Tyndall Air Force Base
Summary
| Operating Country | 🇺🇸 United States |
| Location | 🇺🇸 United States |
| Status | ◉ Active |
| Usage | Military only |
| Year built | 1941 |
| Operating Organization | US Air Force |
| Units |
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Location & Details
| Coordinates | 30.0786°N, -85.5764°E |
| Elevation | 5 m (16 ft) |
| IATA code | PAM |
| ICAO code | KPAM |
| Runways |
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| Website | www.tyndall.af.mil/ |
Description
Tyndall Air Force Base is located 12 miles east of Panama City, Florida. The installation was established in 1941 as Tyndall Field, named in honor of World War I pilot First Lieutenant Frank Benjamin Tyndall. Groundbreaking for the facility, which initially served as a flexible gunnery school, occurred on May 6, 1941. The base was renamed Tyndall Air Force Base on January 13, 1948, following the transition of the United States Air Force to an independent service branch.
The base is operated by Air Combat Command, with the 325th Fighter Wing serving as the host unit. Its primary role involves air dominance training and the instruction of pilots and maintenance personnel. The 325th Fighter Wing operates squadrons of F-22A Raptor and F-35A Lightning II aircraft, supported by T-38 Talon trainers used for adversary operations. The 44th Fighter Group, an Air Force Reserve Command unit, acts as an associate organization also flying the F-22A.
Tyndall serves as the headquarters for the First Air Force, the component responsible for the air sovereignty and air defense of the continental United States. Stationed tenant units include the 601st Air Operations Center and the 101st Air and Space Operations Group. The 53rd Weapons Evaluation Group manages offshore weapons ranges in the Gulf of Mexico and operates a fleet of QF-16 Full Scale Aerial Targets, E-9A Widget aircraft, and sub-scale target drones such as the BQM-34 Firebee and BQM-167 Streaker.
Infrastructure at the base includes the Air Force Civil Engineer Center and the 801st Red Horse Training Squadron. The 337th Air Control Squadron is also located on-site to conduct training for air battle managers. The facility houses a research site for the Air Force Research Laboratory Materials and Manufacturing Directorate. In October 2018, Hurricane Michael damaged the installation's infrastructure, affecting all base facilities and resulting in a period of evacuated operations. The base also hosts an ARSR-4 search radar, designated as site J-11 of the Joint Surveillance System.