60th Air Mobility Wing

60th Air Mobility Wing
Unit name	60th Air Mobility Wing
Caption	Emblem of the 60th Air Mobility Wing
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Air mobility wing
Role	Airlift and aerial refueling
Garrison	Travis Air Force Base

60th Air Mobility Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force assigned to Air Mobility Command and stationed at Travis Air Force Base in northern California. The wing provides strategic airlift, aeromedical evacuation, and air refueling capability for United States Transportation Command, Pacific Air Forces, United States Central Command, and allied partners. Its mission supports global power projection, humanitarian assistance, and contingency operations across multiple theaters including the Indo-Pacific and European Union engagements.

Overview

The wing operates strategic airlift and tanker aircraft to support missions directed by United States Transportation Command, Air Mobility Command, Pacific Air Forces, and U.S. European Command. It conducts strategic airlift for organizations such as Joint Task Force elements, U.S. Northern Command taskings, and supports operations coordinated with Department of Defense components, North Atlantic Treaty Organization, and partner nation forces. The wing's basing at Travis Air Force Base places it near major transportation hubs like San Francisco Bay Area, enabling rapid strategic response for operations from Korea to Afghanistan and humanitarian relief for events like 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami and 2010 Haiti earthquake.

History

Activated during the Cold War, the wing traces lineage to earlier United States Army Air Forces and United States Air Force transport and strategic wings that supported Berlin Airlift-era logistics, Vietnam War airlift, and the Gulf War. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s it executed missions in support of Military Airlift Command operations involving deployments to Southeast Asia, Thailand, and South Vietnam. During the 1990s the wing provided airlift and aerial refueling for operations including Operation Desert Shield, Operation Desert Storm, and later Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. The wing has modernized through aircraft transitions responding to directives from General Dynamics, McDonnell Douglas, and Boeing procurement programs, aligning with strategic concepts advanced by leaders at Air Mobility Command and planners from United States Transportation Command.

Operational Units and Structure

The wing comprises multiple groups and squadrons aligned under a wing commander reporting to Fourth Air Force and Air Mobility Command headquarters. Primary subordinate units include operations, maintenance, mission support, and medical groups hosting squadrons such as airlift squadrons, aerial refueling squadrons, aeromedical evacuation squadrons, and contingency response elements. These units coordinate with numbered air forces, joint logistics planners from Defense Logistics Agency, and base support from Travis Community Services and regional authorities including Solano County and City of Fairfield officials. The wing integrates reserve and active-duty coordination with units from the Air Force Reserve Command and Air National Guard for surge operations and total force employment.

Aircraft and Equipment

Historically equipped with heavy airlifters and tankers, the wing has operated aircraft models developed by manufacturers such as Boeing and McDonnell Douglas. Aircraft types that have seen service include strategic airlifters and aerial refueling platforms configured for cargo, troop transport, and in-flight refueling missions. The wing maintains aeromedical evacuation equipment compatible with mission sets defined by Air Mobility Command and medical protocols from United States Air Force Medical Service. Ground support equipment, maintenance shelters, and mobility air traffic control systems synchronize with Federal Aviation Administration procedures for operations at civilian airports and forward operating locations.

Operations and Deployments

The wing has supported global operations ranging from combat support in Southwest Asia to humanitarian relief after natural disasters such as the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami and mass evacuations like those following Hurricane Katrina. It provides strategic airlift and aeromedical evacuation for high-priority Department of Defense movements, tactical logistics for Joint Task Force missions, and aerial refueling for bomber and tanker taskings supporting Strategic Air Command-era doctrines re-envisioned by Air Mobility Command. Deployments often place wing aircrews and maintainers at bases across Guam, Japan, Diego Garcia, Alaska, Germany, and Kuwait supporting coalition operations and theater sustainment.

Honors and Awards

The wing and its subordinate units have earned awards and citations reflecting performance in operations, maintenance, and support roles. Recognitions have come from Department of Defense leadership, Air Mobility Command commendations, and theater-level unit awards for service during conflicts and humanitarian missions. Individual members have received decorations from entities like Defense Meritorious Service Medal-level authorities and service-specific awards issued by United States Air Force leadership for excellence in readiness, safety, and mission accomplishment.

Notable Incidents and Accidents

Over its operational history the wing has experienced aviation incidents and ground accidents during peacetime and combat deployments that prompted safety reviews by Air Mobility Command and investigations employing procedures from Air Force Safety Center. Lessons learned influenced changes in maintenance protocols aligned with guidance from Federal Aviation Administration-related civil aviation safety practices, contractor oversight reforms involving firms like Boeing and Lockheed Martin, and updates to aircrew training standards supervised by Air Education and Training Command.

Category:Military units and formations of the United States Air Force