55th Wing The 55th Wing ( 55 WG ) is a United States Air Force unit assigned to Air Combat Command . The wing is primarily stationed at Offutt Air Force Base , Nebraska , but maintains one of its groups and associated squadrons at Davis - Monthan Air Force Base , Arizona as a geographically separated unit ( GSU ) . The 55 WG is the only Air Force wing with continuous operations , maintenance , and aircraft presence in the United States Central Command area of responsibility since Operation Desert Storm . Overview . The 55 WG mission is to provide worldwide reconnaissance , real - time intelligence , command and control , information warfare and combat support to U . S . leaders and commanders . One of the wing ' s units , the 55th Operations Group , operates 46 aircraft , including 13 models of seven different types . It is the largest wing in Air Combat Command and flies the most diverse number of aircraft . Flying units and assigned aircraft . 1st Airborne Command and Control Squadron - E - 4B 38th Reconnaissance Squadron - RC - 135 45th Reconnaissance Squadron - OC - 135 , RC - 135 , TC - 135 , WC - 135 82d Reconnaissance Squadron ( Kadena AB , ROK ) - RC - 135 95th Reconnaissance Squadron ( RAF Mildenhall , UK ) - RC - 135 338th Combat Training Squadron - aircrew training 343d Reconnaissance Squadron - OC - 135 , RC - 135 , WC - 135 41st Electronic Combat Squadron - EC - 130H 43d Electronic Combat Squadron - EC - 130H History . The " Fightin ’ Fifty - Fifth " has made significant contributions to the defense of the United States of America for more than 50 years . Having won honor and distinction for its combat record since World War II with two Distinguished Unit Citation s , the wing has since compiled an admirable record of achievements . Since its inception , the unit has operated around the world , flying a wide variety of aircraft . Cold War . On November 1 , 1950 , the 55th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing ( 55 SRW ) activated and was bestowed with the awards and honors of the 55th Reconnaissance Group at Ramey Air Force Base , Puerto Rico . From 1950 to 1954 the Wing ' s task was to perform strategic reconnaissance , charting photography , precise electronic geodetic mapping , and electronic reconnaissance missions . In 1952 , the wing returned to Forbes AFB , Kansas and converted to RB - 50 s . The wing formally assumed a global strategic reconnaissance mission in 1954 and transited to the RB - 47E " Stratojet . " The Wing was deployed at Ben Guerir Air Base , in what was then French Morocco , between May and August 1955 . When the mapping and charting functions originally assigned to the 55th Reconnaissance Group were transferred on May 1 , 1954 , the wing assumed the mission of global strategic reconnaissance , including electronic reconnaissance . It also carried out weather reconnaissance operations until June 1963 , and photographic reconnaissance missions until May 1964 . The 55 SRW moved to Offutt AFB , Nebraska , in August 1966 . That same year the 55th ’ s 38th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron assumed responsibility for SAC ’ s airborne command and control system . The 2d Airborne Command and Control Squadron inherited this mission after activation on April 1 , 1970 . The 1st Airborne Command and Control Squadron , flying E - 4A aircraft , transferred to the 55th on November 1 , 1975 , bringing with it the National Emergency Airborne Command Post , now called the National Airborne Operations Center . The Wing flew reconnaissance operations during the U . S . military operations in Grenada in 1983 and Libya in 1986 . On March 1 , 1986 , the 55 SRW became the host unit at Offutt after the inactivation of the 3902d Air Base Wing . The Wing ended nearly twenty - five years of continuous Airborne Command Post ( ' Looking Glass ' ) operations in 1990 , assumed a modified alert posture , and continued worldwide reconnaissance . In October 1998 , the wing transferred control of the EC - 135 LOOKING GLASS mission to the United States Navy ' s TACAMO aircraft and the 7th Airborne Command and Control Squadron , which flew the EC - 135 LOOKING GLASS aircraft , inactivated . The wing deployed to the Persian Gulf on August 8 , 1990 , and began 24 - hour - a - day reconnaissance of the region for Central Command Commander Gen . Norman Schwarzkopf , under Operation DESERT SHIELD . At the start of Operation DESERT STORM , January 18 , 1991 , the wing continued to provide real - time information to theater commanders and remains there yet today . Modern era . The 55th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing became the 55th Wing on September 1 , 1991 , to reflect the wing ’ s performance of a diversity of missions . When SAC disestablished and Air Combat Command ( ACC ) established , the wing transferred to ACC and gained its fifth operational location . The 55th SRW and the 55th Wing has been awarded the USAF ' s P . T . Cullen Award five times since 1971 for its contributions to photo and signal intelligence collection . Components . Groups Squadrons