Ramstein Air Base

Ramstein Air Base is a United States Air Force installation located in Rhineland-Palatinate, southwestern Germany. It serves as the headquarters for the United States Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa (USAFE-AFAFRICA) and NATO Allied Air Command (AIRCOM). The base was constructed between 1949 and 1952 by the French Army and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It is part of the Kaiserslautern Military Community (KMC), which houses approximately 54,000 American service members and over 5,400 U.S. civilian employees, in addition to more than 6,200 German workers. Ramstein AB itself hosts over 16,200 military personnel, U.S. civilians, and contractors.

Initially, two separate bases, Landstuhl Air Base and Ramstein Air Station, were opened in 1952 and 1953, respectively. They were consolidated on December 1, 1957, and officially named "Ramstein Air Base" in 1961. The base has served as a critical operational hub, with the 86th Wing being the main operational and host unit since 1952. Other significant units assigned over its history include the 26th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, 306th Strategic Wing, 316th Air Division, and the 377th Combat Support Wing. In 1973, HQ USAFE relocated to Ramstein, making it a multinational NATO center. Today, the base is home to the 86th Airlift Wing, 435th Air Ground Operations Wing, 521st Air Mobility Operations Wing, and the 693rd Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group, among others.

Ramstein Air Base has two asphalt runways, 08/26 (3,199 m) and 09/27 (3,000 m). It underwent a major expansion between 2004 and 2006 as part of the Rhein-Main Transition Program. The base has been implicated in controversies, including its reported role as a control center for U.S. drone operations and allegations of illegal arms transports. In 2021, it served as a transfer point for Afghan evacuees following the fall of Kabul. In April 2022, Ramstein hosted a meeting of the International Advisory Group on Ukraine's Defense and Counteraction to Russia.