Key Field Air National Guard Base

Key Field Air National Guard Base is a joint-use military and civil airfield located 3 nautical miles southwest of Meridian, Mississippi. Established in 1928 and opened in 1930, the facility is named for Al and Fred Key, who managed the airfield and conducted a 27-day flight endurance record attempt in 1935. During World War II, the base was under the control of the United States Army Air Corps.

The 186th Air Refueling Wing (186 ARW) of the Mississippi Air National Guard is the primary military tenant. Operationally gained by the Air Mobility Command, the wing operates a fleet of KC-135R Stratotanker aircraft for aerial refueling and cargo missions. The base also hosts the 286th Air Operations Group, which provides support to the Continental US NORAD Region and 1st Air Force. The Mississippi Army National Guard’s 111th Army Aviation Support Facility, Company B, is stationed at the base and operates CH-47 Chinook heavy-lift transport helicopters.

Infrastructure includes the original 1930 terminal building, hangar, and powerhouse, which are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The hangar provides storage and maintenance space with internal steel trusses and sliding metal doors. The Air National Guard provides aircraft rescue and firefighting capabilities for the installation. The base also hosts an operational training detachment for the MC-12W Liberty, a fixed-wing intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance platform. In addition to organic units, the airfield is used for practice approaches by T-45 Goshawk aircraft from NAS Meridian and T-6A, T-1A, and T-38C aircraft from Columbus Air Force Base.