Andrews Air Force Base (Joint Base Andrews)

Andrews Air Force Base (Joint Base Andrews)
Name	Joint Base Andrews
Location	Prince George's County, Maryland
Coordinates	38.8106°N 76.8660°W
Operator	United States Air Force
Controlled by	Air Mobility Command
Built	1942
Used	1942–present
Garrison	316th Wing

Contents

Andrews Air Force Base (Joint Base Andrews) is a United States military installation in Prince George's County, Maryland, near Washington, D.C. and National Harbor, Maryland. It serves as a hub for executive airlift, strategic airlift, and aeromedical evacuation missions supporting the President of the United States, the Vice President of the United States, and senior officials, while hosting units from the United States Air Force, the United States Navy, and the United States Army. The base's proximity to the Pentagon, the United States Capitol, and Joint Base Anacostia–Bolling makes it a critical node for national leadership transport, crisis response, and ceremonial operations.

History

Andrews was established during World War II in 1942 and named for Lieutenant General Frank M. Andrews, a senior officer of the United States Army Air Forces who served in the European Theater of Operations and whose death influenced U.S. strategic airpower development; early roles connected Andrews to Air Transport Command and Strategic Air Command. During the Cold War, Andrews hosted alert forces tied to Nuclear deterrence posture, supported deployments during the Berlin Airlift aftermath, and facilitated VIP transport for administrations including the Truman administration, the Eisenhower administration, and the Kennedy administration. In the post‑Cold War era Andrews transitioned through reorganizations involving Air Mobility Command, the 89th Airlift Wing, and ultimately merged under the Base Realignment and Closure recommendations that shaped modern joint basing aligned with Department of Defense transformation initiatives. High‑profile events at Andrews have intersected with presidencies from Richard Nixon to Barack Obama and Donald Trump, as well as emergency operations during the September 11 attacks and various humanitarian deployments linked to Operation Unified Response.

The primary mission at Andrews centers on executive and global airlift, aeromedical evacuation, and contingency response supporting the President of the United States, the First Lady of the United States, and national leadership, executed by units such as the 89th Airlift Wing, the 316th Wing, and tenant units including the Presidential Airlift Group and the 11th Wing. Andrews hosts Department of Defense components including the Defense Intelligence Agency, the White House Military Office elements, and joint organizations that coordinate with the National Security Council and the United States Secret Service. Other residents include the United States Marine Corps aviation detachments, Naval support units linked to Fleet logistics, and Air National Guard elements such as the 113th Wing that provide regional readiness and homeland defense capabilities. Interagency collaboration at Andrews often involves the Federal Emergency Management Agency and Department of State for global contingency and diplomatic airlift missions.

Andrews features runways and apron space capable of handling large strategic aircraft like the Boeing C-17 Globemaster III and the Boeing VC-25 (Air Force One), maintenance hangars operated by the Air Force Materiel Command and contractor partners, and a perimeter integrating security coordination with Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia and Prince George's County Police Department. On‑base facilities include logistics centers tied to the Defense Logistics Agency, medical treatment facilities linked to the Defense Health Agency, and family support programs coordinated with Tricare and Armed Services YMCA. Andrews' airfield infrastructure and air traffic operations interact with the Federal Aviation Administration and the Washington Air Defense Identification Zone, and the base's utilities and housing developments have been subjects of modernization programs guided by the Base Realignment and Closure and Department of Defense Office of Small Business Programs.

Andrews operates and hosts a fleet including VC-25A, C-32 (Boeing 757 variant), C-40 Clipper, C-17 Globemaster III, and various rotary‑wing assets employed in transport, aeromedical evacuation, and presidential support, with operations coordinated through the Air Mobility Command and the 11th Air Force‑aligned units during joint exercises. Routine missions at Andrews encompass executive transport for the President of the United States, contingency aeromedical evacuation linked to Operation Allied Force‑era doctrines, strategic airlift supporting the United States Central Command and United States European Command, and support for diplomatic air movements to destinations managed by the United States Department of State. Training, maintenance, and surge operations at Andrews are integrated with programs from the Defense Logistics Agency and defense contractors such as Boeing and Lockheed Martin for sustainment and modernization.

Andrews is the principal airfield for presidential airlift, directly supporting the Presidential Airlift Group that maintains Air Force One and associated aircraft for secure transport of the President of the United States; operations align with protocols from the White House Situation Room, the National Military Command Center, and the Secret Service Presidential Protective Division. The base provides contingency response for national crises, coordinating with the North American Aerospace Defense Command, the United States Northern Command, and interagency crisis teams including the Federal Bureau of Investigation during national security incidents. Andrews also supports state visits, ceremonial arrivals with ties to the Department of State, and defense diplomacy missions for senior officials such as the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of State.

Environmental programs at Andrews address issues overseen by the Environmental Protection Agency and state agencies in Maryland Department of the Environment, including stormwater management, fuel spill remediation, and noise abatement measures affecting neighboring jurisdictions like Camp Springs, Maryland and Bowie, Maryland. Community engagement includes partnerships with Prince George's County Public Schools, economic initiatives coordinated with the Prince George's County Economic Development Corporation, and workforce programs linked to the National Capital Region. Land use and encroachment concerns have involved coordination with Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority and local planning commissions to balance operational needs with residential development.

Over its history Andrews has been associated with incidents ranging from aircraft mishaps involving C-47 Skytrain and jet transports in earlier decades to security responses during the September 11, 2001 attacks; investigations have involved the National Transportation Safety Board and Air Force Safety Center. Notable operational incidents prompted reviews by the Department of Defense and led to updates in airfield safety, command protocols, and interagency coordination with entities such as the Federal Aviation Administration and the Secret Service.

Category:Installations of the United States Air Force Category:Prince George's County, Maryland Category:United States presidential transport