons:
- 52nd Civil Engineer Squadron
- 52nd Communications Squadron
- 52nd Contracting Squadron
- 52nd Logistics Readiness Squadron
- 52nd Mission Support Squadron
- 52nd Security Forces Squadron
- 52nd Force Support Squadron
- 52nd GSU Support
- 470th Air Base Squadron, Geilenkirchen, Germany
The 52nd Medical Group
Consists of aerospace medicine, dental, medical operations and medical support squadrons:
- 52nd Aerospace Medicine
- 52nd Dental Squadron
- 52nd Medical Operations Squadron
- 52nd Medical Support Squadron
The 52nd Munitions Maintenance Group
Provides four fully capable U.S. munitions support squadrons responsible for the ownership, custody, accountability and release of war reserve munitions supporting Belgian, Dutch, German and Italian air forces:
- 52nd Munitions Maintenance Group
- 701st Munitions Support Squadron, Kleine Brogel AB, Belgium
- 702nd Munitions Support Squadron, Buechel AB, Germany
- 703rd Munitions Support Squadron, Volkel AB, Netherlands
- 704th Munitions Support Squadron, Ghedi AB, Italy
The wing supports the Supreme Allied Commander Europe with mission-ready personnel and systems providing expeditionary air power. The wing also supports contingencies and operations other than war.
Air Mobility Command
In addition
Air Mobility CommandAir Mobility Command is a Major Command of the U.S. Air Force. AMC is headquartered at Scott AFB, Illinois, east of St. Louis....
supports cargo and passenger traffic as part of its airlift mission. With the closure of the
Rhein-Main Air BaseRhein-Main Air Base was a U.S. Air Force / NATO military airbase near the city of Frankfurt am Main, Germany. It occupied the south side of Frankfurt International Airport. Its airport codes are discontinued....
in 2005, the Rhein-Main Transition Program was initiated to transfer all its former transport capacities to
Ramstein Air BaseRamstein Air Base is a United States Air Force base in the German state of Rheinland-Pfalz. It serves as headquarters for the United States Air Forces in Europe and is also a North Atlantic Treaty Organization installation...
(70%) and Spangdahlem AB (30%).
The
Air Mobility CommandAir Mobility Command is a Major Command of the U.S. Air Force. AMC is headquartered at Scott AFB, Illinois, east of St. Louis....
726th Air Mobility Squadron at Spangdahlem supports cargo and passenger traffic as part of its airlift mission, providing command and control, maintenance and aerial port capability to all AMC aircraft transiting their ramp.
The 726th AMS utilizes various aircraft maintenance equipment, de-icers, mission vehicles and aircraft loaders. The squadron is capable of handling every type of aircraft in the AMC inventory, from C-17s and C-5s to KC-10s and KC-135s.
In November 2005 the first
C-17 Globemaster IIIThe Boeing C-17 Globemaster III is a large military transport aircraft. Developed for the United States Air Force from the 1980s to the early 1990s by McDonnell Douglas, the C-17 is used for rapid strategic airlift of troops and cargo to main operating bases or forward operating bases throughout...
aircraft arrived at Spangdahlem.
History
Spangdahlem Air Base has been a military presence in
GermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
for over five decades. With the creation of NATO in response to Cold War tensions in Europe, USAFE wanted its vulnerable fighter units in
West GermanyWest Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
moved west of the Rhein River to provide greater air defense warning time.
FranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
agreed to provide air base sites within their zone of occupation in the Rheinland-Palatinate as part of the NATO expansion program. The base was constructed between 1951 and 1953 at a cost of roughly $27,000,000 using French and German contractors, working under the supervision of a French government agency.
The initial USAF military presence began on 1 September 1952 with the arrival of the
7352d Air Base Squadron on 1 September 1952 from
Fürstenfeldbruck Air BaseFürstenfeldbruck Air Base is a German Air Force airfield located near the town of Fürstenfeldbruck in Bavaria, near Munich, Germany....
near
MunichMunich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
. The mission of the 7532d ABS was to prepare the facility for an operational wing.
10th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing
On 10 May 1953 the
10th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing was reassigned to Spangdahlem AB from
Toul-Rosieres Air BaseToul-Rosières Air Base is a reserve French Air Force base. It is located in the Meurthe-et-Moselle département of France, 10 miles northeast of the city of Toul, on the west side of the Route nationale 411 Highway about one mile southeast of Rosières-en-Haye.Toul Air Base was used by American...
, France. The base population at this time totaled slightly more than 1,900 personnel. Operational squadrons of the 10th TRW were:
- 1st Tactical Reconnaissance RB-26C, RB-57A
- 38th Tactical Reconnaissance RF-80A, RF-80F
Upon its arrival at Spangdahlem AB, the 10 TRW operated
Lockheed RF-80A Shooting StarThe Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star was the first jet fighter used operationally by the United States Army Air Forces. Designed in 1943 as a response to the German Messerschmitt Me-262 jet fighter, and delivered in just 143 days from the start of the design process, production models were flying but...
for daylight aerial recon and the
Douglas RB-26C InvaderThe Douglas A-26 Invader was a United States twin-engined light attack bomber built by the Douglas Aircraft Co. during World War II that also saw service during several of the Cold War's major conflicts...
for night recon missions. The RB-26s were replaced in October 1954 by
Martin RB-57A CanberrasThe Martin B-57 Canberra was a United States-built, twin jet engine light bomber and reconnaissance aircraft, which entered service with the United States Air Force in 1953. The B-57 was initially a version of the English Electric Canberra built under license. However, the Glenn L...
and the RF-80s in July 1955 by
Republic Aviation RF-84F ThunderjetsThe Republic F-84 Thunderjet was an American turbojet fighter-bomber aircraft. Originating as a 1944 United States Army Air Forces proposal for a "day fighter", the F-84 flew in 1946...
.
In 1957 the RB-57s and RF-84s were transferred to
Chateauroux-Deols Air DepotChâteauroux-Déols Air Base is a former United States Air Force base in France. It is located in the Indre département of France, located about 3 miles northeast of Châteauroux and about 1 mile northeast of Déols on the east side of the Départemental 920 road in Central France.During the Cold...
and the 1st and 38th were re-equipped with the
Douglas RB-66 Destroyer|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Baugher, Joe. USAAC/USAAF/USAF Bomber Aircraft: Third Series of USAAC/USAAF/USAF Bombers, 2001. Retrieved: 27 July 2006....
. Three additional squadrons, the 19th and 30th (8 January 1958) and 42d Tactical Reconnaissance (8 December 1957) were assigned to the 10th TRW from the 66th TRW,(Sembach AB), flying variants of the RB-66.
- 19th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron RB/EB-66
- 30th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron RB-66B
- 42d Tactical Reconnaissance Suadron RB/WB-66
The 19th TRS operated from
RAF SculthorpeRAF Sculthorpe is a military training facility for the United Kingdom's Ministry of Defence, situated about west of Fakenham in Norfolk, England...
united KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
during 1958, moving to Spangdahlem in 1959. The 42nd TRS flew from
RAF ChelvestonRAF Station Chelveston was a military airfield located on the south side of the A45, 5 miles east of Wellingborough, near the village of Chelveston in Northamptonshire, United Kingdom....
and remained there as a detachment of the 10th TRW.
On 25 August 1959, the 10th TRW ended its six-year stay at Spangdahlem and moved to
RAF AlconburyRAF Alconbury is an active Royal Air Force station in Cambridgeshire, England. The airfield is adjacent to the Stukeleys [Great and Little] and located about northwest of Huntingdon; about north of London....
,
United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
49th Tactical Fighter Wing
On 25 August 1959, the
49th Tactical Fighter Wing moved to Spangdahlem AB from the
Etain-Rouvres Air BaseÉtain - Rouvres Air Base is a former USAF base in France. It is located on the Lorraine Plateau in northeastern France, 1 mile to the west of Étain; on the west side of the Départemental 906 road, adjacent to the village of Rouvres-en-Woevre in the Meuse département about 12 miles east of...
,
FranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, and assumed host unit duties. In 1957, the French Government decreed that all nuclear weapons and delivery aircraft had to be removed from French soil. As a result, the nuclear-capable
North American F-100C/D Super SabresThe North American F-100 Super Sabre was a supersonic jet fighter aircraft that served with the United States Air Force from 1954 to 1971 and with the Air National Guard until 1979. The first of the Century Series collection of USAF jet fighters, it was the first USAF fighter capable of...
of the 49th TFW had to be removed from France.
Squadrons of the 49th TFW at Spangdahlem were (squadron tail colour stripe):
- 7th Tactical Fighter
The 7th Fighter Squadron is part of the 49th Fighter Wing at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico.-Mission:The 7th Fighter Squadron as a part of the 49th Operations Group supports national security objectives, as directed by the Joint Chiefs of Staff, by utilizing the F-22A Raptor aircraft.The 7 FS...
(blue)
- 8th Tactical Fighter
The 8th Fighter Squadron was part of the 49th Fighter Wing at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico. It operated the F-22A Raptor, having previously operated the F-117 Nighthawk aircraft from 1992 until the squadron's inactivation on May 16, 2008...
(yellow)
- 9th Tactical Fighter
The 9th Fighter Squadron was part of the 49th Fighter Wing at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico. It operated the F-117 Nighthawk aircraft conducting air superiority missions...
(red)
The 49th TFW flew F-100s until 1961 when it converted to the
Republic F-105D/F ThunderchiefThe Republic F-105 Thunderchief, was a supersonic fighter-bomber used by the United States Air Force. The Mach 2 capable F-105 conducted the majority of strike bombing missions during the early years of the Vietnam War; it has the dubious distinction of being the only US aircraft to have been...
, commonly known as the "Thud". The 49th TFW was only the third USAF unit to operate the F-105.
The 49th received two Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards for F-105 operations at Spangdahlem. On 9 March 1967, the Wing began receiving the
McDonnell Douglas F-4D Phantom IIThe McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is a tandem two-seat, twin-engined, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor fighter/fighter-bomber originally developed for the United States Navy by McDonnell Aircraft. It first entered service in 1960 with the U.S. Navy. Proving highly adaptable,...
.
The 49 TFW remained at Spangdahlem AB until 1 July 1968 when it relocated to
Holloman Air Force BaseHolloman Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located six miles southwest of the central business district of Alamogordo, a city in Otero County, New Mexico, United States. The base was named in honor of Col. George V. Holloman, a pioneer in guided missile research...
,
New MexicoNew Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
, to serve as the US Air Force’s first dual-based, NATO-committed wing.
The 38 TRS was never equipped with RB-66B models. When the 10 TRW re-equipped with the RB-66 the 38 TRS and the 32 TRS moved away from Spangdahlem (to France I believe) and re-equipped with RF-101s. The 1, 19, 30, and the 42 TRS remained at Spangdahlem until their move to the UK. The 1, 19, and 30 TRS flew the RB-66B and the 42 TRS flew the RB-66C and WB-66D. This movement of squadrons came about due to the introduction of the AFM 66-1 combined maintenance concept. It was decided to keep aircraft of one general type in the same units for maintenance and supply considerations. Fighter units got the RF-101 and bomber units got the RB-66 and these units combined accordingly.
7149th/36th Tactical Fighter Wing
With the departure of the 49 TFW, the
7149th Air Base Group was activated to serve as a caretaker unit for a number of support organizations that remained behind after the departure of the 49 TFW. Although it did not have any assigned aircraft, the 7149 TFW would have served as a nucleus on which to build if the 49 TFW had been ordered to return to Europe to bolster NATO air forces.
On 1 January 1969, the
36th Tactical Fighter Wing, located at nearby
Bitburg Air BaseBitburg Airport is a commercial airport serving Bitburg, a city in the Rhineland-Palatinate state of Germany. It is located 2 miles southeast of Bitburg, 20 miles north of Trier, and 135 miles west of Wiesbaden....
, assumed operational control of Spangdahlem, becoming a dual-based wing. Squadrons from the 36 TFW assigned to Spangdahlem were:
- 23d Tactical Fighter Squadron(F-4D, Tail Code: BS, red tail stripe)
- Detachment 1, 39th Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron(EB-66C, Tail Code: BV, green tail stripe)
The 23 TFS carried out tactical fighter training missions, while the 39 TEWS was a deployed squadron from Shaw AFB,
South CarolinaSouth Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
to conduct electronic warfare missions and train tactical reconnaissance and electronic warfare crews in Europe.
52d Tactical Fighter Wing
On 31 December 1971 the 52d Tactical Fighter Wing was transferred without personnel or equipment from Suffolk County AFB, New York to Spangdahlem. Upon activation in Germany, the 52 TFW assumed control of the two squadrons the 36 TFW had located at Spangdahlem:
- 23d Tactical Fighter (F-4D, Tail Code: SP, blue tail stripe)
- Det. 1, 39th Tactical Electronic Warfare (EB-66, Tail Code: SP, yellow tail stripe)
The 39 TEWS returned to
Shaw Air Force BaseShaw Air Force Base is a United States Military facility located approximately west-northwest of Sumter, South Carolina. It is under the jurisdiction of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command...
,
South CarolinaSouth Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
on 1 January 1973. In turn, it was replaced in the electronic warfare role by the
81st Tactical Fighter Squadron, flying the
McDonnell Douglas EF-4C Phantom IIThe McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is a tandem two-seat, twin-engined, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor fighter/fighter-bomber originally developed for the United States Navy by McDonnell Aircraft. It first entered service in 1960 with the U.S. Navy. Proving highly adaptable,...
, being transferred to Spangdahlem from
Zweibrücken Air BaseZweibrücken Air Base was a NATO air base in West Germany . It was located 35 miles SSW of Kaiserslautern and 2 miles mi SE of Zweibrücken. It was assigned to the Royal Canadian Air Force and the United States Air Forces in Europe during its operational lifetime.The facility was closed in...
, Germany under project "Battle Creek" on 15 January 1973.
The 52 TFW gained its third fighter squadron with the activation of the
480th Tactical Fighter Squadron on 15 November 1976. On 1 January 1977, the 52 TFW had the following operational squadrons:
- 23d Tactical Fighter Squadron (F-4D w/ blue tail stripe, tail code: SP) "Fighting Hawks"
- 81st Tactical Fighter Squadron (EF-4C w/ yellow tail stripe, tail code: SP) "Wild Weasels"
- 480th Tactical Fighter Squadron (F-4D w/ red tail stripe, tail code: SP) "Warhawks"
In 1979, the more capable Wild Weasel F-4G had replaced the EF-4Cs of the 81 TFS, and in 1980 through 1982, F-4Es replaced the F-4Ds of the 23d and 480th TFSs.
A complete reorganization of wing aircraft and aircrews occurred in November 1983, transforming the 52d TFW into the first and only all-defense suppression wing outside of the United States. Under this configuration, each of the wing’s three fighter squadrons flew E and G model F-4s paired together into Wild Weasel "hunter/killer" teams capable of locating and destroying enemy radar-guided, surface-to-air threats in all weather.
In April 1987, the 52d began changing with the times and replaced its aging Phantoms with
Block 30/32 F-16C/D Fighting FalconsThe General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a multirole jet fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force . Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft. Over 4,400 aircraft have been built since...
for the 23d and 480th TFSs. These were later replaced with Block 50 versions beginning in 1993. The last USAF operational model F-4E Phantom II aircraft departed Spangdahlem AB in December 1987.
In late 1990, the 81st TFS reorganized to exclusively fly the F-4G, then deployed 24 aircraft to Sheikh Isa Air Base,
Bahrain' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...
for Operation Desert Storm combat operations.
52nd Fighter Wing
On 1 October 1991, the 52 TFW was redesignated the
52d Fighter Wing as part of a sweeping, Air Force-wide restructure.
The
510th Fighter SquadronThe 510th Fighter Squadron is part of the 31st Operations Group at Aviano Air Base, Italy. It is a combat-ready F-16CM fighter squadron prepared to deploy and fly combat sorties as tasked by NATO and US combatant commanders...
was moved to Spangdahlem with the closure of
RAF BentwatersRAF Bentwaters, now known as Bentwaters Parks, is a former Royal Air Force station about 80 miles NE of London, 10 miles ENE of Ipswich, near Woodbridge, Suffolk in England...
United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
on 4 January 1993 as the lone
A-10 Thunderbolt IIThe Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II is an American single-seat, twin-engine, straight-wing jet aircraft developed by Fairchild-Republic in the early 1970s. The A-10 was designed for a United States Air Force requirement to provide close air support for ground forces by attacking tanks,...
squadron in USAFE. Also in early 1993, the 81st FS was reorganized to fly a mixture of F-4Gs and Block 30 F-16C/Ds.
The F-4Gs were withdrawn and sent to AMARC in February 1994. With the withdrawal of the Phantoms, the 510th Fighter Squadron was replaced by the 81st FS at Spangdahlem and was transferred to
Ramstein Air BaseRamstein Air Base is a United States Air Force base in the German state of Rheinland-Pfalz. It serves as headquarters for the United States Air Forces in Europe and is also a North Atlantic Treaty Organization installation...
to absorb the F-16 assets of the 512th FS there.
In February 1994, the
53d Fighter Squadron relocated to Spangdahlem from Bitburg after its closure with F-15C/Ds. The 480 FS was also inactivated during October 1994, being replaced by the 22d Fighter Squadron from Bitburg. The 606th Air Control Squadron was also assigned to the 52d Fighter Wing but remained at Bitburg until September 1995 before moving to Spangdahlem.
After the restructuring and the closure of Bitburg and transfer of 36 FW squadrons to Spangdahlem, the operational squadrons of the 52d Fighter Wing were:
- 23d Fighter (F-16CJ/D Blue tail stripe, Code: SP)
- 22d Fighter (F-16CJ/D Red tail stripe, Code: SP)
- 53d Fighter
The 53d Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 52d Operations Group and stationed at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany. It was inactivated on 31 March 1999.-World War II:...
(F-15C/D Yellow and black tail stripe (Tiger stripes), Code: SP)
- 81st Fighter (OA/A-10A Yellow tail stripe, Code: SP)
The 52d made history in 1997 with its first-ever deployment to a former Warsaw Pact nation. In September the 52d participated in EAGLE’S TALON-97, the first bilateral exercise involving US and Polish Air Forces. Units from the 52d deployed under the air expeditionary force (AEF) doctrine and formed the
52nd Combined Air and Space Expeditionary Wing, operating out of Powidz AB, Krzesiny AB, and Poznan,
PolandPoland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
.
During the second quarter of FY 99, the 52nd witnessed the inactivation of the 53rd Fighter Squadron. The 53d had called Spangdahlem Air Base home since February 1994 when the squadron moved from
Bitburg Air BaseBitburg Airport is a commercial airport serving Bitburg, a city in the Rhineland-Palatinate state of Germany. It is located 2 miles southeast of Bitburg, 20 miles north of Trier, and 135 miles west of Wiesbaden....
. As the squadron prepared for its inactivation in March 1999, all of the F-15s were transferred to the 1 FW at Langley AFB,
VirginiaThe Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, or to the 48 FW at
RAF LakenheathRAF Lakenheath, is a Royal Air Force military airbase near Lakenheath in Suffolk, England. Although an RAF station, it hosts United States Air Force units and personnel...
,
United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
In April 2010, the wing's strength was reduced by one third. 20 F-16Cs were flown to the
148th Fighter WingThe 148th Fighter Wing is a unit of the Minnesota National Guard based at Duluth International Airport. It falls under 1st Air Force and Air Combat Command...
,
Minnesota Air National GuardThe Minnesota Air National Guard is the air force militia of the U.S. state of Minnesota. It is, along with the Minnesota Army National Guard, an element of the Minnesota National Guard.-Mission:...
and one F-16 was transferred to
Edwards Air Force BaseEdwards Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located on the border of Kern County, Los Angeles County, and San Bernardino County, California, in the Antelope Valley. It is southwest of the central business district of North Edwards, California and due east of Rosamond.It is named in...
,
CaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. All aircraft were from the 22nd Fighter Squadron. As a result of the drawdown of F-16s, the 22nd and 23rd Fighter Squadrons were deactivated on 13 August 2010 and formed a single "new" squadron, the
480th Fighter SquadronThe 480th Fighter Squadron is an active United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 52d Operations Group, stationed at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany...
.
See also
- United States Air Forces in Europe
The United States Air Forces in Europe is the United States Air Force component of U.S. European Command, a Department of Defense unified command, and is one of two Air Force Major Commands outside of the continental United States, the other being the Pacific Air Forces...
- United States Air Force In Germany
Since 7 May 1945 The United States has maintained air bases in Germany initially beginning as postwar occupation forces. During the Cold War, the number of bases was expanded to support NATO....
External links