Holloman Air Force Base

Holloman Air Force Base, established in 1942, is a United States Air Force installation located six miles southwest of Alamogordo, New Mexico. Named in honor of Col. George V. Holloman, a pioneer in guided missile research, the base is owned by the Department of Defense and operated by the US Air Force, controlled by Air Education and Training Command (AETC). It has been operational since its construction. The base was initially known as Alamogordo Army Air Base and later Alamogordo Army Air Field, serving as a training installation during World War II for bomber groups flying B-17s and B-24s. After the war, it supported the Alamogordo Guided Missile Test Base, which merged with White Sands Proving Ground to form the White Sands Missile Range. Holloman AFB officially received its current name on January 13, 1948.

The 49th Wing is the current host unit, providing combat-ready Airmen and training General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper pilots, sensor operators, and F-16 Fighting Falcon pilots. The base also supports the Royal Air Force RPAS Formal Training Unit and Italian Air Force RPA training courses. Other significant units include the 54th Fighter Group, which trains F-16 aircrew and maintenance personnel, and the 704th Test Group, which conducts operational testing and evaluation of new equipment. Holloman is home to the world's longest and fastest high-speed test track, setting a land speed record for a railed vehicle at Mach 8.5 in 2003. The base previously hosted the German Air Force Flying Training Center from 1996 to 2019, which trained German aircrews on Panavia Tornado aircraft. Aircraft operated from Holloman have included the F-4 Phantom II, F-15 Eagle, F-117A Nighthawk, F-22A Raptor, and currently the F-16C/D Fighting Falcon, MQ-1B Predator, and MQ-9 Reaper. The base covers 59,639 acres and is located in the Tularosa Basin.