406th Air Expeditionary Wing The 406th Air Expeditionary Wing ( 406 AEW ) is a provisional unit assigned to the United States Air Forces in Europe . The wing was reactivated in early 2003 as a provisional wing to be used as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom ( OIF ) , based in Turkey . When Turkey refused to allow its territory to be used as part of the March 2003 invasion of Iraq , It seems likely the 406 AEW was inactivated shortly afterward . Sometime afterward , it was reactivated at Thumrait Air Base , Oman , possibly with KC - 135 tankers . Possibly later moved to Camp Bastion , Afghanistan . Its current status is undetermined . History . 406th Fighter - Bomber Wing . On 10 July 1952 , the Kentucky Air National Guard 123d Fighter - Bomber Wing at RAF Manston , England was redesignated the 406th Fighter - Bomber Wing . The fighter squadrons being redesignated the 512th , 513th and 514th respectively , the F - 84G Thunderjet s and support aircraft of the ANG were assigned to the 406th Fighter - Bomber Group under the Hobson Plan . The 406th FBW commanded the functions of both the support groups as well as the flying combat 406th FBG . The few National Guardsmen still with the wing departed and the last were released from active duty on 9 July , although a few reserve officers remained on active duty for an additional six to twelve months . on 1 May 1956 when 406th FIW converted to Tri - Deputate organization , assigning operational squadrons directly to the wing . The 406th Fighter - Bomber Group was inactivated . In June 1956 F - 86D Sabre interceptors arrived from CONUS to equip the 87th Fighter - Interceptor Squadron which was transferred to the 406th from the 81st FBW assigned to RAF Shepherds Grove . The 87th FIS , however , physically remained at Shepherds Grove , but was under the organizational command of the 406th at Manston . In September 1955 , the 87th was redesignated the 512th FIS . In May 1958 the 406th was inactivated in place , with its three air defense squadrons being assigned to contentinal Europe under the 86th Air Division ( Defense ) at Ramstein Air Base West Germany . The squadrons were transferred to the following bases : The F - 86D ' s were eventually withdrawn from Europe in 1961 , and the 512th , 513th and 514th were inactivated . 406th Tactical Fighter Training Wing . In February 1970 Project CREEK STEP called for the buildup of Zaragoza Air Base as a USAFE weapons training site , with actual use of the Bardenas Reales Air - to - Ground Bombing and Gunnery Range ( about 45 mi / 70 km northwest of the base ) began in March . With the closure of Wheelus Air Base in Libya , Zaragoza returned to active status on 19 February 1970 with the activation of the 406th Tactical Fighter Training Group . The 406th was elevated to Wing status on 21 July 1972 . Although the 406th had no permanently assigned aircraft , the Wing provided support to all USAFE tactical aircraft which used the Zaragoza range , as well as deployed SAC and TAC units , as well as allied NATO units . Beginning in September 1972 , the 406th also operated the USAFE Tactical Forces Employment School , and in May 1976 , began operating the USAFE Instructor Pilot School . Weapons training detachments were principally F - 4 Phantom II aircraft , although F - 111s used the wing ' s ranges for a short period in 1974 , and U . S . Navy A - 7 Corsair s used the range facilities in June 1974 . During November 1976 , the 406th TFTW began full maintenance support of an SAC KC - 135 tanker detachment on a permanent basis . On 12 September 1977 , another facet was added to the wing ’ s training operations when it conducted the first Dissimilar air combat training ( DACT ) missions with USAF and U . S . Navy aircraft In 1979 the Instructor Pilot School was closed in July , due to broad changes in USAFE ' s mission and budget restraints . On 1 January 1980 , the support mission expanded when the 406th assumed responsibility for various functional areas in support of the four USAF tropo - scatter radar sites at Humosa , Mencora , Soller , and Inoges . The wing provided this support in cooperation with the 401st Tactical Fighter Wing assigned to Torrejon AB . Foremost among the accomplishments of the 406th TFTW during 1981 was the preparation and planning for reception of the F - 16 Weapons Training Detachments which began in 1982 . The 512nd TFS of the 86th Tactical Fighter Wing at Ramstein AB , West Germany recorded its first F - 16C fighter deployment to the Bardenas Reales Range on 3 April 1986 . This represented the initial use of the C - model F - 16 aircraft at the range since the newer F - 16s were introduced to the European theatre . For the rest of the 1980s , the 406th continued to provide support for USAFE crew training and range training exercises . August 1990 ushered in a period of intense activity , as the 406th and Zaragoza provided major air and ground support for Operation Desert Shield , conducted in response to Iraq ' s invasion of Kuwait . Thousands of military personnel and tons of equipment passed through Zaragoza en route to the crisis in the Middle East . The base and the wing continued to act as a major aerial port providing support during and after Operation Desert Storm . Subject to the same provisions requiring the removal of other units from Spain , the 406th began efforts to end its operations and return Zaragoza to the Spanish Government in 1992 . The use of the training range ended in December 1991 , followed by the turnover of base operations to the Spanish in April 1992 . The 406th Tactical Fighter Training Wing was inactivated on 1 April 1994 when USAFE ended its presence and returned control of Zaragoza Air Base to the Spanish government . Components . Group Squadrons