Updated January 26, 2021
The 86th Airlift Wing is the host wing at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. Ramstein is assigned to U.S. Air Forces in Europe.
Mission
Build Airmen, Project Power, and Support Partners.
Vision
Adaptive Airmen…Ready to Execute.
Lines of effort
Develop and Care for Airmen and their Families
Facilitate Installation Excellence
Strengthen Relations with Joint and Allied Partners
Location
Ramstein Air Base is located one and a half miles east of the city of Ramstein, about two miles west of the city of Landstuhl, and seven and a half miles west of the city of Kaiserslautern. Ramstein Air Base is in the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate (aka Rheinland-Pfalz) and is part of the Kaiserslautern Military Community -- the largest American community outside of the United States.
Organization
The 86th Airlift Wing is comprised of seven groups: 86th Operations Group, 86th Maintenance Group, 86th Mission Support Group, 86th Civil Engineer Group, 86th Logistics Readiness Group, 86th Medical Group, and 65th Air Base Group at Lajes Field, Azores.
The operations group provides theater airlift, distinguished visitor transport, and aeromedical evacuation capability by maintaining readiness to deploy and employ all assets across the spectrum of air combat support missions.
The fleet consists of 14 C-130Js, five C-21As, and one C-37A. The operations group also leads a geographically separated units at Chièvres AB, Belgium.
The maintenance group accomplishes all aspects of aircraft and equipment maintenance to fulfill the wing's airlift, contingency, and support missions. In addition, they provide back shop maintenance and ground support equipment for the largest en route location in Air Mobility Command, while also operating Central Intermediate Repair Facilities for T-56 engines/propellers, wheels and tires, patient oxygen bottles, and precision measurement equipment laboratory supporting both EUCOM and CENTCOM.
The mission support group supports the overall mission by providing security, communications, services, and personnel services. The group provides quality of life and customer-based services to tens of thousands of DoD members, families and retirees in the area.
The civil engineer group supports and maintains the base's buildings and infrastructure.
The logistics readiness group provides training, planning, supply, and transportation insuring wing readiness. These functions include cargo processing, personal property and passenger movements, force reception and throughput, supply support, property accountability functions, and fuels support.
The medical group supports readiness through healthcare and preventive services, and they support the evacuation and rehabilitation of wounded warriors via en-route patient staging and Critical Care Air Transport capabilities.
The 65 ABG at Lajes Field serves as the Atlantic Air Bridge. It operates a key communication node that provides telephone, email and internet coverage to aircraft, closing a coverage gap across the Atlantic Ocean. The group also leads a geographically separated unit at Morón AB, Spain, which provides support to transient aircrews and large rotations of U.S. Marines.
Personnel and Resources
There are more than 9,000 military members and Department of Defense civilians within the 86th Airlift Wing, bringing with them more than 12,000 family members. In total, the KMC is comprised of 13,000 military members, 9,000 Department of Defense civilians, and their more than 25,000 family members. The KMC also employs more than 6,000 host nationals. When combined with military retirees and their dependents, the KMC has the largest concentration of Americans outside the United States.
Achievements and Honors
The 86th Tactical Fighter Group honors are bestowed upon the 86th Airlift Wing. These include 11 campaign streamers and two Distinguished Unit Citations for accomplishments in World War II. The wing has one Joint Meritorious Unit Award for 17 Jul 1991 to 30 Jun 1993, and 10 Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards for 31 Oct 1955 to 31 Oct 1958; 1 Jul 1964 to 30 Jun 1965; 1 Jul 1981 to 30 Jun 1982; 14 Jul 1985 to 13 Jun 1987; 1 May 1989 to 30 Apr 1991; 1 Jul 1993 to 30 Jun 1995; 1 Jul 1996 to 30 Jun 1997; 1 Jan 2003 to 31 Dec 2003; 1 Nov 2005 to 31 Dec 2006; and 1 Jan 2008 to 31 Dec 2008. The wing also has one Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with valor, 15 Jan 2004 to 31 Oct 2005.
Point of Contact
86th Airlift Wing, Public Affairs Office, Unit 3300, Box 330, APO AE 09094; DSN: 480-9199 or commercial: (011) 49-6371-47-9199; email: 86AW.PA@us.af.mil