Ramstein Air Base or Ramstein AB is a United States Air Force base in Rhineland-Palatinate, a state in southwestern Germany. It serves as headquarters for the United States Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa (USAFE-AFAFRICA) and also for NATO Allied Air Command (AIRCOM). Ramstein is located near the town of Ramstein-Miesenbach, which stands outside the base's west gate, in the rural district of Kaiserslautern. The base supports forward elements deploying to Eastern Europe and Africa.
Aerial view of Ramstein showing hangars, warehouses and the passenger terminal alongside the flight line
McDonnell Douglas F-4E-55-MC Phantom II, AF Ser. No. 68-0517 and General Dynamics F-16C Block 25E Fighting Falcon, AF Ser. No. 84–0296 of the 526th TFS/86th TFW, flying in formation, 1985.
Lockheed C-130E Hercules of the 37th AS/86th Airlift Wing.
McDonnell RF-4C Phantoms of the 38th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, 26th TRW, AF Serial Numbers 65–0891, 65–0826 and 66–0418. These aircraft were retired to AMARC in the early 1990s.
United States Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa
The United States Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa (USAFE-AFAFRICA) is a United States Air Force (USAF) major command (MAJCOM) and a component command of both United States European Command (USEUCOM) and United States Africa Command (USAFRICOM). As part of its mission, USAFE-AFAFRICA commands U.S. Air Force units pledged to NATO, maintaining combat-ready wings based from the United Kingdom to Turkey. USAFE-AFAFRICA plans, conducts, controls, coordinates and supports air and space operations in Europe, parts of Asia and all of Africa with the exception of Egypt to achieve U.S. national and NATO objectives based on taskings by the two combatant commanders.
USAFE patch, 1946
P-51D Mustangs, mostly from the 78th Fighter Group, in storage at RAF Duxford, England, Summer 1945. Most of these aircraft were returned to the United States or used by USAFE units in Germany.
RB-24 reconnaissance aircraft used to carry out "Casey Jones" recon missions. Cameras were mounted in the nose and bomb bay.
Arrival of SAC KB-50s in Germany, 1946