Mountain Home Air Force Base is a United States Air Force installation located in southwestern Idaho, approximately 12 miles southwest of Mountain Home. Construction began in November 1942, and the base officially opened on August 7, 1943. Initially, during World War II, it served as a training base for bomber crews, including those for B-24 Liberators. The base was placed in inactive status in October 1945 before being reopened by the U.S. Air Force in December 1948. In the early 1950s, it hosted Air Resupply and Communications Service wings. In May 1953, the base was transferred to Strategic Air Command (SAC), which assigned the 9th Bombardment Wing, operating B-29s, KB-29Hs, B-47 Stratojets, and KC-97 tankers. From 1962 to 1965, it also housed SM-68 Titan missile sites. The base transferred to Tactical Air Command (TAC) in 1966, becoming a fighter base. Since 1972, the 366th Fighter Wing, nicknamed the Gunfighters, has been the host unit. The base's primary mission is to provide combat airpower and support for worldwide contingency operations. The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) has been training at Mountain Home since 1998, with the 428th Fighter Squadron being a joint RSAF and USAF unit. The 366th Fighter Wing operates F-15E Strike Eagles, with the 389th and 391st Fighter Squadrons flying these aircraft, and the 428th Fighter Squadron operating F-15SG aircraft. The base also hosts the 726th Air Control Squadron and the Idaho Air National Guard's 266th Range Squadron, which controls a 7,412 square mile operational training range. A notable incident occurred in September 2003 when a Thunderbirds F-16C crashed during an airshow due to an altitude miscalculation, with the pilot ejecting safely.