Third Air Force

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Third Air Force was established in 1940 as the Southeast Air District to provide air defence for that part of continental United States, it also provided air defense and conducted combat training for personnel of newly formed units in World War II. After the war it served Tactical Air Command, then inactivated.

Commands During World War II

Cold War

The Third Air Force returned to active service in 1951, with headquarters at South Ruislip Air Station near London, as one of the tactical air forces of U.S. Air Forces in Europe, the other being the Sixteenth Air Force based at Aviano AB, Italy. The Third Air Force was based at RAF Mildenhall in the United Kingdom.

Inactivation and Reactivation

In 2005, Third Air Force inactivated and Sixteenth Air Force moved to Ramstein AB, Germany to begin its role as USAFE's Warfighting Headquarters. Wings were reassigned to HQ Air Command Europe at Ramstein AB, Germany. At its inactivation, Third Air Force was composed of the following wings:

48th Fighter Wing - RAF Lakenheath, UK
- F-15 Eagle
- F-15E Strike Eagle

52d Fighter Wing - Spangdahlem AB, Germany
- F-16 Fighting Falcon
- A-10/OA-10

86th Airlift Wing - Ramstein AB, Germany
- C-130 Hercules
- C-20A
- C-21A
- C-37A

100th Air Refueling Wing - RAF Mildenhall, UK
- KC-135R

501st Combat Support Wing - RAF Mildenhall, UK

435th Air Base Wing - Ramstein AB, Germany

Third Air Force remained inactive until 1 December 2006, when it replaced the simultaneously inactivated Sixteenth Air Force. Its headquarters is once again Ramstein AB, Germany. The newly reactive Thrid Air Force contains units of the old Sixteenth Air Force as wells as the following:

References