Fairchild Air Force Base

Fairchild Air Force Base. It is a major installation of the United States Air Force located in Spokane County, Washington, serving as a cornerstone for global air refueling and airlift operations. The base is home to the 92nd Air Refueling Wing, a key component of Air Mobility Command, and hosts a variety of associate and tenant units. Its strategic position in the Pacific Northwest supports rapid deployment and sustainment missions for U.S. and allied forces worldwide.

History

The site was originally established as the Spokane Army Air Field in 1942, supporting training for B-17 Flying Fortress and B-24 Liberator crews during World War II. It was renamed in 1948 in honor of General Muir S. Fairchild, a distinguished United States Army Air Forces officer and former vice chief of staff of the United States Air Force. Throughout the Cold War, it became a critical Strategic Air Command base, hosting B-52 Stratofortress bombers and KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft on nuclear alert. The base's mission evolved after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, transitioning fully to air mobility under Air Mobility Command in the early 1990s.

Units and operations

The host unit is the 92nd Air Refueling Wing, which operates a fleet of KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft to provide global aerial refueling. Key tenant organizations include the 141st Air Refueling Wing of the Washington Air National Guard and the 336th Training Group of the United States Air Force Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape School. The base also supports the 57th Weapons Squadron, which conducts advanced training for KC-135 instructors, and detachments from the Air Force Reserve Command. These units regularly participate in exercises like Red Flag – Alaska and support ongoing operations across EUCOM, INDOPACOM, and CENTCOM areas of responsibility.

Facilities and infrastructure

The installation features a single primary runway capable of accommodating all current Air Mobility Command aircraft, including the C-17 Globemaster III. Its ramp and hangar facilities support extensive maintenance operations for the KC-135 Stratotanker fleet. The base houses the Air Force Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape School, a premier training center for all United States Department of Defense personnel. Other significant facilities include the 9th Reconnaissance Wing's U-2 Dragon Lady operating location, a large Defense Logistics Agency fuel storage area, and extensive family housing and community support centers managed by the United States Air Force Civil Engineer Center.

Environmental issues

The base has been involved in long-term remediation efforts overseen by the Environmental Protection Agency under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act. Primary concerns have included groundwater contamination from historical use of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in firefighting foam and solvents from aircraft maintenance. These efforts are coordinated with the Washington State Department of Ecology and involve regular monitoring of the Spokane Aquifer. The installation maintains an active pollution prevention program in compliance with the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act to mitigate future impacts.

Role in national defense

As the U.S. Air Force's "most mission-ready tanker wing," it provides indispensable global reach for power projection, directly enabling the operations of United States Transportation Command. Its tankers are pivotal for sustaining continuous bomber presence missions in the Indo-Pacific and for transatlantic support to NATO allies. The base’s Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape training is critical for preparing aircrew from all services for high-threat environments. Furthermore, its strategic location offers a dispersed operating base for enhancing resilience against potential adversarial threats, supporting the objectives of the National Defense Strategy. Category:United States Air Force bases Category:Buildings and structures in Spokane County, Washington