Laughlin Air Force Base

Laughlin Air Force Base is a major installation of the United States Air Force located near Del Rio, Texas. It is the largest pilot training base in the United States Armed Forces and is under the jurisdiction of the Air Education and Training Command. The base is named in honor of Jack T. Laughlin, a B-17 Flying Fortress pilot and the first Del Rio native killed in World War II.

History

The facility was originally established in 1942 as **Laughlin Army Air Field** during the massive expansion of United States Army Air Forces training facilities. It served as a bomber training base for crews operating the B-17 Flying Fortress and B-24 Liberator during the Second World War. Following the war, the base was placed on inactive status before being reactivated in 1952 during the Korean War as a multi-engine training site under the Air Training Command. It was renamed **Laughlin Air Force Base** in 1957 and transitioned to its enduring role in undergraduate pilot training, initially for the T-37 Tweet and T-38 Talon. Throughout the Cold War, it was a key site for producing pilots, many of whom later served in conflicts like the Vietnam War and the Gulf War.

Facilities

The base occupies over 5,200 acres on the southwestern edge of Del Rio, featuring a single primary runway capable of handling high-performance jet aircraft. Its infrastructure includes extensive classroom buildings, aircraft maintenance hangars, air traffic control facilities operated by the Federal Aviation Administration, and sophisticated simulators for the T-6 Texan II and T-38C Talon. Housing and support facilities comprise the Laughlin AFB housing area, a commissary, a base exchange, the Laughlin Clinic, and recreational amenities like the Desert Moon Inn and golf course. The airspace above the adjacent Amistad National Recreation Area and vast tracts of southwestern Texas provides an ideal training environment.

Based units

The host unit is the 47th Flying Training Wing, which is assigned to the Nineteenth Air Force within Air Education and Training Command. The wing's primary operational component is the **47th Operations Group**, which includes the **85th Flying Training Squadron** and **87th Flying Training Squadron** (flying the T-6 Texan II), and the **86th Flying Training Squadron** and **99th Flying Training Squadron** (flying the T-38C Talon). Support units on base include the **47th Mission Support Group**, the **47th Medical Group**, and the **47th Maintenance Group**. The Transportation Security Administration also maintains a presence for screening operations.

Role and operations

Laughlin's primary mission is conducting **Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training** for the United States Air Force, United States Navy, United States Marine Corps, and allied nations. The rigorous program takes student pilots through a phased curriculum in aircraft like the T-6 Texan II and T-38C Talon, preparing them for advanced training in fighter, bomber, or transport aircraft. The base also supports **Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals** for select graduates. Its operations are critical to sustaining the pilot pipeline for the United States Department of Defense and strengthening international partnerships through programs like the Air Force Security Assistance Training Squadron.

Accidents and incidents

The base has experienced several notable aviation accidents throughout its history, inherent to high-intensity flight training. In January 1961, a T-33 Shooting Star crashed near Brackettville, killing the instructor pilot. A T-38 Talon crash in December 1985 resulted in the deaths of two crew members. More recently, in November 2012, a T-6 Texan II crashed during a training sortie, with the pilot successfully ejecting. A fatal crash occurred in November 2021 when a T-38C Talon went down near Montalba, claiming the lives of both crew members. These incidents are investigated by the Air Force Safety Center and the Air Combat Command to enhance training safety protocols.

Category:United States Air Force bases Category:Buildings and structures in Val Verde County, Texas