435th Air Expeditionary Wing
The United States Air Force's 435th Air Expeditionary Wing is an inactive air expeditionary unit assigned to the Third Air Force, last stationed at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. As of 2022, the wing had forward deployed units in six locations in West and East Africa. Its command staff is also exercised command of the 435th Air Ground Operations Wing.
On 9 June 2023, the wing was inactivated during a ceremony at Ramstein Air Base, with its components becoming part of the 406th Air Expeditionary Wing, which was activated at Ramstein the same day.
Among the missions conducted or supported by the unit were medical evacuation, logistics support, ISR and aerial refueling. For its ISR mission, the wing utilizes MQ-9 Reaper drones, having the US Air Force's only active-duty MQ-9 unit deployed to the region under its command.
Units
As of 2022, the 435th Air Expeditionary Wing was made up of two groups, which in turn consisted of ten squadrons:409th Air Expeditionary Group- * 324th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron
- * 409th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron
- * 724th Expeditionary Air Base Squadron
- * 768th Expeditionary Air Base Squadron 449th Air Expeditionary Group
- * 12th Expeditionary Special Operations Squadron
- * 75th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron
- * 82nd Expeditionary Rescue Squadron
- * 475th Expeditionary Air Base Squadron
- * 726th Expeditionary Mission Support Squadron
- * 776th Expeditionary Air Base Squadron