The host unit at Altus AFB is the 97th Air Mobility Wing (97 AMW), assigned to the Nineteenth Air Force (19 AF) of the Air Education and Training Command (AETC). The wing's mission is to provide C-17 Globemaster III and KC-135 Stratotanker formal initial and advanced specialty training programs for up to 3000 flight crew and aircraft maintenance students annually.
Altus AFB was established in 1943 as Altus Army Airfield (AAF). The 97 AMW commander is Colonel Todd A. Hohn. The Command Chief Master Sergeant is Chief Master Sergeant James M. Powell III.
Around 6,497 personnel reside at the base.
The primary mission of the base is to provide specialised undergraduate pilot training (SUPT) to the USAF aircrew and its allied forces on KC-135 Stratotanker refuelling and C-17 Globemaster III transport aircraft.
Training is offered in academic, simulator and flying phases. The LTS produces combat-ready pilots for deployment in worldwide contingencies.
History
Postwar era
Between 1945 and 1953 Altus would serve as a scrap yard for hundreds of World War II era military aircraft. In 1945 the famous B-17F "Memphis Belle" was discovered at Altus awaiting disposal. The aircraft was saved and transferred to the city of Memphis, Tennessee where it was displayed until 2005, when it was relocated to the National Museum of the United States Air Force at Wright-Patterson AFB Ohio.
Cold War
The base would only sit idle for a few years. The onset of the Korean War in June 1950 created the need for more men to fly and service aircraft. During the early years of the conflict, many World War II airfields were examined for reactivation. On 1 August 1953, Altus Air Force Base was reactivated as a training base for transport aircraft. The C-47 "Skytrain" and the C-45 "Expediter" were the main aircraft assigned to the base, run briefly by the 63d Troop Carrier Wing from 8 January until 15 October 1953 under the watch of the Tactical Air Command (TAC). During the 1950s, the base would undergo many changes and would change hands from TAC to the Strategic Air Command (SAC). Later that year, on 18 November, the 96th Bombardment Wing, Medium, (96 BMW) would arrive and begin operations with three bomber squadrons and one air refueling squadron. The squadrons eventually flew the first all jet-engined bomber, the B-47 Stratojet and the KC-97 Stratofreighter, a dual-purpose cargo and air-refueling aircraft. By the end of the decade, both of these aircraft would be replaced by aircraft still in the Air Force inventory, the KC-135 Stratotanker and the B-52 Stratofortress. The KC-135 was the first all jet-engined air-refueling aircraft and the B-52 still remains the backbone of the USAF bomber fleet. When the 96th BW moved to Dyess AFB, Texas, the 11th Bombardment Wing (Heavy) activated and stood on alert during the Cold War. As the base moved into the 1960s, more changes would occur.
June 1961 witnessed the activation of twelve Atlas “F” intercontinental ballistic missile sites within a 40-mile radius of the base. Controlled by the 577th Strategic Missile Squadron, the missiles sat inside a silo, constructed underground with a launch facility, and manned around the clock. The missile silos became operational on 10 October 1962, but the activation would be short-lived. By April 1965, the Atlas missile would be outdated and was phased out of the national strategic defense plan.
In August 1966, the 4th Mobile Communications Group transferred from Hunter AFB, Georgia to Altus. The unit's mission consisted of providing mobile and transportable communication services, aiding navigation and air traffic control throughout the world.
In 1967, the Air Force began searching for a base that could handle the training for its strategic airlift fleet, the C-141 Starlifter and its newest and largest transport aircraft, the C-5 Galaxy. Again, Oklahoma proved to be well suited for the mission. The Military Airlift Command (MAC) assumed command of the base from SAC and activated the 443d Military Airlift Wing (443 MAW), Training, to assume host wing responsibilities and to fly alongside the SAC aircraft that would become a tenant command at Altus.
By the start of the 1970s, Altus AFB would have three aircraft type/models assigned: KC-135s, C-141s, and C-5s. For the KC-135 aircraft at Altus still under SAC's control, the USAF activated the 340th Air Refueling Wing, which continued to operate the base's KC-135s.
Modern era
The post Cold War environment would bring many changes to Altus AFB. On 1 June 1992, the Air Force reorganized and the Military Airlift Command (MAC) disestablished. In its place was the new Air Mobility Command (AMC) which placed MAC's strategic and tactical airlift aircraft and SAC's aerial refueling aircraft under a single command. Second, the 443d Airlift Wing and the 340th Air Refueling Wing were inactivated, with the latter's aircraft transferred to the 19th Air Refueling Wing (19 ARW) at Robins AFB, Georgia. On 1 October, the first Air Mobility Wing (AMW), the 97th Air Mobility Wing (97 AMW), arrived at Altus without personnel or equipment, having formerly been designated as SAC's 97th Bombardment Wing and being transferred from the deactivating Eaker AFB, Arkansas as a result of Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) action. The 97 AMW was tasked with flight crew formal training unit (FTU) responsibilities for the C-141 and C-5 aircrew, and with the closure of Castle AFB, California due to BRAC action, concurrently assumed FTU responsibilities for KC-135E/R/T flight crews. On 1 July 1993, the 97th was transferred from AMC to the newly established Air Education and Training Command (AETC) as part of a USAF initiative to move most FTU activities to AETC.
More changes were on the horizon. In 1996, the latest addition to Altus AFB, the new C-17 Globemaster III, arrived. Even before its arrival, the base began training pilots and loadmasters to operate and fly the aircraft.
In August 2002, the mission of the wing grew when the Air Force moved the basic loadmaster course from Sheppard AFB, Texas to Altus. This initiative combined similar training programs to reduce the number of moves required by trainees while cutting overall costs. Additionally, during that same month, the wing reorganized as a "combat wing": the 97th Support Group became the 97th Mission Support Group, gaining the new 97th Logistics Readiness Squadron (comprising the former 97th Supply Squadron, 97th Transportation Squadron and logistics plans flight) and the 97th Contracting Squadron. Also, the 97th Logistics Group inactivated and the 97th Maintenance Directorate was activated. The directorate comprises civil-service personnel, who are responsible for the care and maintenance of all three airframes at the base.
The 97 AMW discontinued FTU responsibilities for the C-141 concurrent with that aircraft's retirement from the USAF inventory in 2006. On 1 July 2007, the Air Force Reserve Command's (AFRC) 433d Airlift Wing (433 AW) at Lackland AFB/Kelly Field assumed responsibility for all flying training and academic training for the C-5 aircraft for all Active Duty Air Force, Air Force Reserve Command and Air National Guard (ANG) aircrews, leaving the 97 AMW and Altus to concentrate on C-17 and KC-135 training for AMC, AFRC and ANG aircrews.
Previous names
-Established on 17 June 1942 as: AAF Advanced Flying School, Altus, Oklahoma
-Altus Army Airfield, 8 April 1943
-AAF Pilot School (Advanced TE), Altus Army Airfield, 6 August 1943 – 23 April 1946
-Inactivated 23 April 1946 – 3 March 1953
-Altus Air Force Base, 3 March 1953–present
Major commands to which assigned
-AAF Gulf Coast Training Cen, 26 June 1942
-AAF Central Flying Training Comd, 31 July 1943
-AAF Technical Service Comd, 16 May 1945
-Air Technical Service Comd, 1 July 1945 – 9 March 1946
-Tactical Air Command, 11 June 1952
-Strategic Air Command, 21 June 1954
-Military Airlift Command, 1 July 1968
-Air Mobility Command, 1 October 1992
-Air Education and Training Command, 1 July 1993–present
Base operating units
-453rd Base HQ and Air Base Squadron, 6 October 1942 – 1 May 1944
-2508th AAF Base Unit (Pilot School), 1 May 1944 – 16 May 1945
-4124th AAF Base Unit, 16 May-13 December 1945
-63d Air Base Group, 8 January 1953
-4037th Air Base Group, 15 October 1953 – 18 November 1953
-96th Air Base Group, 18 November 1953
-11th Combat Support Gp, 1 March 1959 – 8 July 1968
-443rd Air Base (later Combat Support) Group, 8 July 1968
-97th Mission Support Group 1 October 1992–present
Major units assigned
-Army Air Force Pilot School (Advanced Training), 26 June 1942 – 15 May 1945
-4124 Army Air Force Base Unit, 15 May 1945 – 13 December 1945
-63d Troop Carrier Wing, 8 January 1953 – 14 October 1953
-96th Bombardment Wing, 18 November 1953 – 7 September 1957
-11th Bombardment Wing, 13 December 1957 – 25 March 1969
-340th Air Refueling Wing, 1 July 1977 – 1 October 1992
-443d Military Airlift Wing, Training, 5 May 1969 – 1 October 1992
-97th Air Mobility Wing 1 October 1992–present
SM-65F Atlas Missile Sites
The 577th Strategic Missile Squadron operated twelve missile sites, of one missile at each site.
-577–1 2.2 mi NNE of Lugert, OK 34°55′32″N 099°15′35″W
-577–2 3.8 mi SSE of Cambridge, OK 35°01′34″N 099°10′14″W
-577–3 0.8 mi SE of Mountain Park, OK 34°41′16″N 098°56′27″W
-577–4 2.1 mi WSW of Cache, OK 34°36′56″N 098°39′39″W
-577–5 4.0 mi NNE of Manitou, OK 34°33′44″N 098°57′43″W
-577–6 2.2 mi NNE of Frederick, OK* 34°26′18″N 099°00′53″W
-577–7 4.8 mi SE of Ranchland, TX 34°21′43″N 099°19′27″W
-577–8 0.6 mi NE of Creta, OK 34°31′36″N 099°32′24″W
-577–9 3.7 mi NNW of Gould, OK 34°41′05″N 099°50′02″W
-577–10 6.2 mi SW of Mangum, OK 34°49′04″N 099°35′26″W
-577–11 1.0 mi NE of Willow, OK 35°03′43″N 099°29′49″W
-577–12 2.7 mi WSW of Granite, OK 34°57′13″N 099°25′37″W
Note: *The missile at this site exploded in May 1964
The base features three runways which can accommodate KC-135R Stratotankers, the C-17 Globemaster III, C-5 Galaxy, C-47 Skytrain, C-45 Expediter, KC-97 Stratofreighter, B-47 Stratojet, B-52 Stratofortress and C-141 Starlifter aircraft.
The first runway is 4,097m long and is paved with concrete. The second runway is 2,744m and the third 1,067m. Both runways are surfaced with asphalt.
In April 2011, a digital airport surveillance radar (DASR) and radar approaching control (RAPCON) system were built at a cost of $7.6m. The RAPCON superseded the 50-year old facility at the base, while the DASR replaced a 1970's era radar system.
Control tower and other functions
Garver constructed a new air traffic control tower at the base at a cost of $2.8m. The control tower is built on a 54m² floor area.
The LTS offers education, accommodation, temporary lodging, child care and medical care facilities. It features 883 military family housing units, a community centre and three temporary lodging units to accommodate military personnel.