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Nellis Air Force Base ("Nellis" colloq.) is a
United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Air force, air service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is one of the six United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Tracing its ori ...
installation in
southern Nevada Southern Nevada (SNV) is a region and the southern portion of the U.S. state of Nevada which includes the Las Vegas Valley. It also includes the areas in and around Pahrump and Pioche. Tonopah and Hawthorne are sometimes also referred to as pa ...
. Nellis hosts
air combat ''Air Combat'' is a 1995 Combat flight simulation game, combat flight simulation video game developed and published by Namco for the PlayStation (console), PlayStation, and the first title of the ''Ace Combat'' franchise. Players control an airc ...
exercises such as
Exercise Red Flag Exercise Red Flag (also Red Flag – Nellis) is a two-week advanced aerial combat training exercise held several times a year by the United States Air Force (USAF). It aims to offer realistic air-combat training for military pilots and other ...
and
close air support Close air support (CAS) is defined as aerial warfare actions—often air-to-ground actions such as strafes or airstrikes—by military aircraft against hostile targets in close proximity to friendly forces. A form of fire support, CAS requires ...
exercises such as Green Flag-West flown in " Military Operations Area (MOA) airspace", associated with the nearby
Nevada Test and Training Range The Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR) is one of two military training areas at the Nellis Air Force Base Complex in Nevada and used by the United States Air Force Warfare Center at Nellis Air Force Base. The NTTR land area includes a "simu ...
(NTTR). The base also has the Combined
Air and Space Operations Center An Air Operations Center (AOC) is a type of command center used by the United States Air Force (USAF). It is the senior agency of the Air Force component commander to provide command and control of air operations.World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
, Nevada and other western inland states were surveyed by Capt. Lowell H. Smith and Sgt. William B. Whitefield for landing sites, and by "mid-1925 the Air Service possessed information on nearly thirty-five hundred landing places, including more than twenty-eight hundred emergency landing areas, in the United States." The 1929 airfield (dirt runway, water well, and small operations shack) north of
Las Vegas Las Vegas, colloquially referred to as Vegas, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and the county seat of Clark County. The Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is the largest within the greater Mojave Desert, and second-l ...
—operated by the 1925 Western Air Express for Contract
Air Mail Airmail (or air mail) is a mail transport service branded and sold on the basis of at least one leg of its journey being by air. Airmail items typically arrive more quickly than surface mail, and usually cost more to send. Airmail may be the ...
(CAM) Route #4, LA-to- SLC—was used by the Army Air Corps in the 1930s for training flights. After the
Invasion of Poland The invasion of Poland, also known as the September Campaign, Polish Campaign, and Polish Defensive War of 1939 (1 September – 6 October 1939), was a joint attack on the Second Polish Republic, Republic of Poland by Nazi Germany, the Slovak R ...
in 1939, the "western site board" had located a southern Nevada area "near Tonopah, Nev" by April 1940 for a military range, and in October 1940, Air Corps Major David Schlatter surveyed the southwest United States for a military airfield. "The 60 × 90 mile area at Tonopah was transferred to the War Department on 29 October 1940" by Executive Order 8578.


McCarran Field

Renamed to McCarran Field in the mid-1930s, there were "difficulties in securing the use" of the airfield north of Las Vegas for a Nevada World War II Army Airfield. McCarran Field was bought on 2 January 1941 by the City of
Las Vegas Las Vegas, colloquially referred to as Vegas, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and the county seat of Clark County. The Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is the largest within the greater Mojave Desert, and second-l ...
, was leased to the Army on 5 January, and was "signed over" to the
Quartermaster Corps Following is a list of quartermaster corps, military units, active and defunct, with logistics duties: * Egyptian Army Quartermaster Corps - see Structure of the Egyptian Army * Hellenic Army Quartermaster Corps (''Σώμα Φροντιστών ...
on 25 January—Army construction began in March 1941. The city's Federal Building became the May 1941 location of the 79th Air Base Group detachment (5 staff officers commanded by Lt. Col. Martinus Stenseth), and a month later 5 administrative NCOs plus other support personnel arrived. WPA barracks in Las Vegas were used for enlisted men, and the motor pool with 6 vintage trucks and a semi-trailer was next to the WPA barracks. Vehicle parts were from local service stations and gasoline and oil from the
Civilian Conservation Corps The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) was a voluntary government unemployment, work relief program that ran from 1933 to 1942 in the United States for unemployed, unmarried men ages 18–25 and eventually expanded to ages 17–28. The CCC was ...
(the Block 16
brothel A brothel, strumpet house, bordello, bawdy house, ranch, house of ill repute, house of ill fame, or whorehouse is a place where people engage in Human sexual activity, sexual activity with prostitutes. For legal or cultural reasons, establis ...
s in Las Vegas were closed). Permanent construction for barracks to house 3,000 people began in mid-1941, and by 7 December, 10
AT-6 Texan The North American Aviation T-6 Texan is an American single-engined advanced trainer aircraft, which was used to train pilots of the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF), United States Air Force (USAF), United States Navy, Royal Air Force, Ro ...
advanced flight trainers and 17
Martin B-10 The Martin B-10 is a bomber aircraft designed by the Glenn L. Martin Company. It was the first all-metal monoplane bomber to be regularly used by the United States Army Air Corps, having entered service in June 1934.Jackson 2003, p. 246. It wa ...
bombers were at the airfield.


Las Vegas Army Airfield

Las Vegas Army Airfield was both activated and began flying training on 20 December 1941. Gunnery training began in January 1942, with guntruck platforms being used in January and February. Many pieces of the destroyed aerial drone targets litter the hillside north of the gunnery range, and can be seen in town when the sun reflects off them. The first
B-17 Flying Fortress The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress is an American four-engined heavy bomber aircraft developed in the 1930s for the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC). A fast and high-flying bomber, the B-17 dropped more bombs than any other aircraft during ...
es arrived in 1942 and allowed training of 600 gunnery students and 215 co-pilots from the field every five weeks at the height of the war. More than 45,000 B-17 gunners were trained; the USAAF training movie ''The Rear Gunner'' was filmed at the airfield in 1943. The 82d Flying Training Wing (Flexible Gunnery) was activated at the base as one of ten
Army Air Forces Flying Training Command An army, ground force or land force is an armed force that fights primarily on Ground warfare, land. In the broadest sense, it is the land-based military branch, service branch or armed service of a nation or country. It may also include avia ...
wings on 23 August 1943. By 1944, gunnery students utilized B-17,
B-24 Liberator The Consolidated B-24 Liberator is an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and some initial production aircraft were laid down as export models desi ...
and B-40 Flying Fortress gunship aircraft (for example by firing at aircraft-towed targets). In March 1945, the base switched to
B-29 The Boeing B-29 Superfortress is a retired American four-engined Propeller (aeronautics), propeller-driven heavy bomber, designed by Boeing and flown primarily by the United States during World War II and the Korean War. Named in allusion to ...
gunnery training which included the manipulation trainer on the ground with camera guns. The subsequent population peaked with nearly 11,000 officers and enlisted personnel including more than 4,700 students. Flexible gunnery training ended in September 1945, and the base became a demobilization center for soldiers' separation physicals and final pay. A course of navigator, bombardier, and radar operator training planned for LVAAF was instead begun at Mather Army Airfield in June 1946.
AAF Training Command The United States Army Air Forces during World War II had major subordinate Commands below the Air Staff level. These Commands were organized along functional missions. One such Command was the Flying Training Command (FTC). It began as Air Cor ...
closed LVAAF which went on caretaker status 28 August 1946 ("officially deactivated in January 1947"). During the planning for a separate air force, the Las Vegas AAF was reactivated "30 Aug 47 as a subinstallation of Mather", and it transferred to the USAF after the branch was created in September.


Las Vegas Air Force Base

Renamed Las Vegas Air Force Base on 13 January 1948 and assigned as a subinstallation of Williams AFB on 1 April, the 3595th Pilot Training Wing (Advanced Single-Engine) was established on 22 December 1948. Training began at Las Vegas AFB on 1 March 1949 with 5 squadrons using P-51 Mustangs for a 6-month course, with 3,000 USAF pilots trained by 1950. The 3525th Aircraft Gunnery Squadron activated on 11 February 1949, the base hosted the 1st USAF Gunnery Meet on 2 May, and ATC (air traffic control) opened its LVAFB Aircraft Gunnery School on 15 May 1949.


Nellis AFB

Nellis Air Force Base was named on 30 April 1950, and the 20 May 1950 dedication was attended by Lieutenant Nellis' family. By 1 July the Air Force had directed ATC to accelerate
Korean War The Korean War (25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953) was an armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula fought between North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea; DPRK) and South Korea (Republic of Korea; ROK) and their allies. North Korea was s ...
training for a new 95-wing Air Force. The first school opened at Nellis, and ATC redesignated the 3595th Pilot Training Wing (Advanced Single-Engine) as the 3595th Training Wing (Combat Crew). On 17 July 1950, Nellis began a replacement pilot training program to provide 115 FEAF F-51 Mustang pilots and 92 combat-ready F-80 Shooting Star pilots. Nellis' advanced single-engine pilot training transferred to Alabama on 1 September 1950. Nellis assumed fighter-bomber training, and ATC established its USAF Air Crew School (Fighter) on 14 November 1950, equipped with F-80s and early-model F-84C Thunderjets. On 1 October, Nellis AFB base management functions transferred from Williams AFB. In early 1951, ATC assigned recently graduated airplane and engine mechanics to Nellis to learn jet aircraft maintenance. The airfield was expanded 1951–1954 with longer jet-capable runways, reconfigured taxiways and a larger aircraft parking ramp; and World War II wooden structures were replaced with concrete and steel structures (e.g., barracks and base housing for married personnel). The first
Wherry A wherry is a type of boat that was traditionally used for carrying cargo or passengers on rivers and canals in England, and is particularly associated with the River Thames and the River Cam. They were also used on the Broadland rivers of No ...
houses were completed in 1954, with updated Capehart houses being completed in February 1960.


USAF Fighter Weapons School

The USAF Fighter Weapons School was designated on 1 January 1954 from the squadron when the Air Crew School graduated its last Combat Crew Training Class (the primary Weapons School mission was gunnery instructor training). In the mid-1950s for
Operation Teapot Operation Teapot was a series of 14 nuclear test explosions conducted at the Nevada Test Site in the first half of 1955. It was preceded by ''Operation Castle'', and followed by ''Operation Wigwam''. ''Wigwam'' was, administratively, a part of ...
nuclear testing, 1 of the 12 Zone Commanders was based at Nellis AFB for community liaison/public relationsOperation Teapot report (weapons for other atomic tests were stored at Nellis).
Air Training Command The Air Training Command (ATC) is a former United States Air Force (USAF) Major Command designation. It was headquartered at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, but was initially formed at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. It was re-designated ...
suspended training at the Nellis fighter weapons school in late 1956 because of the almost total failure of the F-86 Sabre aircraft used at Nellis, and during 1958 ATC discontinued its Flying Training and Technical Training.


Tactical Air Command

Nellis AFB transferred to Tactical Air Command on 1 February 1958, and the Nellis mission transitioned from initial aircraft qualification and gunnery training to advanced, graduate-level weapons training. Soon after the transfer to TAC, the F-100C, F-100D, and tandem cockpit F-100F entered the school inventory. On 21 April 1958 an F-100F on a training flight out of Nellis was involved in a mid-air collision with
United Airlines Flight 736 United Air Lines Flight 736 was a scheduled transcontinental passenger service flown daily by United Airlines between Los Angeles and New York City. On April21, 1958, the airliner assigned to the flight, a Douglas DC-7 with 47 on board, was fly ...
. All 47 aboard the airliner and both Air Force pilots in the fighter jet were killed. The 3595th wing assets were redesignated as the 4520th Combat Crew Training Group by TAC on 1 July 1958.


=4520th Combat Crew Training Wing

= The 4520th Combat Crew Training Wing was designated from the 4520th CCTG on 1 May 1961, and the Combat Crew training squadrons were renumbered. The 4537th Fighter Weapons Squadron had been assigned F-105D Thunderchiefs in March 1961, and the wing taught veteran pilots in all phases of fighter weapon employment: air-to-air gunnery, rocketry, conventional and nuclear bombing, aerial refueling, and combat navigation. The
F-4 Phantom II The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is an American tandem two-seat, twin-engine, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor and fighter-bomber that was developed by McDonnell Aircraft for the United States Navy.Swanborough and Bower ...
Instructor Course began in mid-1965 and during the
Vietnam War The Vietnam War (1 November 1955 – 30 April 1975) was an armed conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia fought between North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam) and South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam) and their allies. North Vietnam w ...
, experienced combat pilots were used as Fighter Weapons instructors at Nellis. On 1 January 1966 the USAF Fighter Weapons School was activated at Nellis with F-100, F-4, and F-105 divisions and on 1 September 1966, Fighter Weapons School elements and the 4520th CCTW merged to activate the 4525th Fighter Weapons Wing.


=USAF Tactical Fighter Weapons Center

= The USAF Tactical Fighter Weapons Center activated at Nellis AFB on 1 January 1966 (USAF Warfare Center after 15 November 2005) is the USAF authority for employment of tactical fighter weapons. The center has developed, refined, coordinated, validated and tested fighter concepts, doctrine, tactics, and procedures. The FWC also performed operational test and evaluation and prepared or monitored Air Force publications on employment tactics, aircrew training, and aircrew weapons delivery. It has supervised courses of the US Air Force Fighter Weapons School, adversary tactics training, and
Wild Weasel Wild Weasel is a code name given by the United States Air Force (USAF) to any aircraft equipped with anti-radiation missiles and used to suppress enemy air defenses by destroying their radar and surface-to-air missile (SAM) installations.Hew ...
training, and other combat and tactical schools. The FWC supervised Red Flag operational training and other continuing air exercises, such as Green Flag and Silver Flag Alpha. The center also directed operations of the US Air Force
Bomber and Tanker, Employment School A bomber is a military combat aircraft that utilizes air-to-ground weaponry to drop bombs, launch torpedoes, or deploy air-launched cruise missiles. There are two major classifications of bomber: strategic and tactical. Strategic bombing is do ...
since 1992 and the Air Rescue Center since 1993. The
USAF Air Demonstration Squadron The USAF Air Demonstration Squadron is the air demonstration squadron of the United States Air Force The Thunderbirds, as they are popularly known, are assigned to the 57th Wing, and are based at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. Created in 1953 ...
with the
United States Air Force Thunderbirds The USAF Air Demonstration Squadron is the air demonstration squadron of the United States Air Force The Thunderbirds, as they are popularly known, are assigned to the 57th Wing, and are based at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. Created in 1953 ...
moved from Arizona to Nellis AFB in June 1956.


=474th Tactical Fighter Wing

= The
474th Tactical Fighter Wing The 474th Tactical Fighter Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was at Nellis Air Force Base (IATA code LSV), Nevada, where it trained combat-ready aircrews and maintained a rapid-reaction capability to execute ...
was reassigned from New Mexico to Nellis AFB on 20 January 1968 and was the first USAF operational wing equipped with the
General Dynamics F-111 The General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark is a retired supersonic, medium-range, multirole combat aircraft. Production models of the F-111 had roles that included attack (e.g. interdiction), strategic bombing (including nuclear weapons capabiliti ...
Thornborough, Tony (1993), Osprey Aerospace, 1993. F-111 Aardvark—USAF's Ultimate Strike Aircraft —6 of the F-111As departed Nellis for Vietnam on 15 March 1968 ( Combat Lancer). Nellis provided replacements for 2 lost F-111s, and the F-111s returned to the USA in November 1968. The wing's 428th Tactical Fighter Squadron reached
IOC The International Olympic Committee (IOC; , CIO) is the international, non-governmental, sports governing body of the modern Olympic Games. Founded in 1894 by Pierre de Coubertin and Demetrios Vikelas, it is based in L ...
in spring 1968 with F-111s, and the TFW was fully operational in July 1971. The
Lake Mead Base Nellis Air Force Base ("Nellis" colloq.) is a United States Air Force installation in southern Nevada. Nellis hosts air combat exercises such as Exercise Red Flag and close air support exercises such as Green Flag-West flown in " Military Op ...
, a 1953–6
United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...
's weapons storage area of , became Area II of the Nellis AFB complex in September 1969. The 430th TFS returned to the 474th TFW Nellis on 22 March 1973 assuming a replacement training unit mission, while the 428th and 429th were transferred to
Mountain Home AFB Mountain Home Air Force Base is a United States Air Force (USAF) installation in the western United States. Located in southwestern Idaho in Elmore County, the base is southwest of Mountain Home, which is southeast of Boise via Interstate ...
on 30 July 1973. Post-war the 474th's mission was to train combat-ready force of aircrews and maintained a rapid-reaction capability to execute fighter attacks against enemy forces and facilities in time of crisis. In 1975, the 428th and 429th Tactical Fighter Squadrons were reassigned to the wing with F-111As (transferred to
Mountain Home AFB Mountain Home Air Force Base is a United States Air Force (USAF) installation in the western United States. Located in southwestern Idaho in Elmore County, the base is southwest of Mountain Home, which is southeast of Boise via Interstate ...
, Idaho, in August 1977) and the 474th Wing absorbed the
F-4D Phantom II The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is an American tandem two-seat, twin-engine, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor and fighter-bomber that was developed by McDonnell Aircraft for the United States Navy.Swanborough and Bowers ...
aircraft, crews, and resources of the inactivating provisional 474th Tactical Fighter Wing at Nellis in April 1977. The wing was inactivated in September 1989, and its F-16As transferred to
Air National Guard The Air National Guard (ANG), also known as the Air Guard, is a Reserve components of the United States Armed Forces, federal military reserve force of the United States Air Force, as well as the air militia (United States), militia of each U.S. ...
and
Air Force Reserve The Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) is a major command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force, with its headquarters at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. It is the federal Air Reserve Component (ARC) of the U.S. Air Force, consisting of commis ...
squadrons.


=57th Fighter Weapons Wing

= The 57th Fighter Weapons Wing was activated at Nellis on 15 October 1969 to replace the 4525th FWW (its Fighter Weapons Squadrons transferred to the 57th). The USAF Air Demonstration Squadron (the " Thunderbirds") was assigned to the 57th in February 1974, and the wing incorporated
intelligence Intelligence has been defined in many ways: the capacity for abstraction, logic, understanding, self-awareness, learning, emotional knowledge, reasoning, planning, creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving. It can be described as t ...
training after March 1980. Redesignated the 57th Tactical Training Wing in 1977, the wing trained
tactical Tactic(s) or Tactical may refer to: * Tactic (method), a conceptual action implemented as one or more specific tasks ** Military tactics, the disposition and maneuver of units on a particular sea or battlefield ** Chess tactics ** Political tact ...
fighter aircrews, conducted operational tests and evaluations, demonstrated tactical fighter weapon systems, and developed fighter tactics. The 57th's 4440th Tactical Fighter Training Group (Red Flag) assumed operational control of Red Flag exercises in October 1979; and the 57th developing realistic combat training operations featuring adversary tactics, dissimilar air combat training, and electronic warfare. Nellis'
4477th Tactical Evaluation Flight The 4477th Test and Evaluation Squadron (4477 TES) was a squadron in the United States Air Force under the claimancy of the Tactical Air Command (TAC). It is currently inactive. The product of Project Constant Peg, the unit was created to expo ...
("Red Eagles") operated
MiG-17 The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17 (; NATO reporting name: Fresco) is a high-subsonic fighter aircraft produced in the Soviet Union from 1952 and was operated by air forces internationally. The MiG-17 was license-built in China as the Shenyang J-5 an ...
s,
MiG-21 The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 (; NATO reporting name: Fishbed) is a supersonic jet aircraft, jet fighter aircraft, fighter and interceptor aircraft, designed by the Mikoyan, Mikoyan-Gurevich OKB, Design Bureau in the Soviet Union. Its nicknames in ...
s and
MiG-23 The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23 (; NATO reporting name: Flogger) is a variable-geometry fighter aircraft, designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich design bureau in the Soviet Union. It is a third-generation jet fighter, alongside similar Soviet aircra ...
s at the
Tonopah Test Range Airport Tonopah Test Range Airport , at the Tonopah Test Range (Senior Trend project site PS-66) is southeast of Tonopah, Nevada, Tonopah, Nevada, and northwest of Las Vegas, Nevada. It is a major airfield with a runway, instrument approach faciliti ...
(late 1960s-) to simulate combat against U.S. combat aircraft. Named
Constant Peg The 4477th Test and Evaluation Squadron (4477 TES) was a squadron in the United States Air Force under the claimancy of the Tactical Air Command (TAC). It is currently inactive. The product of Project Constant Peg, the unit was created to expo ...
in 1980, the operation assessed the Soviet technology and developed adversary tactics for dissimilar air combat training. After completion of training, the Aggressor pilots were assigned to the DACT squadrons, one of which was assigned to Nellis. During the 1970s, a site northwest of Nellis evaluated a Soviet "Barlock" search radar to develop techniques for countering Soviet air defense systems. The USAF Fighter Weapons School reactivated 30 December 1981 in the 57th wing and the 66th, 414th and 433d Fighter Weapons Squadrons became its "A-10", "F-4E" and "F-15A" divisions (the 414th was the "Red Flag Training Squadron" in 1996). The 422d FWS aircraft and personnel became the "F-16 Division" and the squadron heraldry transferred to the
422d Test and Evaluation Squadron The 422d Test and Evaluation Squadron is a United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 53d Test and Evaluation Group, stationed at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. The squadron performs operational testing of all fighter aircraft and mun ...
. The FWS mission expanded on 15 June 1993 to include all
Air Combat Command The Air Combat Command (ACC) is one of nine List of Major Commands of the United States Air Force, Major Commands (MAJCOMs) in the United States Air Force, reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force (HAF) at the Pentagon. It is the prim ...
weapons (
B-52 The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is an American long-range, subsonic, jet-powered strategic bomber. The B-52 was designed and built by Boeing, which has continued to provide support and upgrades. It has been operated by the United States Ai ...
& B-1 Divisions) and in 1995, rescue helicopters (
HH-60 The Sikorsky MH-60/HH-60 Pave Hawk is a four-blade, twin-engine, medium-lift utility military helicopter manufactured by Sikorsky Aircraft. The HH-60 Pave Hawk and its successor the HH-60W Jolly Green II are combat rescue helicopters, though i ...
Division). RC-135 Rivet Joint and EC-130 Compass Call courses were also added to the CCO Division in 1995, as well as a Space Division in 1996 (UAVs in 2008). In 1981, the
Gunsmoke ''Gunsmoke'' is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston. It centered on Dodge City, Kansas, in the 1870s, during the settlement of the American West. The central charact ...
gunnery meet was first held and the 57th Fighter Weapons Wing was reorganized as part of the establishment of the Fighter Weapons School, e.g., the
422d Test and Evaluation Squadron The 422d Test and Evaluation Squadron is a United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 53d Test and Evaluation Group, stationed at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. The squadron performs operational testing of all fighter aircraft and mun ...
for aircraft modifications was established on 30 December 1981 from the 422d Fighter Weapons Squadron. In 1990, the 64th and 65th Tactical Fighter Training Aggressor Squadrons and the 4440th TFTG were inactivated in 1990 at the end of the Cold War. In November 1991, the 57th implemented the USAF Objective Wing organization which was the most comprehensive USAF reorganization plan since 1947,Rogers, Brian (2005). ''United States Air Force Unit Designations Since 1978''. Hinkley, England: Midland Publications. . activating the
57th Operations Group The 57th Operations Group (57 OG) is the operational component of the 57th Wing, assigned to the United States Air Force's Air Combat Command. The group is stationed at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. The Group provides direct oversight of the Ne ...
for Nellis airfield operations and establishing the 57th Test Group.


Air Combat Command

Nellis transferred to Air Combat Command on 1 June 1992, at the end of the
Cold War The Cold War was a period of global Geopolitics, geopolitical rivalry between the United States (US) and the Soviet Union (USSR) and their respective allies, the capitalist Western Bloc and communist Eastern Bloc, which lasted from 1947 unt ...
when
Tactical Air Command Tactical Air Command (TAC) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was a List of Major Commands of the United States Air Force, Major Command of the United States Air Force, established on 21 March 1946 and headquartered at Lang ...
was inactivated. The
57th Wing The 57th Wing (57 WG) is an operational unit of the United States Air Force (USAF) United States Air Force Warfare Center, Warfare Center, stationed at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. The 57 WG's mission is to provide well trained and wel ...
was designated on 15 June 1993 from the 57th Operations Group in conjunction with the introduction of the
RQ-1 Predator The General Atomics MQ-1 Predator (often referred to as the Predator drone) is an American remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) built by General Atomics that was used primarily by the United States Air Force (USAF) and Central Intelligence Agency ...
and
MQ-9 Reaper The General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper (sometimes called Predator B) is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV, one component of an unmanned aircraft system (UAS)) capable of remotely controlled or autonomous flight operations, developed by General Atomi ...
unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV). The USAF Combat Rescue School was also established in 1993 for
HH-60 Pave Hawk The Sikorsky MH-60/HH-60 Pave Hawk is a four-blade, twin-engine, medium-lift utility military helicopter manufactured by Sikorsky Aircraft. The HH-60 Pave Hawk and its successor the HH-60W Jolly Green II are combat rescue helicopters, though ...
instructional flying. "In 1996, AETC moved the PJ Advanced Weapons Course from Nellis AFB to Kirtland AFB". The 98th Range Wing was activated at Nellis on 29 October 2001 for
Nellis Air Force Range The Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR) is one of two military training areas at the Nellis Air Force Base Complex in Nevada and used by the United States Air Force Warfare Center at Nellis Air Force Base. The NTTR land area includes a "simu ...
control (previous range control was by the FWC). After Detachment 13, 372d Training Squadron opened its F/A-22 maintenance training facility on 29 November 2001, on 14 January 2003 Nellis received the first production
F-22A The Lockheed Martin/Boeing F-22 Raptor is an American Twinjet, twin-engine, Jet engine, jet-powered, Night fighter, all-weather, supersonic Stealth aircraft, stealth fighter aircraft. As a product of the United States Air Force's Advanced Ta ...
Raptor for the F-22 Force Development Evaluation program and Weapons School (12 Raptors had been assigned to the
422d Test and Evaluation Squadron The 422d Test and Evaluation Squadron is a United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 53d Test and Evaluation Group, stationed at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. The squadron performs operational testing of all fighter aircraft and mun ...
by July 2008). "Aggressor" training was reactivated under the 57th Operations Group in 2003 and in 2006 Nellis had the Air Ground Operations School. On 1 May 2007, the
UAV An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) or unmanned aircraft system (UAS), commonly known as a drone, is an aircraft with no human pilot, crew, or passengers onboard, but rather is controlled remotely or is autonomous.De Gruyter Handbook of Drone ...
reconnaissance elements assigned to the 57th Operations Group transferred to the
432nd Wing The 432nd Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to Air Combat Command at Creech Air Force Base near Indian Springs, Nevada. It flies General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper and RQ-170 Sentinel Unmanned aerial vehicles. The group operates unmanned ...
. Detachment 1 of the
Space Warfare Center Space Training and Readiness Command (STAR Command or STARCOM) is the United States Space Force's Professional Military Education, education, military training, training, Military doctrine, doctrine, and Flight test, test field command. It is h ...
was established at Nellis in 1996 after the "Nellis
Combined Air Operations Center An Air Operations Center (AOC) is a type of command center used by the United States Air Force (USAF). It is the senior agency of the Air Force component commander to provide command and control of air operations.Nellis Air Force Range The Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR) is one of two military training areas at the Nellis Air Force Base Complex in Nevada and used by the United States Air Force Warfare Center at Nellis Air Force Base. The NTTR land area includes a "simu ...
control to the 98th Range Wing in 2001, and the annual
Aviation Nation Aviation Nation, sometimes referred to as ''America's Air Show'', is the annual award-winning air show of the United States Air Force (USAF). The show is hosted at Nellis Air Force Base near Las Vegas, Nevada every few years. Being held at Nel ...
airshow began at Nellis in 2002. The Nellis Solar Power Plant constructed 23 April–December 2007 on Nellis' west side was visited by president
Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...
on 27 May 2009. In 2010, the 505th Operations Squadron operated the
Combined Air and Space Operations Center Combined may refer to: * Alpine combined (skiing), the combination of slalom and downhill skiing as a single event ** Super combined (skiing) * Nordic combined (skiing), the combination of cross country skiing and ski jumping as a single event * T ...
-Nellis. The
57th Adversary Tactics Group The 57th Adversary Tactics Group (57 ATG) was the flying component of the 57th Wing, assigned to the United States Air Force Air Combat Command. The group was stationed at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, prior to being merged with the 57th Operat ...
merged into the
57th Operations Group The 57th Operations Group (57 OG) is the operational component of the 57th Wing, assigned to the United States Air Force's Air Combat Command. The group is stationed at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. The Group provides direct oversight of the Ne ...
on 31 March 2020. On 1 June 2020 the 800th Rapid Engineer Deployable, Heavy Operational Repair Squadron, Engineer (RED HORSE) Group activated at Nellis, with the 820th Red Horse Squadron as a subordinate unit.


Major commands to which assigned

*
West Coast Air Corps Training Center West is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from east and is the direction in which the Sun sets on the Earth. Etymology The word "west" is a Germanic word passed into some Romance langu ...
, April 1941 *
Air Corps Flying Training Command The Air Training Command (ATC) is a former United States Air Force (USAF) Major Command designation. It was headquartered at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, but was initially formed at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. It was re-designated ...
, 23 January 1942 and various subsequent designations through
Air Training Command The Air Training Command (ATC) is a former United States Air Force (USAF) Major Command designation. It was headquartered at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, but was initially formed at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. It was re-designated ...
, 1 July – 31 December 1946, 30 August 1947 *
Tactical Air Command Tactical Air Command (TAC) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was a List of Major Commands of the United States Air Force, Major Command of the United States Air Force, established on 21 March 1946 and headquartered at Lang ...
, 1 July 1958 *
Air Combat Command The Air Combat Command (ACC) is one of nine List of Major Commands of the United States Air Force, Major Commands (MAJCOMs) in the United States Air Force, reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force (HAF) at the Pentagon. It is the prim ...
, 1 June 1992 – present


Major units assigned

* 79th Air Base Group, 7 July 1941 : 70th Base HQ and Air Base Squadron, c. 14 August 1942 : 82d Flying Training Wing (Flexible Gunnery) 8 January 1943 – 16 June 1946 * 3595th Pilot Training Wing, 1 April 1948 – 1 July 1958 * 4520th Combat Crew Training Wing, 1 July 1958 – 1 September 1966 * 4525th Fighter Weapons Wing, 1 September 1966 – 15 October 1969 * 474th Tactical Fighter Wing, 20 January 1968 – 15 October 1989 * 57th Wing (Various Designations), 22 August 1969 – present * 554th Operations Support Wing, 1 March 1980 – 1 November 1995 * USAF Fighter Weapons School, 1 January1 September 1966; 30 December 1981 (USAF Weapons School on 15 June 1993) * 4477th Tactical Evaluation Flight ("Red Eagles"), 1 April 1975 – 1990 * USAF Tactical Fighter Weapons Center, 1 September 1966 (USAF Warfare Center on 15 November 2005)


Role and operations

Nellis Air Force Base is known by the USAF as the "Home of the Fighter Pilot" and is the Air Force's focus for advanced combat training. The main unit at Nellis is the USAF Warfare Center, which coordinates training for composite strike forces involving aircraft types from across the USAF inventory, accompanied by air and ground units of the
US Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of the United Stat ...
,
US Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...
,
US Marines The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines or simply the Marines, is the Marines, maritime land force service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is responsible for conducting expedi ...
, and aircraft from other
NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO ; , OTAN), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental organization, intergovernmental Transnationalism, transnational military alliance of 32 Member states of NATO, member s ...
and allied nations. Training is delivered through a series of exercises which typically take place at the
Nevada Test and Training Range The Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR) is one of two military training areas at the Nellis Air Force Base Complex in Nevada and used by the United States Air Force Warfare Center at Nellis Air Force Base. The NTTR land area includes a "simu ...
(NTTR), the primary examples being
Exercise Red Flag Exercise Red Flag (also Red Flag – Nellis) is a two-week advanced aerial combat training exercise held several times a year by the United States Air Force (USAF). It aims to offer realistic air-combat training for military pilots and other ...
and Exercise Green Flag (West). As of October 2019, Nellis employed 9,500 military and civilian personnel. The total military population is more than 40,000, including family members and retired military personnel in the area. The base also supports operations at nearby
Creech Air Force Base Creech Air Force Base is a United States Air Force (USAF) command and control facility in Clark County, Nevada used "to engage in daily Overseas Contingency Operations …of remotely piloted aircraft systems which fly missions across the globe. ...
,
Tonopah Test Range The Tonopah Test Range (TTR, also designated as Area 52) is a highly classified, restricted military installation of the United States Department of Defense, and United States Department of Energy ( nuclear stockpile stewardship) located about ...
, and the
Nevada National Security Site The Nevada National Security Sites (N2S2 or NNSS), popularized as the Nevada Test Site (NTS) until 2010, is a reservation of the United States Department of Energy located in the southeastern portion of Nye County, Nevada, about northwest of ...
. Nellis ground systems for range operations (e.g., by
callsign In broadcasting and radio communications, a call sign (also known as a call name or call letters—and historically as a call signal—or abbreviated as a call) is a unique identifier for a transmitter station. A call sign can be formally assi ...
"Nellis Control") include the Computer and Computed Subsystem used to receive microwave signals from the NTTR Ground-Based per Station the Tracking and Communications Subsystem (TCS) for presentation on Nellis' Display and Debrief SubSystem (DDS). Nellis Area I has the airfield (2 runways and ramp space for up to 300 aircraft), recreation and shopping facilities, dormitories/temporary lodging, some family housing, "and most of the command and support structures", e.g., Suter Hall for Red Flag. Nellis Area II northeast of the main base "at the foot of Sunrise Mountain" (formerly the U.S. Navy's Lake Mead Base) has Nellis Gun Club and the 820th Red Horse Squadron. Nellis Area III is west of the main base with family housing, administration and industrial areas, and the
Mike O'Callaghan Military Medical Center Mike O'Callaghan Military Medical Center is an American military hospital owned and operated by the United States Air Force. It is located on Nellis Air Force Base in Clark County, Nevada and is run by the 99th Medical Group (MDG). Members of the ...
. Area III also includes a munitions response area (MRA XU741) which had World War II storage for small arms ammunition, pyrotechnics, and chemical bombs and that now includes 2 remaining World War II buildings (numbers 1039 & 1047), 5 modern
igloos An igloo (Inuit languages: , Inuktitut syllabics (plural: )), also known as a snow house or snow hut, is a type of shelter built of suitable snow. Although igloos are often associated with all Inuit, they were traditionally used only by the ...
, and RV storage.


Based units

Flying and notable non-flying units based at Nellis Air Force Base. Units marked GSU are Geographically Separate Units, which although based at Nellis, are subordinate to a parent unit based at another location.


United States Air Force

Air Combat Command The Air Combat Command (ACC) is one of nine List of Major Commands of the United States Air Force, Major Commands (MAJCOMs) in the United States Air Force, reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force (HAF) at the Pentagon. It is the prim ...
* US Air Force Warfare Center **
99th Air Base Wing The 99th Air Base Wing (99 ABW) is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Combat Command (ACC) and its ACC subordinate organization, the United States Air Force Warfare Center. It is based at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada and also ...
(Host wing) *** 99th Comptroller Squadron *** 99th Mission Support Group **** 99th Civil Engineer Squadron **** 99th Communications Squadron **** 99th Contracting Squadron **** 99th Logistics Readiness Squadron **** 99th Force Support Squadron **** 99th Security Forces Squadron *** 99th Medical Group **** 99th Aerospace Medical Squadron **** 99th Dental Squadron **** 99th Medical Operations Squadron **** 99th Medical Support Squadron **
53rd Wing The 53rd Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force based at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. The wing reports to the United States Air Force Warfare Center at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, which in turn reports to Headquarters Air Combat Comma ...
*** 53rd Test and Evaluation Group (GSU) **** 88th Test and Evaluation SquadronHC-130J Combat King II and
HH-60G Pave Hawk The Sikorsky MH-60/HH-60 Pave Hawk is a four-blade, twin-engine, medium-lift utility military helicopter manufactured by Sikorsky Aircraft. The HH-60 Pave Hawk and its successor the HH-60W Jolly Green II are combat rescue helicopters, though i ...
****
422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron The 422d Test and Evaluation Squadron is a United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 53d Test and Evaluation Group, stationed at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. The squadron performs operational testing of all fighter aircraft and mun ...
A-10C Thunderbolt II,
F-15C/D Eagle The McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle is an American twin-engine, all-weather fighter aircraft designed by McDonnell Douglas (now part of Boeing). Following reviews of proposals, the United States Air Force (USAF) selected McDonnell Douglas's desi ...
,
F-15E Strike Eagle The McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) F-15E Strike Eagle is an American all-weather multirole strike fighter derived from the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle. Intended for the Dual-Role Fighter (DRF) program (initially called Enhanced Tactical Fi ...
,
F-16C/D Fighting Falcon A large number of variants of the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon have been produced by General Dynamics, Lockheed Martin, and various licensed manufacturers. The details of the F-16 variants, along with major modification programs and der ...
,
F-22A Raptor The Lockheed Martin/Boeing F-22 Raptor is an American Twinjet, twin-engine, Jet engine, jet-powered, Night fighter, all-weather, supersonic Stealth aircraft, stealth fighter aircraft. As a product of the United States Air Force's Advanced Ta ...
,
F-35A Lightning II The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is an American family of single-seat, single-engine, supersonic Stealth aircraft, stealth strike fighters. A multirole combat aircraft designed for both Air superiority fighter, air superiority and att ...
**** Combat Search and Rescue Combined Test Force **** Detachment 3 *** 53rd Test Management Group (GSU) ****
59th Test and Evaluation Squadron The 59th Test and Evaluation Squadron is a United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the Air Combat Command 53d Wing, 53d Test Management Group at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. The 59th Test and Evaluation Squadron is responsible for t ...
**
57th Wing The 57th Wing (57 WG) is an operational unit of the United States Air Force (USAF) United States Air Force Warfare Center, Warfare Center, stationed at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. The 57 WG's mission is to provide well trained and wel ...
***
561st Joint Tactics Squadron The 561st Weapons Squadron is a United States Air Force squadron assigned to the USAF Weapons School at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. The squadron (aviation), squadron was the last United States Air Force unit to fly the McDonnell F-4 Phanto ...
*** US Air Force Weapons School ****
6th Weapons Squadron The 6th Weapons Squadron is an active United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the USAF Weapons School, based at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. It was previously assigned to the Seventh Air Force, being inactivated at Yokota Airfield, ...
– F-35A Lightning II ****
8th Weapons Squadron The 8th Weapons Squadron is a non-flying United States Air Force unit, assigned to the USAF Weapons School at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. The squadron inherited the lineage of the 8th Airborne Command and Control Squadron which was raised as t ...
**** 16th Weapons Squadron – F-16C/D Fighting Falcon ****
17th Weapons Squadron The 17th Weapons Squadron is a United States Air Force unit, assigned to the USAF Weapons School at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. The squadron traces its lineage to the United States Army Air Service's 17th Aero Squadron, 17th and 147th Aero Sq ...
– F-15E Strike Eagle ****
19th Weapons Squadron The 19th Weapons Squadron is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the USAF Weapons School at Nellis AFB, Nevada. The squadron was first activated as the 19th Observation Squadron in March 1942. The 19th originally flew antisubmarine missi ...
**** 26th Weapons Squadron – MQ-9A Reaper **** 32nd Weapons Squadron **** 34th Weapons Squadron – HC-130J Combat King II and HH-60G Pave Hawk **** 57th Weapons Support Squadron **** 66th Weapons Squadron – A-10C Thunderbolt II / Joint Terminal Attack Control **** 315th Weapons Squadron – LGM-30 Minuteman III **** 328th Weapons Squadron **** 433rd Weapons Squadron – F-15C/D Eagle and F-22A Raptor ***
57th Operations Group The 57th Operations Group (57 OG) is the operational component of the 57th Wing, assigned to the United States Air Force's Air Combat Command. The group is stationed at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. The Group provides direct oversight of the Ne ...
**** 6th Combat Training Squadron **** 57th Adversary Tactics Support Squadron **** 57th Information Aggressor Squadron **** 57th Operations Support Squadron ****
64th Aggressor Squadron The 64th Aggressor Squadron is a United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 57th Adversary Tactics Group at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. The 64th AGRS is assigned 24 F-16C Fighting Falcon aircraft, painted in camouflage schemes id ...
– F-16C/D Fighting Falcon ****
65th Aggressor Squadron The 65th Aggressor Squadron is a United States Air Force unit currently operating the Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II, F-35A Lightning II. It is assigned to the 57th Operations Group at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. Overview The 65th Aggres ...
– F-35A Lightning II ****
414th Combat Training Squadron The 414th Combat Training Squadron (414 CTS) is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the 57th Wing, 57th Operations Group at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. The 414th is a non-flying organization charged with hosting Red Flag exercises, ...
**** 507th Air Defense Aggressor Squadron ****
547th Intelligence Squadron The 547th Intelligence Squadron is an active United States Air Force (USAF) unit. It is assigned to the 365th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group, stationed at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. The squadron serves as the USAFs cen ...
****
549th Combat Training Squadron The 549th Combat Training Squadron is a non-flying United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 57th Operations Group, and is stationed at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. It conducts air support and air interdiction sorties in "Green Fla ...
*** 57th Maintenance Group **** 57th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron **** 57th Munitions Squadron **** 757th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron *** US Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron (Thunderbirds) – F-16C/D Fighting Falcon *** US Air Force Advanced Maintenance and Munitions Operations School **
505th Command and Control Wing The United States Air Force's 505th Command and Control Wing is organized under the United States Air Force Warfare Center. The wing is dedicated to improving readiness through integrated training, tactics development and operational testing for ...
*** 505th Test and Evaluation Group (GSU) **** 505th Test Squadron **** Combined Air Operations Center – Nellis **
Nevada Test and Training Range The Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR) is one of two military training areas at the Nellis Air Force Base Complex in Nevada and used by the United States Air Force Warfare Center at Nellis Air Force Base. The NTTR land area includes a "simu ...
*** 31st Combat Training Squadron *** Virtual Test and Training Center *
Fifteenth Air Force The Fifteenth Air Force (15 AF) is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force's Air Combat Command (ACC). It is headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base. It was reactivated on 20 August 2020, merging the previous units of the Ninth Air Forc ...
**
355th Wing The 355th Wing (355 WG) is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Combat Command's Fifteenth Air Force. It is stationed at Davis–Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Arizona, where it operates the A-10 Thunderbolt II. The wing's missi ...
*** Detachment 1 (GSU) ***
563rd Rescue Group The 563rd Rescue Group is a United States Air Force unit stationed at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. The group (military aviation unit), group also controls the rescue squadron (aviation), squadrons at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. ...
(Operating Location-Alpha (OL-A)) (GSU) ****
58th Rescue Squadron The 58th Rescue Squadron is one of five active-duty squadron (aviation), squadrons under the command of the 563rd Rescue Group at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona but located at Operating Site Alpha, Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada.< ...
****
66th Rescue Squadron The 66th Rescue Squadron (66 RQS) is an inactive squadron of the United States Air Force that was last stationed at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, where it operated HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopters conducting search and rescue and combat search and ...
– HH-60G Pave Hawk **** 855th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron ** 800th RED HORSE Group *** 820th RED HORSE Squadron *
Sixteenth Air Force The Sixteenth Air Force (Air Forces Cyber) (16 AF) is a United States Air Force (USAF) organization responsible for information warfare, which encompasses intelligence gathering and analysis, surveillance, reconnaissance, cyber warfare and ele ...
** 363rd Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Wing ***
365th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group The 1st Search Attack Group was a United States Army Air Forces unit that served during World War II. Its last assignment was with First Air Force. It was based at Langley Field, Virginia throughout its existence, and equipped with Boeing B-17 ...
(GSU) **** 526th Intelligence Squadron ****
547th Intelligence Squadron The 547th Intelligence Squadron is an active United States Air Force (USAF) unit. It is assigned to the 365th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group, stationed at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. The squadron serves as the USAFs cen ...
Air Force Materiel Command The Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) is a Major Command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force (USAF). AFMC was created on July 1, 1992, through the amalgamation of the former Air Force Logistics Command (AFLC) and the former Air Force System ...
(AFMC) *
Air Force Test Center The Air Force Test Center (AFTC) is a development and test organization of the United States Air Force. It conducts research, development, test, and evaluation of aerospace systems from concept to deployment. It has test flown every aircraft in ...
**
96th Test Wing The 96th Test Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Force Test Center of Air Force Materiel Command at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. The wing was activated at Eglin in 1994 as the 96th Air Base Wing, the headquarters for ...
*** 96th Operations Group ****
413th Flight Test Squadron The 413th Flight Test Squadron is part of the 96th Test Wing and is based at Hurlburt Field, Florida. It performs flight testing on aircraft used by special operations forces, the Lockheed C-130 Hercules (including AC-130, HC-130 and MC-130), ...
***** Detachment 1 (GSU) – HH-60G Pave Hawk
Air Force Reserve Command The Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) is a MAJCOM, major command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force, with its headquarters at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. It is the federal Air Reserve Component (ARC) of the U.S. Air Force, consisting of ...
(AFRC) *
Tenth Air Force The Tenth Air Force (10 AF) is a unit of the U.S. Air Force, specifically a numbered air force of the Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC). 10 AF is headquartered at Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base/Carswell Field (formerly Carswel ...
** 926th Wing *** 926th Operation Group ****
706th Aggressor Squadron The 706th Aggressor Squadron is part of the 926th Wing at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada where it oversees Air Force Reserve Command fighter pilots supporting the United States Air Force Warfare Center as an associate of the 57th Wing. Pilots ass ...
– A-10C Thunderbolt II, F-15C/D Eagle, F-15E Strike Eagle, F-16C/D Fighting Falcon, F-22A Raptor, F-35A Lightning II **** 926th Aerospace Medicine Squadron **** 926th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron **** 926th Force Support Squadron **** 926th Security Forces Squadron
Air National Guard The Air National Guard (ANG), also known as the Air Guard, is a Reserve components of the United States Armed Forces, federal military reserve force of the United States Air Force, as well as the air militia (United States), militia of each U.S. ...
(ANG) *
Nevada Air National Guard The Nevada Air National Guard is the aerial militia of the State of Nevada, United States of America. Along with the Nevada Army National Guard, it is an element of the Nevada National Guard of the larger United States National Guard Bureau. I ...
**
152nd Airlift Wing The 152nd Airlift Wing (152 AW) is a unit of the Nevada Air National Guard, stationed at Nevada Air National Guard Base, Nevada. If activated to federal service with the United States Air Force, the Wing is operationally gained by the 18th Air ...
*** 232nd Combat Training Squadron (GSU)


Department of Defense

United States Strategic Command The United States Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM) is one of the eleven unified combatant commands in the United States Department of Defense. Headquartered at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, USSTRATCOM is responsible for Strategic_nuclear_weap ...
* Global Operations (J3) Directorate ** Joint Electromagnetic Preparedness for Advanced Combat


Geography

Nellis AFB covers about in the northeast corner of the
Las Vegas Valley The Las Vegas Valley is a major metropolitan area in the Southern Nevada, southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada, and the second largest in the Southwestern United States. The state's largest urban agglomeration, the Las Vegas Metropolitan St ...
, an
alluvial Alluvium (, ) is loose clay, silt, sand, or gravel that has been deposited by running water in a stream bed, on a floodplain, in an alluvial fan or beach, or in similar settings. Alluvium is also sometimes called alluvial deposit. Alluvium is ...
basin in the
Basin and Range Province The Basin and Range Province is a vast United States physiographic region, physiographic region covering much of the inland Western United States and Northern Mexico, northwestern Mexico. It is defined by unique basin and range topography, charac ...
. Since World War II, Nellis has had areas added, such as Area II in 1969, but still has about of undeveloped space. One World War II runway has been removed. The base has 3 areas (I, II, III). The
United States Geological Survey The United States Geological Survey (USGS), founded as the Geological Survey, is an agency of the U.S. Department of the Interior whose work spans the disciplines of biology, geography, geology, and hydrology. The agency was founded on Mar ...
names five different locations for the base: "Nellis Air Force Base", the airfield, the post office, a
Community College of Southern Nevada The College of Southern Nevada (CSN) is a public community college in Clark County, Nevada. The college has more than 2,500 teaching and non-teaching staff and is the largest public college or university in Nevada. It is part of the Nevada System ...
campus, and the
census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a Place (United States Census Bureau), concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counte ...
(CDP).
Nellis AFB "Airport" (2443876, 361408N 1150224W)

Nellis AFB CDP (2408911, 361448N 1150326W)

Nellis Air Force Base (2511960, 361457N 1145946W)

Nellis AFB Post Office (865017, 361432N 1150244W, 01-MAY-1992)

Community College of Southern Nevada Nellis Air Force Base Center (2087468)
/ref>


Census-designated place

The Nellis Air Force Base CDP is an region defined by the
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
as of the 2010 United States Census. The CDP area includes military family housing (e.g., in Nellis Areas I & III), dormitories, and lodging as for aircrew temporary quarters during Red Flag exercises.


Nellis AFB complex

The
Nellis Air Force Base Complex The Nellis Air Force Base Complex (Nellis AFB complex, NAFB Complex) is the southern Nevada military region of Federal government of the United States, federal facilities and lands, e.g., currently and formerly used for military and associated ...
is a group of southern Nevada military areas that are predominantly USAF and
Bureau of Land Management The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior responsible for administering federal lands, U.S. federal lands. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the BLM oversees more than of land, or one ...
areas outside of the base (e.g., controlled by military units at Nellis). The complex's land areas include Nellis AFB, the USAF
Nevada Test and Training Range The Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR) is one of two military training areas at the Nellis Air Force Base Complex in Nevada and used by the United States Air Force Warfare Center at Nellis Air Force Base. The NTTR land area includes a "simu ...
, the active portion of the Small Arms Range Annex north of the base, the annex's
Formerly Used Defense Site Formerly Used Defense Sites (FUDS or FDS) are properties that were owned by, leased to, or otherwise possessed by the United States and under the jurisdiction of the United States Secretary of Defense. The term also refers to the U.S. military pro ...
of (cleared in March 1972, returned to the DoI), 13 BLM areas of each leased for Patriot Radar/Communications Exercises, and other BLM sites "under Military Operations Area (MOA) airspace". Nellis AFB also leases space at the former
Las Vegas AFS Las Vegas Air Force Station (ADC ID: SM-163, NORAD ID: Z-163) is a closed United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station. It is located west-northwest of Las Vegas, Nevada. It was closed by the Air Force in 1969 and turned over ...
, and environmental sites of the Tonopah Bombing Range (FUDS) are monitored by the EPA. Additional
Formerly Used Defense Sites Formerly Used Defense Sites (FUDS or FDS) are properties that were owned by, leased to, or otherwise possessed by the United States and under the jurisdiction of the United States Secretary of Defense. The term also refers to the U.S. military pro ...
associated with the area's military operations are the
Nye County Nye County is a county in the U.S. state of Nevada. As of the 2020 census, the population was 51,591. Its county seat is Tonopah. At , Nye is Nevada's largest county by area and the third-largest county in the contiguous United States, beh ...
Areas A, G, H, & I; the "
Delamar Dry Lake Delamar Dry Lake is a dry lake bed located in the Dry Lake Watershed near Alamo in Lincoln County, Nevada. It is located on federal land administered by the Bureau of Land Management. Delamar Dry Lake Landing Strip Delamar Lake Landing Strip, ...
Test Annex" and the "Sunrise Mountain Machine Gun Range".


In popular culture

*A scaled-down version of Nellis Air Force Base appears in the 2010 video game '' Fallout: New Vegas''. The base is home to the Boomers, a reclusive tribe of former vault dwellers with access to artillery and explosives. *The base is briefly shown in the 2007 film ''
Transformers ''Transformers'' is a media franchise produced by American toy company Hasbro and Japanese toy company Tomy, Takara Tomy. It primarily follows the heroic Autobots and the villainous Decepticons, two Extraterrestrials in fiction, alien robot fac ...
'', where Captain William Lennox and Sergeant Robert Epps are contacted by Sector 7. *The base is briefly mentioned at the end of '' Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines'' (2003). It is said to be under attack from the machines. *In the television series ''
Stargate SG-1 ''Stargate SG-1'' (often stylized in all caps, or abbreviated ''SG-1'') is a military science fiction Adventure fiction, adventure television series within Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's Stargate, ''Stargate'' franchise. The show, created by Brad Wrig ...
'', Nellis Air Force Base is home to the top secret facility
Area 51 Area 51 is the common name of a highly classified United States Air Force (USAF) facility within the Nevada Test and Training Range in southern Nevada, north-northwest of Las Vegas. A remote detachment administered by Edwards Air Force B ...
, where alien technologies are studied. *The base is mentioned and features as the base from which the drone pilots operate from in the 2024 film
Land Of Bad ''Land of Bad'' is a 2024 American action thriller film directed by William Eubank, who co-wrote the script with David Frigerio. The film stars Liam Hemsworth, Russell Crowe, Luke Hemsworth, Ricky Whittle, and Milo Ventimiglia, and follows a US ...
.


See also

*
List of United States Air Force installations This is a list of Military base, installations operated by the United States Air Force located within the United States and abroad. Locations where the Air Force have a notable presence but do not operate the facility are also listed. Backgroun ...
* Nevada World War II Army Airfields


Notes


References

* Manning, Thomas A. (2005), ''History of Air Education and Training Command, 1942–2002''. Office of History and Research, Headquarters, AETC, Randolph AFB, Texas * Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). ''Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947–1977''. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. . * Shaw, Frederick J. (2004), ''Locating Air Force Base Sites, History’s Legacy'', Air Force History and Museums Program, United States Air Force, Washington DC.


External links

* *
Desert Lightning News (southern Nevada edition)
' – base newspaper * * * Installations of the United States Air Force in Nevada Census-designated places in Clark County, Nevada Military facilities in the Mojave Desert Transportation in the Las Vegas Valley Unincorporated communities in Nevada Military airbases established in 1941 Airports in Nevada