Birmingham Air National Guard Base Overview . Birmingham ANGB consists of approximately 147 acres and essential facilities to support the mission of the 117th Air Refueling Wing and its assigned units . The 117th ARW occupies 101 facilities including offices , mission support structures , maintenance hangars , POL storage and refueling station and a Joint Hospital . As of 2002 the Wing had 9 authorized KC - 135 Stratotanker s . The current complement of personnel is 275 , including military and civilian employees . This expands to 1 , 243 personnel for UTA weekends and during activation . The Alabama Army National Guard ( ARNG ) has facilities and units co - located on the base . These facilities provide for aircraft hangar and maintenance , the 109th Evacuation Hospital and OMS storage facility . The 109th Evac Hospital also supports ARNG / ANG weekend drill activities and unit activation ' s . In addition , the Federal Aviation Administration has two radar sites within the confines of the base History . World War II . The airport was opened in April 1940 as Birmingham Municipal Airport , and was the commercial airport for Birmingham , Alabama . During World War II the airfield was leased by the United States Army Air Forces for $ 1 . 00 / year and it became a joint Civil Airport / Military Airfield , being designated as Birmingham Army Air Base . Birmingham AAB was initially used by 3d Air Force as a staging airfield for combat units prior to their deployment to overseas combat theaters . The XII Tactical Air Command was formed at Birmingham AAB on 10 September 1942 . On 16 April 1944 , Birmingham AAB was transferred from 3d Air Force to Air Technical Service Command with Joint Use by Air Materiel Command and Air Transport Command . Materiel and Technical Service Commands used the base as a major aircraft modification center and air depot under the Mobile Air Materiel Area ( MOAMA ) . Transport Command operated large numbers of cargo and passenger aircraft from the base as part of its Domestic Wing . In 1948 the airport was returned to civil control . Alabama Air National Guard . In 1946 the 106th Reconnaissance Squadron ( Bomb ) and the 160th Fighter Squadron , flying F - 51s were assigned together to the 117th Fighter Group , which later became the Alabama Air National Guard 117th Tactical Reconnaissance Group and established its headquarters on 31 March 1946 at Birmingham AAB . It was Federally recognized on 26 November 1946 . In the present day , the Air National Guard has a base which includes nine KC - 135R Stratotanker aircraft assigned to the 117th Air Refueling Wing ( 117 ARW ) , an Air Mobility Command ( AMC ) - gained unit of the Alabama Air National Guard . The 117 ARW was previously designated as the 117th Tactical Reconnaissance Group ( 117 TRG ) and later as the 117th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing ( 117 TRW ) , a Tactical Air Command ( TAC ) / Air Combat Command ( ACC ) - gained unit operating the RF - 4C Phantom II reconnaissance aircraft . A lease between the Federal Government and The Armory Commission of Alabama , dated 22 January 1961 , currently with four Supplemental Agreements , established the initial boundaries and conveyed the lands and buildings for the purpose of military aviation . A Lease Amendment between the Birmingham Airport Authority and the Commission in 1988 established the real estate relationship between the airport authority and the Armory Commission . The lease term expires in the year 2036 but shall continue year to year without notice unless terminated by the Commission . Prior to 1996 , the base was bisected by two city streets - East Lake Blvd and Shelby Blvd . As a part of the Master Plan update , East Lake Blvd was rerouted around the base perimeter , Shelby Blvd was transferred to the ANG with a lease amendment , and the individual land parcels were consolidated into one tract of land . This consolidation greatly improved internal traffic circulation , security and unit operations . Prior to the road relocation , this area was in a municipal environment with the utilities routed along the city street easements and rights of way . Electric service was initially supplied by overhead wires and buildings individually metered for consumption and billing . This was changed recently to economize energy costs by establishing with the utility a main feeder with a single primary meter . The ANG provides secondary distribution to the on - base facilities through a system of underground conduits . The overhead wiring remains in service to provide electrical service for street lights and other units occupying the base . In September 1994 , the 117th Air Refueling Wing and 106th Air Refueling Squadron were formed and equipped with KC - 135 tanker aircraft . Simultaneously , a major revision outlined in the Base Master Plan was initiated to complete improvements in the infrastructure to support the new mission , to unify the existing real estate holdings into one contiguous environ and to implement facility improvements and additions necessary to support the mission . The Master Plan recommendations included the relocation of a city thoroughfare , consolidation of three real estate parcels and the completion of almost $ 64 million in facility improvements and construction . To date , all but one of the recommended projects are complete , and it is in the final stages of design .