316th Wing

316th Wing is a key airlift unit of the United States Air Force, currently stationed at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland. It operates under Air Mobility Command and is responsible for providing global airlift support, including distinguished visitor transport and contingency response. The wing's history spans multiple activations, with service in World War II, the Korean War, and modern operations across the Middle East and Southwest Asia.

History

The unit was first constituted as the 316th Troop Carrier Group in 1942, training with C-47 Skytrain and C-53 Skytrooper aircraft before deploying to the Mediterranean Theater of Operations. During World War II, it participated in major airborne assaults, including operations in Sicily, Naples, and Southern France, earning campaign streamers for the Rome-Arno and North Apennines campaigns. Following the war, the group was inactivated in 1945. It was redesignated as the 316th Troop Carrier Wing and reactivated during the Korean War, supporting operations from bases in Japan and earning the Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation. After another period of inactivation, the wing was revived in its current form in 1994 at Andrews Air Force Base, where it has since supported national security missions, including continuous operations throughout the Global War on Terrorism and providing critical airlift for the White House and United States Department of Defense.

Mission

The primary mission is to provide responsive, flexible global airlift and special air mission support for the President of the United States, Vice President of the United States, Cabinet of the United States, Congressional delegations, and other senior leaders. This includes operating and maintaining the specialized fleet of C-40 Clipper and C-37 Gulfstream V aircraft used for executive transport. Additionally, the wing maintains a contingency response capability to rapidly deploy air mobility forces worldwide in support of United States Transportation Command and Air Mobility Command taskings, often coordinating with the 89th Airlift Wing and other Air Force Reserve Command units.

Organization

The wing is composed of several subordinate groups and squadrons. The 316th Operations Group oversees all flying operations, including the 1st Helicopter Squadron, which provides VIP helicopter transport in the National Capital Region. The 316th Maintenance Group is responsible for aircraft servicing and logistics support for the assigned fleet. Key support units include the 316th Mission Support Group, which handles security, communications, and infrastructure at Joint Base Andrews, and the 316th Medical Group, which provides healthcare to assigned personnel. The wing also maintains a direct reporting relationship with the 316th Comptroller Squadron for financial management.

Aircraft

The wing operates a diverse fleet of fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft optimized for its specialized missions. The primary executive transport aircraft are the C-40 Clipper, a military version of the Boeing 737, and the C-37 Gulfstream V, used for long-range, secure travel for national leaders. For shorter-range and utility missions, the wing utilizes the C-21 Learjet and the C-20 Gulfstream IV. Rotary-wing support is provided by the UH-1N Iroquois and the modern UH-1N Twin Huey, operated by the 1st Helicopter Squadron for movements around Washington, D.C., often supporting The Pentagon and Camp David.

Bases

The wing is headquartered at Joint Base Andrews in Prince George's County, Maryland, the primary airfield for presidential and VIP airlift. This base, formerly known as Andrews Air Force Base, was consolidated with Naval Air Facility Washington to form the joint installation. Historically, the unit has been stationed at various locations, including Lawson Field in Georgia during its initial activation, Pope Field in North Carolina, and several overseas bases such as Tachikawa Airfield in Japan during the Korean War and RAF Croughton in the United Kingdom during the Cold War.

Category:United States Air Force wings Category:Military units and formations in Maryland Category:Air Mobility Command