86th Airlift Wing

Updated June 8, 2023

The 86th Airlift Wing is the host wing at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. Ramstein is assigned to U.S. Air Forces in Europe.

Mission
Defend U.S. Interests, Project Power...Enable the Global Gateway

Vision
Adaptive Airmen, Agile Team...Ready to Execute

Priorities
Mission. People. Partners. Culture.

Location
The 86th Airlift Wing is assigned to Third Air Force (3 AF) and U.S. Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa (USAFE-AFAFRICA), stationed at Ramstein Air Base (AB), Germany.

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 seven groups include 29 squadrons spread across four geographic locations (Belgium, Germany, Portugal, and Spain). The 86 AW’s geographically separated units (GSUs) operate airfields throughout Europe for maximum air power projection at Chièvres AB, Belgium, Lajes Field, Portugal, and Morón AB, Spain.

The unique mission at the 86 AW extends globally as the Department of Defense’s (DoD) premier power projection platform and the U.S. Air Force’s largest mobility hub. The “Global Gateway” supports four combatant commands (U.S. European Command [USEUCOM], U.S. Africa Command [USAFRICOM], U.S. Central Command [USCENTCOM], and U.S. Transportation Command [USTRANSCOM]) with allies and partners on three continents.

Ramstein AB supports the largest population of Americans outside of the U.S., around 56,000 personnel, across the Kaiserslautern Military Community (KMC). The 86 AW provides base operating support to roughly 100 tenant units, to include the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Allied Air Component Command, USAFE-AFAFRICA, the 521st Air Mobility Operations Wing (AMOW), the 435th Air Ground Operations Wing (AGOW), and the 406th Air Expeditionary Wing (AEW).

The 86th Operations Group (OG) executes its mission to provide resilient, agile power projection, airlift, and aeromedical evacuation for innovative, empowered airmen primed for decentralized execution and joint/coalition integration. The 86 OG includes the 37th Airlift Squadron (AS), the 76th Airlift Squadron (AS), the 86th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron (AES), and the 86th Operations Support Squadron (OSS) at Ramstein AB. The 86 OG also includes the 424th Air Base Squadron (ABS) at Chièvres AB, Belgium. The 37 AS operates a fleet of 14 C-130J Super Hercules aircraft, and the 76 AS operates a fleet of five C-21A Learjet aircraft and three C-37A Gulfstream aircraft.

The 86th Maintenance Group (MXG) 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, AFRICOM and CENTCOM. The 86 MXG includes the 86th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron (AMXS) and the 86th Maintenance Squadron (MXS) at Ramstein AB.

The 86th Mission Support Group (MSG) executes its mission to support combat airlift and operate the Air Force’s premier installation to enable and assure strategic capabilities with a vision of capable, credible, responsive Airmen…operationally ready…honored to serve. The group provides quality of life and customer-based services to tens of thousands of DoD members, families, and retirees in the area. The 86 MSG includes the 86th Communications Squadron (CS), the 86th Force Support Squadron (FSS), the 786th Force Support Squadron (FSS), the 86th Security Forces Squadron (SFS), the 569th United States Forces Police Squadron (USFPS), the 700th Contracting Squadron (CONS), and the DoD’s sole Deployment Transition Center (DTC) at Ramstein AB. The 86 MSG also includes the 786th FSS Detachment (Det) 1 at Stuttgart, Germany.  

The 86th Civil Engineer Group (CEG) executes its mission to take care of each other, their customers, and the world’s preeminent forward air base. The group supports and maintains the base's buildings and infrastructure. The 86 CEG includes the 86th Civil Engineer Squadron (CES) and the 786th Civil Engineer Squadron (CES) at Ramstein AB.

The 86th Logistics Readiness Group (LRG) executes its mission to provide logistics solutions to generate and employ air mobility, operate and enable air and cyberspace power projection platforms, and forge ready and resilient leaders. The 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 86 LRG includes the 86th Logistics Readiness Squadron (LRS), the 86th Materiel Maintenance Squadron (MMS), the 86th Munitions Squadron (MUNS), and the 86th Vehicle Readiness Squadron (VRS) at Ramstein AB.

The 86th Medical Group (MDG) executes its mission of honored care for America’s heroes and their families to keep themselves and their families ready and healthy to serve at a moment’s notice. The group supports readiness through healthcare and preventative services and support the evacuation and rehabilitation of wounded warriors via en-route patient staging and Critical Care Air Transport capabilities. The 86 MDG includes the 86th Operational Medical Readiness Squadron (OMRS), the 86th Dental Squadron (DS), the 86th Healthcare Operations Squadron (HCOS), the 86th Medical Squadron (MDS), and the 86th Medical Support Squadron (MDSS) at Ramstein AB.

The 65th Air Base Group (ABG) at Lajes Field, Portugal, 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. forces. The 65 ABG includes the 65th Air Base Squadron (ABS), 765th Air Base Squadron (ABS), and the 65th Logistics Readiness Squadron at Lajes Field, Portugal. The 65 ABG also includes the 496th Air Base Squadron (ABS) at Morón AB, Spain.

The 86th Wing Staff Agencies (WSA) operates to provide support for all 86 AW units and personnel, and many agencies provide services for all units on Ramstein AB. The 86 WSA includes the 86th Comptroller Squadron (CPTS), Judge Advocate (JA), Chaplain (HC), Public Affairs (PA), Safety (SE), Inspector General (IG), Command Post (CP), Plans and Programs (XP), Hercules Innovation Lab (CVX), Protocol (CCP), Information Protection (IP), Sexual Assault Prevention Response (SAPR), Equal Opportunity (EO), Integrated Resilience (IRO) (CVB), Drug Demand Reduction (DDR), Historian (HO), and Host Nation (CCH), all located at Ramstein AB. 

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 Fighter Group honors are bestowed upon the 86th Airlift Wing. These include 10 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 13 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; 1 Jan 2008 to 31 Dec 2008; 1 Jul 2009 to 31 Dec 2010; 1 Jan 2014 to 31 Dec 2015; 1 Jan 2020 to 31 Dec 2021. 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