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Tinker Air Force Base is a major
United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Si ...
base, with tenant U.S. Navy and other
Department of Defense Department of Defence or Department of Defense may refer to: Current departments of defence * Department of Defence (Australia) * Department of National Defence (Canada) * Department of Defence (Ireland) * Department of National Defense (Philipp ...
missions, located in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, surrounded by
Del City Del City is a city in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, United States, and a part of the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. The population was 21,822 at the United States Census, 2020. Del City is located near two major interstate highways, both of whic ...
,
Oklahoma City Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, it ranks 20th among United States cities in population, and ...
, and
Midwest City Midwest City is a city in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, United States, and a part of the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 54,371, making it the eighth largest city in the state. The city was developed in re ...
. The base, originally known as the Midwest Air Depot, is named in honor of Oklahoma native
Major General Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of ...
Clarence L. Tinker, the first Native American major general.Crowder, James. " It is the largest air depot in the nation
TINKER AIR FORCE BASE
" ''Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture''. (accessed 18 August 2013)
May, Jon D.

," ''Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture''. (accessed 18 August 2013)
Tinker is the headquarters of the
Air Force Materiel Command Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) is a major command ( MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force (USAF). AFMC was created on July 1, 1992, through the amalgamation of the former Air Force Logistics Command (AFLC) and the former Air Force Systems Co ...
's (AFMC) Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center (OC-ALC), which is the worldwide manager for a wide range of aircraft, engines, missiles, software and avionics and accessories components. The commander of Air Force Sustainment Center (AFSC) is Lieutenant General Tom D. Miller and the commander of the OC-ALC is Major General Jeffrey R. King. The host unit at Tinker is the 72nd Air Base Wing (72 ABW) which provides services and support for the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center and its tenant organizations. The Wing and Installation Commander of Tinker Air Force Base is Colonel G. Hall Sebren Jr.


History

Tinker Air Force Base is named in honor of
Major General Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of ...
Clarence L. Tinker. An Osage from
Pawhuska, Oklahoma Pawhuska ( osa, 𐓄𐓘𐓢𐓶𐓮𐓤𐓘 / hpahúska, ''meaning: "White Hair"'', iow, Paháhga) is a city in and the county seat of Osage County, Oklahoma, United States. It was named after the 19th-century Osage chief, ''Paw-Hiu-Skah'', w ...
, he received his wings in 1921. He was a graduate of Wentworth Military Academy who went on to become the first major general of Native American descent in U.S. Army history. In 1926 he was awarded the Soldier's Medal for returning to his blazing aircraft to rescue a fellow officer. On 7 June 1942, he led a flight of
B-24 The Consolidated B-24 Liberator is an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and some initial production aircraft were laid down as export models ...
Liberators on a long-range strike against Japanese forces on
Wake Island Wake Island ( mh, Ānen Kio, translation=island of the kio flower; also known as Wake Atoll) is a coral atoll in the western Pacific Ocean in the northeastern area of the Micronesia subregion, east of Guam, west of Honolulu, southeast of T ...
during World War II. General Tinker was killed when his aircraft presumably crashed into the sea. At the time of his death, General Tinker was commander of the Hawaii-based Seventh Air Force. The base was originally called Midwest Air Depot and was renamed to honor Tinker. Several of the base's access gates are named in honor of persons with historic ties to the base or to Oklahoma. On 9 May 1997, base officials placed the following names: *Tinker Gate (former Gate 1), located on the north side, opens onto Air Depot Boulevard. It was named for Major General Clarence L. Tinker,
U.S. Army Air Forces The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War ...
general killed in
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
*Eaker Gate (former Gate 2) opens onto F Avenue. It was named for General
Ira C. Eaker General (Honorary) Ira Clarence Eaker (April 13, 1896 – August 6, 1987) was a general of the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. Eaker, as second-in-command of the prospective Eighth Air Force, was sent to England to form and ...
, commander of the US
Eighth Air Force The Eighth Air Force (Air Forces Strategic) is a numbered air force (NAF) of the United States Air Force's Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC). It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. The command serves as Air Forc ...
in Europe during World War II *Turnbull Gate, at the intersection of Perimeter Road and A Avenue. It was named for Colonel William Turnbull, the first Tinker Air Logistics Center Commander (1942) *Hruskocy Gate (pronounced ruh-sko-see, former Gate 7), on Industrial Boulevard at the NE portion of base. It was named for Brigadier General Thomas C. Hruskocy, the OC-ALC chief of Maintenance Resource Management and Material Management Resource divisions at Tinker (1985–1988) *Hope Gate, on SE 59th Street. It was named for Colonel John W. Hope, the first commander of the Ground Electronics-Engineering Installation Agency (GEEIA) *Gott Gate (former Gate 34), on the south end of Air Depot Boulevard. It was named for 1st Lieutenant Donald J. Gott, posthumous
Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of val ...
recipient in World War II. *Vance Gate (former Gate 40), on the west side of base off Sooner Road. It was named Lieutenant Colonel Leon R. Vance Jr, posthumous Medal of Honor recipient in World War II. In May 1997 the Base named the gates along Douglas Boulevard after aircraft that had been maintained at Tinker: *Lancer Gate, named for the Rockwell B-1 Lancer *Liberator Gate, named for the
Consolidated B-24 Liberator The Consolidated B-24 Liberator is an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and some initial production aircraft were laid down as export models des ...
*Marauder Gate, named for the Martin B-26 Marauder The base has more than 26,000 military and civilian employees and is the largest single-site employer in the state of Oklahoma. The installation covers approx. and has 760 buildings with a building floor space of over . The base is bounded by I-40 on the north and I-240 on the south. With the City of Oklahoma City and Oklahoma County owning several square miles of land adjacent to the base, Tinker is one of the few military bases in a major metropolitan area with sufficient room for expansion. Furthermore, Tinker is located in a community that supports expansion; Oklahoma County voters approved a 2008 measure to purchase the former
General Motors The General Motors Company (GM) is an American Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automotive manufacturing company headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, United States. It is the largest automaker in the United States and ...
Oklahoma City Assembly Oklahoma City Assembly was a General Motors automobile factory in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. History Construction on the plant started in 1974, and it opened in 1979 to produce the newly designed X-body cars for the 1980 model year. After ...
plant (located adjacent to the base) and lease it to Tinker for future expansion. Now known as Building 9001, the former GM plant houses many shops moved from the main maintenance building, 3001.


Operational history

In 1940 the War Department was considering the central United States as a location for a supply and maintenance depot. Oklahoma City leaders offered a site and acquired an option for additional land. On 8 April 1941, the order was officially signed awarding the depot to Oklahoma City. The Midwest Air Depot was formally activated later in 1941. The depot was the site of a Douglas Aircraft factory producing approximately half of the
C-47 Skytrain The Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota (RAF, RAAF, RCAF, RNZAF, and SAAF designation) is a military transport aircraft developed from the civilian Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II and remained in ...
s used in
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
. The site also produced a number of
A-20 Havoc The Douglas A-20 Havoc (company designation DB-7) is an American medium bomber, attack aircraft, night intruder, night fighter, and reconnaissance aircraft of World War II. Designed to meet an Army Air Corps requirement for a bomber, it was o ...
s. Production ceased in 1945. The first successful tornado forecast in history was issued on 25 March 1948 from Tinker, about three hours before a tornado hit the southeast corner of the base. A granite marker in the Heritage Airpark on the base commemorates the event. On September 29, 1957
Buddy Holly Charles Hardin Holley (September 7, 1936 – February 3, 1959), known as Buddy Holly, was an American singer and songwriter who was a central and pioneering figure of mid-1950s rock and roll. He was born to a musical family in Lubbock, Texas ...
and The Crickets recorded "An Empty Cup", "Rock Me My Baby", "You've Got Love", and "Maybe Baby" in the Tinker Air Force Base Officer's Club. The base hosted the Space Shuttle ''Columbia'' and its carrier 747 on April 27, 1981, after its first mission ( STS-1) during its journey back to
Cape Canaveral , image = cape canaveral.jpg , image_size = 300 , caption = View of Cape Canaveral from space in 1991 , map = Florida#USA , map_width = 300 , type = Cape , map_caption = Location in Florida , location ...
. Oklahoma governor George Nigh, Oklahoma City mayor Patience Latting and Apollo 10 Commander Tom Stafford were there to greet the crew. The visiting personnel included Deke Slayton, who traveled beside the craft in a T-38 chase plane. An estimated 100,000 people were allowed to enter the base and take pictures. On 14 November 1984, a massive fire that burned for two days destroyed or damaged over in the Air Logistics Center, Building 3001. The resulting repairs cost $63.5 million. During much of the 1990s, Tinker was home to the Automated Weather Network switching facility, which consolidated all U.S. military weather data worldwide. Originally located at Carswell Air Force Base, this unit was later moved to an
Air Force Weather Agency The atmosphere of Earth is the layer of gases, known collectively as air, retained by Earth's gravity that surrounds the planet and forms its planetary atmosphere. The atmosphere of Earth protects life on Earth by creating pressure allowing for ...
facility at
Offutt Air Force Base Offutt Air Force Base is a U.S. Air Force base south of Omaha, adjacent to Bellevue in Sarpy County, Nebraska. It is the headquarters of the U.S. Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM), the 557th Weather Wing, and the 55th Wing (55 WG) of the Ai ...
. In May 1992, Tinker became home to the Navy's "Take Charge and Move Out" (TACAMO) wing, which provides maintenance, security, operations, administration, training and logistic support for the Navy's E-6B Mercury aircraft fleet. TACAMO was the first Navy Air Wing fully integrated on an Air Force base, carrying out a Navy mission in joint operations. On 3 May 1999, a deadly tornado caused extensive damage to the northwest corner of the base and surrounding communities. For many days afterwards, Tinker personnel helped by providing shelters, search and rescue, and clean-up efforts. The Oklahoma Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul Technology Center (MROTC), a public-private partnership, was started in 2003. MROTC is managed by Battelle Oklahoma and owned by Oklahoma Industries Authority (OIA), a public trust housed in the offices of the Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce. The first hangars were completed in 2007. Tinker celebrated the 30-year anniversary of the
E-3 Sentry The Boeing E-3 Sentry is an American airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft developed by Boeing. E-3s are commonly known as AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System). Derived from the Boeing 707 airliner, it provides all-wea ...
from 29 June to 1 July 2007. Past and present airmen were invited to swap stories and learn about the latest upgrades. On 13 May 2008,
Oklahoma County Oklahoma County is located in the central part of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of the 2010 census, the population was 718,633, making it the most populous county in Oklahoma. The county seat is Oklahoma City, the state capital and largest ...
voters voted in favor of $71.5 million in general obligation bonds, the majority of which has been used to purchase the former General Motors
Oklahoma City Assembly Oklahoma City Assembly was a General Motors automobile factory in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. History Construction on the plant started in 1974, and it opened in 1979 to produce the newly designed X-body cars for the 1980 model year. After ...
plant which is located on the southwest section of the base, next to the runway. A 50-year lease-purchase agreement was executed in September 2008 between Oklahoma County and the Air Force, covering the 3.8 million square foot (353,000 m2) facility and surrounding acreage. Oklahoma County officials paid $55 million to buy the plant from General Motors, which is now called the Tinker Aerospace Complex. From 2008 to 2015, the Oklahoma Air National Guard's 137th Air Refueling Wing also assumed an aerial refueling mission in accordance with the 2005 BRAC Recommendations. The then-137th Airlift Wing (ANG) relocated from
Will Rogers Air National Guard Base Will may refer to: Common meanings * Will and testament, instructions for the disposition of one's property after death * Will (philosophy), or willpower * Will (sociology) * Will, volition (psychology) * Will, a modal verb - see Shall and will ...
to Tinker AFB, was redesignated as an air refueling wing, and associated with the 507 ARW while its C-130H aircraft were redistributed to other ANG airlift wings. In 2015, the 137th ended its associate relationship with the 507th, was redesignated as the 137th Special Operations Wing (137 SOW), and returned to Will Rogers ANGB, where it operates the
MC-12 Liberty The Beechcraft C-12 Huron is the military designation for a series of twin-engine turboprop aircraft based on the Beechcraft Super King Air and Beechcraft 1900. C-12 variants are used by the United States Air Force, United States Army, Unit ...
aircraft, operationally gained by
Air Force Special Operations Command Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC), headquartered at Hurlburt Field, Florida, is the special operations component of the United States Air Force. An Air Force major command (MAJCOM), AFSOC is also the U.S. Air Force component command ...
(AFSOC). In 2015, it was announced that the Tinker was in the running for a squadron of the new
KC-46A Pegasus The Boeing KC-46 Pegasus is an American military aerial refueling and strategic military transport aircraft developed by Boeing from its 767 jet airliner. In February 2011, the tanker was selected by the United States Air Force (USAF) as the ...
. In October, it was announced that the base would not be receiving the plane, which instead was given to the 916th Air Refueling Wing at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base. Tinker was also in competition with Westover Air Reserve Base and
Grissom Air Reserve Base Grissom Air Reserve Base is a United States Air Force base, located about north of Kokomo in Cass and Miami counties in Indiana. The facility was established as a U.S. Navy installation, Naval Air Station Bunker Hill, in 1942 and was an active ...
for the plane.


25 March 1948 Tornadoes

Two large tornadoes struck Tinker Air Force Base,
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, it ranks 20th among United States cities in population, and ...
, damaging or destroying a large number of aircraft including at least two Douglas C-54 Skymasters, a
Douglas C-47 Skytrain The Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota ( RAF, RAAF, RCAF, RNZAF, and SAAF designation) is a military transport aircraft developed from the civilian Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II and remained ...
, and many
Boeing B-29 Superfortress The Boeing B-29 Superfortress is an American four-engined propeller-driven heavy bomber, designed by Boeing and flown primarily by the United States during World War II and the Korean War. Named in allusion to its predecessor, the B-17 Fl ...
es stored from World War II. In the first storm, "54 aircraft were destroyed, including 17 C-54 transports valued at $500,000 apiece. Also destroyed were 15
P-47 The Republic P-47 Thunderbolt is a World War II-era fighter aircraft produced by the American company Republic Aviation from 1941 through 1945. It was a successful high-altitude fighter and it also served as the foremost American fighter-bomber ...
fighters and two B-29 bombers. About 50 other planes were damaged and about 100 vehicles were damaged or destroyed." In the second tornado, "84 planes were hit, 35 of which were destroyed. These included 18 B-29s, 8 P-47s, 20 B-17s, and 3 C-47s. Hangars and other buildings were destroyed." Other types destroyed included
Beechcraft AT-11 The Beechcraft Model 18 (or "Twin Beech", as it is also known) is a 6- to 11-seat, twin-engined, low-wing, tailwheel light aircraft manufactured by the Beech Aircraft Corporation of Wichita, Kansas. Continuously produced from 1937 to November ...
s and
Fairchild PT-19 The Fairchild PT-19 (company designation Fairchild M62) is an American monoplane primary trainer aircraft that served with the United States Army Air Forces, RAF and RCAF during World War II. Designed by Fairchild Aircraft, it was a contemp ...
s and PT-26 Cornells. Damage from the second tornado was estimated at $6,100,000. Total damages for both storms was estimated at $16,350,000.


Major commands

*Air Service Comd, 1 March 1942 – 17 July 1944 *AAF Materiel and Services, 17 July 1944 – 31 August 1944 *AAF Technical Service Comd, 31 August 1944 – 1 July 1945 *Air Technical Service Comd, 1 July 1945 – 9 March 1946 *Air Materiel Comd, 9 March 1946 – 1 April 1961 *Air Force Logistics Command, 1 April 1961 – 1 July 1992 *Air Force Materiel Command, 1 July 1992 – present


Base operating units

*OCAD (Oklahoma City Air Depot) Liaison Staff, 1 March 1942 – 15 February 1943 *497th Base HQ and Base HQ Sq, 15 February 1943 – 1 April 1944 *4136th AAF Base Unit, 1 April 1944 – 26 September 1947 *4136th AF Base Unit, 26 September 1947 – 28 August 1948 *2919th Area Supply Gp, 28 August 1948 – 15 March 1951 *2944th Depot Training Wg, 15 March 1951 – 15 July 1953 *2854th Air Base Wg, 15 July 1953 – 16 October 1964 *2854th Air Base Gp, 16 October 1964 – 1 October 1994 *72 Air Base Wing, 1 October 1994 – present


Major units assigned

*OK City Air Depot 1 March 1942 – 3 January 1955 * 323rd Bomb Group 9 September 1947 – 17 March 1951 *
456th Bomb Group Activated in June 1943 as a heavy bombardment group. Trained with B-24 Liberators for duty overseas. Moved to Italy, December 1943 – January 1944. Began combat with Fifteenth Air Force in February 1944, operating chiefly against strategic tar ...
26 September 1947 – 17 March 1951 * 323rd Bomb Wing 27 June 1949 – 28 March 1951 * 506th Strategic Fighter Wing 20 March 1955 – 1 April 1959 *1707 Air Transport Wing 1 June 1959 – 8 January 1966 *443rd Military Airlift Wing 8 January 1966 – 5 May 1969


Role and operations

Tinker AFB is home to major
Department of Defense Department of Defence or Department of Defense may refer to: Current departments of defence * Department of Defence (Australia) * Department of National Defence (Canada) * Department of Defence (Ireland) * Department of National Defense (Philipp ...
, Air Force and Navy units with national defense missions.


Air Force and related entities

The Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex is the largest air logistics center in the Air Force Materiel Command. It provides depot maintenance, product support, services and supply chain management, and information support for 31 weapon systems, 10 commands, 93 Air Force bases and 46 foreign nations. It is the contracting office for the Air Force's Contract Field Teams program. The Air Logistics Complex includes the 76 Aircraft Maintenance Group, the 76 Propulsion Maintenance Group, the 76 Commodities Maintenance Group, the 76 Software Engineering Group and the 76 Maintenance Support Group. Combined, these groups provide depot-level maintenance, repair and overhaul of KC-135, B-52, E-3, E-6, and B-1 aircraft, as well as engines, components, support equipment, and associated software for the US Air Force and US Navy. The 72nd Air Base Wing is a multi-unit, multi-mission wing that includes base services and support for the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center, associate organizations, dependents, and retirees. The 38th Cyberspace Engineering Group, Air Force Space Command, has worldwide responsibility for engineering, installation, and interoperability of all communications and electronic facilities for the Air Force. Oklahoma Wing Civil Air Patrol Headquarters is located at the base ops building and provides state-level support to the 17 units across the state. The Flying Castle Composite Squadron is a Civil Air Patrol squadron that is composed of cadet and senior members that meet Tuesday evenings. The
552nd Air Control Wing The 552d Air Control Wing is an operational wing of the United States Air Force. It has been based at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma since July 1976, operating the Boeing E-3 Sentry. It includes the 552d Operations Group, 552d Maintenance ...
flies
Air Combat Command Air Combat Command (ACC) is one of nine Major Commands (MAJCOMs) in the United States Air Force, reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force (HAF) at the Pentagon. It is the primary provider of air combat forces for the Air Force, and i ...
's
E-3 Sentry The Boeing E-3 Sentry is an American airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft developed by Boeing. E-3s are commonly known as AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System). Derived from the Boeing 707 airliner, it provides all-wea ...
AWACS aircraft. The E-3's radar and other sensors provide deep-look surveillance, warning, interception control and airborne battle management. The 552 ACW encompasses 3 groups: 552nd Operations Group, 552nd Maintenance Group and 552nd Air Control Group. The 507th Air Refueling Wing of the
Air Force Reserve Command The Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) is a major command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force, with its headquarters at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. It is the federal Air Reserve Component (ARC) of the U.S. Air Force, consisting of commis ...
(AFRC) is one of two
Air Force Reserve The Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) is a major command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force, with its headquarters at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. It is the federal Air Reserve Component (ARC) of the U.S. Air Force, consisting of commi ...
flying units in the state of Oklahoma and administratively reports to
Fourth Air Force The Fourth Air Force (4 AF) is a numbered air force of the Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC). It is headquartered at March Air Reserve Base, California. 4 AF directs the activities and supervises the training of more than 30,000 Air Force Res ...
(4 AF). The wing operates twelve
KC-135R The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is an American military aerial refueling aircraft that was developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype, alongside the Boeing 707 airliner. It is the predominant variant of the Boeing C-135 Stratolifter, C-135 Strat ...
"Stratotanker" air refueling aircraft at Tinker and is operationally gained by
Air Mobility Command Air Mobility Command (AMC) is a major command (MAJCOM) of the U.S. Air Force. It is headquartered at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, east of St. Louis, Missouri. Air Mobility Command was established on 1 June 1992, and was formed from elemen ...
(AMC). As an associate unit, the 507 ARW also operates the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA)
British Aerospace 125 The British Aerospace 125 is a twinjet mid-size business jet. Originally developed by de Havilland and initially designated as the DH.125 Jet Dragon, it entered production as the Hawker Siddeley HS.125, which was the designation used until 1 ...
-800 aircraft (ex-USAF C-29A) in the aviation standards and navigational aid inspection mission.


Navy and other defense agencies

The
United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
's Strategic Communications Wing One consists of three squadrons and a wing staff, and employs over 1,300 active-duty sailors and 100 contractors to provide maintenance, security, operations, administration, training and logistic support for the E-6 Mercury aircraft fleet. The E-6B Mercury enables the president of the United States and the
Secretary of Defense A defence minister or minister of defence is a cabinet official position in charge of a ministry of defense, which regulates the armed forces in sovereign states. The role of a defence minister varies considerably from country to country; in so ...
to directly contact
submarines A submarine (or sub) is a watercraft capable of independent operation underwater. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability. The term is also sometimes used historically or colloquially to refer to remotely op ...
,
bomber A bomber is a military combat aircraft designed to attack ground and naval targets by dropping air-to-ground weaponry (such as bombs), launching torpedoes, or deploying air-launched cruise missiles. The first use of bombs dropped from an air ...
s and missile silos enforcing the country's national security through nuclear deterrence. The wing also operates alert facilities for E-6B aircraft at Travis AFB, California and Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland. Defense Mega Center Oklahoma City is the local branch of the Defense Information Systems Agency. The Mega center operates computer systems for the base and serves 110 other bases in 46 states. Tinker has on-base several offices of the Defense Logistics Agency, the agency that provides supplies to the military services and supports their acquisition and transportation of repair parts and other materials. *
DLA Aviation DLA may refer to: Entities and organizations * DLA Piper, an international law firm * DLA (TV), a Latin American television provider * Defense Logistics Agency, United States * Democratic Left Alliance, a Polish political party * Dental Laboratorie ...
has two offices at Tinker Air Force Base, DLA Aviation Customer Operations commanded by COL Rex Adee, USAF, and DLA Strategic Acquisitions at Tinker AFB, under Frances Evans, acting director, DLR Procurement Operations. *DLA Distribution Oklahoma City provides the receipt, storage, issue, inspection and shipment of material, including material quality control, preservation and packaging, inventory, transportation functions and pick up and delivery services in support of the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center, other tenants at Tinker Air Force Base, and other global customers. Support to the Air Logistics Center is primarily for programmed depot maintenance for aircraft and engines. The majority of the items shipped from Oklahoma City are destined for "customers" on base including the 552nd Air Control Wing, the U.S. Navy Strategic Communications Wing One, the 507th Air Refueling Wing and the 3rd Combat Communications Group. *DLA Document Services provides a full portfolio of document services including traditional offset printing, on-demand printing, and online document services. DLA Document Services locations in Oklahoma include
Fort Sill Fort Sill is a United States Army post north of Lawton, Oklahoma, about 85 miles (136.8 km) southwest of Oklahoma City. It covers almost . The fort was first built during the Indian Wars. It is designated as a National Historic Landmark ...
in
Lawton, Oklahoma Lawton is a city in and the county seat of Comanche County, in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Located in southwestern Oklahoma, approximately southwest of Oklahoma City, it is the principal city of the Lawton, Oklahoma, metropolitan statistical ...
, the McAlester Army Ammunition Plant, and Tinker AFB.


Public/private partnerships

Community support for Tinker can be seen by the establishment of two public/private partnerships that support base operations by using local dollars to make available additional facilities for base use. While these partnerships are technically separate facilities, Tinker's security perimeter is extended around these facilities.


Maintenance Repair and Overhaul Technology Center (MROTC)

The first of the public/private partnerships is The Oklahoma
Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul Aircraft maintenance is the performance of tasks required to ensure the continuing airworthiness of an aircraft or aircraft part, including overhaul, inspection, replacement, defect rectification, and the embodiment of modifications, compliance w ...
Technology Center (MROTC), managed by Battelle Oklahoma, owned by Oklahoma Industries Authority (OIA), and partners with the Department of Defense to provide a national center for technical solutions to aging commercial and military aircraft. The MROTC is a MRO facility, on the southeast side of Tinker AFB, sharing runways and security with the base. The MROTC complex is planned as a major military and commercial aircraft facility with 17 hangars and more than one million square feet of related industrial space and education and training facilities. The facility currently houses three hangars, one leased by Boeing (designed to accommodate Boeing 767-400 class aircraft), a second hangar for 767 for lease, and a third hangar designed to accommodate Boeing 707-300 class aircraft.


Building 9001 (Tinker Aerospace Complex)

The second of the public-private partnerships is Building 9001, originally known as the Tinker Aerospace Complex housed in the former General Motors
Oklahoma City Assembly Oklahoma City Assembly was a General Motors automobile factory in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. History Construction on the plant started in 1974, and it opened in 1979 to produce the newly designed X-body cars for the 1980 model year. After ...
Plant located west of the runway on the south side of the base, north of I-240. A 50-year lease-purchase agreement was executed in September 2008 between Oklahoma County and the Air Force, covering the 2.5 million square foot (353,000 m2) facility and . Previously, the largest single building at the base was Building 3001 at . Tinker has leased about 4/5 of the facility and will host some current 76th Maintenance Wing operations as well as other Department of Defense missions, including work on the C-17 engines, joint strike fighter engines and core work on the new
KC-46 The Boeing KC-46 Pegasus is an American military aerial refueling and strategic military transport aircraft developed by Boeing from its 767 jet airliner. In February 2011, the tanker was selected by the United States Air Force (USAF) as the ...
tanker. Work being transferred to the complex is currently being done at 69 separate facilities on base, many of which are World War II-era temporary buildings located in runway clear zones. Burlington Northern Santa Fe provides a rail spur into the complex. In 2014 Oklahoma County agreed to issue $10 million in bonds to help finance the purchase of a BNSF Railway marshaling yard, just north of the TAC building. In addition to providing space for the work of the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center, the Tinker Aerospace Complex can also be used to house public/private business partnerships. Currently, there are three programs. The Cooperative Research and Development Partnership has the objective of advancing science and technology to meet Air Force requirements and transferring technology into the commercial marketplace (CRADA, governed by Title 15 USC 3710a). Public-Private Partnerships, or statutory partnering, is where the government acts as a seller to private industry in either a direct sales agreement, Workshare Partnering Agreement, or a Facilities Use Agreement (governed by Title 10 USC 2474). Finally, the Enhanced Use Lease requires Congressional approval and full fair market value rent for underutilized Air Force assets(governed by 10 USC 2667).


Based units

Flying and notable non-flying units based at Tinker Air Force Base. Units marked GSU are Geographically Separate Units, which although based at Tinker, are subordinate to a parent unit based at another location.


United States Air Force

Air Force Materiel Command Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) is a major command ( MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force (USAF). AFMC was created on July 1, 1992, through the amalgamation of the former Air Force Logistics Command (AFLC) and the former Air Force Systems Co ...
(AFMC) * 72nd Air Base Wing (Host wing) **Headquarters 72nd Air Base Wing *** 72nd Communications Directorate *** 72nd Civil Engineering Directorate *** 72nd Operations Support Squadron *** 72nd Comptroller Squadron ** 72nd Medical Group *** 72nd Medical Support Squadron *** 72nd Healthcare Operations Squadron *** 72nd Operational Medical Readiness Squadron ** 72nd Mission Support Group *** 72nd Force Support Squadron *** 72nd Logistics Readiness Squadron *** 72nd Security Forces Squadron * Air Force Sustainment Center ** Headquarters Air Force Sustainment Center **
448th Supply Chain Management Wing The 448th Supply Chain Management Wing, a wing of the Air Force Sustainment Center of Air Force Materiel Command serves as the Air Force's supply chain manager headquartered at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma. The wing was first activated in t ...
*** Headquarters 448th Supply Chain Management Wing *** 848th Supply Chain Management Group **** 421st Supply Chain Management Squadron **** 422nd Supply Chain Management Squadron **** 423rd Supply Chain Management Squadron **** 424th Supply Chain Management Squadron *** 948th Supply Chain Management Group **** 420th Supply Chain Management Squadron **** 429th Supply Chain Management Squadron **** 430th Supply Chain Management Squadron **** 431st Supply Chain Management Squadron ** Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex *** Aerospace Sustainment Directorate *** 76th Aircraft Maintenance Group **** Engineering Branch **** Quality Assurance Office **** Production Operations Branch **** 564th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron **** 565th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron **** 566th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron **** 567th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron **** 568th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron **** 569th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron *** 76th Commodities Maintenance Group **** Engineering Branch **** Quality Assurance Office **** Production Operations Branch **** 550th Commodities Maintenance Squadron **** 551st Commodities Maintenance Squadron **** 552nd Commodities Maintenance Squadron **** 553rd Commodities Maintenance Squadron *** 76th Propulsion Maintenance Group **** Engineering Branch **** Quality Assurance Office **** Production Operations Office **** 544th Propulsion Maintenance Squadron **** 546th Propulsion Maintenance Squadron **** 547th Propulsion Maintenance Squadron **** 548th Propulsion Maintenance Squadron *** 76th Software Engineering Group **** Engineering Branch **** Production Operations Branch **** 555th Software Engineering Squadron **** 556th Software Engineering Squadron **** 557th Software Engineering Squadron **** 558th Software Engineering Squadron **** 559th Software Engineering Squadron *** 76th Maintenance Support Group **** Engineering Branch **** Production Operations Branch **** Production Support **** 76th Maintenance Support Squadron **** 776th Maintenance Support Squadron * Air Force Life Cycle Management Centerhttps://www.aflcmc.af.mil/Portals/79/AFLCMC-Org-Chart-Aug-15-2022-No-Phone.pdf ** Detachment 11 (GSU) ** Propulsion Directorate (GSU) *** Propulsion Sustainment Division *** Propulsion Integration Division ** Digital Directorate *** E-3 AWACS Division (GSU) ** Bombers Directorate *** B-1 Lancer Division (GSU) *** B-52 Stratofortress Division (GSU) ** Mobility & Training Aircraft Directorate *** Legacy Tanker Division (GSU) ** Presidential & Executive Airlift Directorate *** Commercial Derivative Aircraft Division (GSU)
Air Combat Command Air Combat Command (ACC) is one of nine Major Commands (MAJCOMs) in the United States Air Force, reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force (HAF) at the Pentagon. It is the primary provider of air combat forces for the Air Force, and i ...
(ACC) *
Fifteenth Air Force The Fifteenth Air Force (15 AF) is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force's Air Combat Command (ACC). It is headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base. It was reactivated on 20 August 2020, merging the previous units of the Ninth Air Force ...
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552nd Air Control Wing The 552d Air Control Wing is an operational wing of the United States Air Force. It has been based at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma since July 1976, operating the Boeing E-3 Sentry. It includes the 552d Operations Group, 552d Maintenance ...
*** Headquarters 552nd Air Control Wing **** 552nd Air Control Group ***** 552nd Air Control Networks Squadron ***** 752nd Operations Support Squadron **** 552nd Operations Group ***** 960th Airborne Air Control SquadronE-3B/C/G Sentry *****
963rd Airborne Air Control Squadron The 963d Airborne Air Control Squadron is a squadron of the United States Air Force based at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma. The squadron is a subordinate unit of the 552d Operations Group and it flies the Boeing E-3 Sentry radar surveillanc ...
– E-3G Sentry ***** 964th Airborne Air Control Squadron – E-3G Sentry *****
965th Airborne Air Control Squadron The 965th Airborne Air Control Squadron is part of the 552d Air Control Wing at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma. It operates Boeing E-3 Sentry aircraft conducting airborne command and control missions. The first two antecedents of the squadron ...
– E-3G Sentry **** 552nd Maintenance Group ***** 552nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron ***** 552nd Maintenance Squadron ***** 552nd Maintenance Operations Flight **** 552nd Training Group ***** 552nd Training Squadron *****
966th Airborne Air Control Squadron The 966th Airborne Air Control Squadron is an active United States Air Force unit is assigned to the 552d Training Group, 552d Air Control Wing at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma. It operates the E-3 Sentry (AWACS) aircraft conducting airborn ...
- E-3G Sentry *
Sixteenth Air Force The Sixteenth Air Force (Air Forces Cyber) (16 AF) is a United States Air Force (USAF) organization responsible for information warfare, which encompasses intelligence gathering and analysis, surveillance, reconnaissance, cyber warfare and ...
** 688th Cyberspace Wing *** 38th Cyberspace Engineering Installation Group (GSU) **** 38th Engineering Squadron **** 38th Operations Support Squadron Air Force Field Operating Agencies * Air Force Flight Standards Agency
Air Force Reserve Command The Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) is a major command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force, with its headquarters at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. It is the federal Air Reserve Component (ARC) of the U.S. Air Force, consisting of commis ...
(AFRC) *
Fourth Air Force The Fourth Air Force (4 AF) is a numbered air force of the Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC). It is headquartered at March Air Reserve Base, California. 4 AF directs the activities and supervises the training of more than 30,000 Air Force Res ...
** 507th Air Refueling Wing *** Headquarters 507th Air Refueling Wing *** 507th Medical Squadron *** 507th Operations Group **** 465th Air Refueling Squadron
KC-135R Stratotanker The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is an American military aerial refueling aircraft that was developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype, alongside the Boeing 707 airliner. It is the predominant variant of the Boeing C-135 Stratolifter, C-135 Strat ...
**** 507th Operations Support Squadron *** 507th Maintenance Group **** 507th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron **** 507th Maintenance Squadron *** 507th Mission Support Group **** 72nd Aerial Port Squadron **** 507th Civil Engineer Squadron **** 507th Communications Flight **** 507th Force Support Squadron **** 507th Logistics Readiness Squadron **** 507th Security Forces Squadron *
Tenth Air Force The Tenth Air Force (10 AF) is a unit of the U.S. Air Force, specifically a numbered air force of the Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC). 10 AF is headquartered at Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base/Carswell Field (formerly Carswel ...
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513th Air Control Group The 513th Air Control Group is an Air Reserve Component unit of the United States Air Force. It is assigned to the Tenth Air Force, Air Force Reserve Command, and is stationed at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma. The group's mission is to provi ...
*** 513th Operations Support Flight *** 513th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron *** 513th Maintenance Squadron ***
970th Airborne Air Control Squadron The 970th Airborne Air Control Squadron is part of the 513th Air Control Group at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma. It operates the Boeing E-3 Sentry aircraft conducting airborne command and control missions. The first predecessor of the squa ...
– E-3G Sentry ** 960th Cyberspace Wing *** 860th Cyberspace Operations Group **** 35th Combat Communications Squadron (GSU)
Civil Air Patrol Civil Air Patrol (CAP) is a congressionally chartered, federally supported non-profit corporation that serves as the official civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force (USAF). CAP is a volunteer organization with an aviation-minded mem ...
(CAP) * Southwest Region ** Oklahoma Wing *** Oklahoma Wing HQ Staff Squadron (OK-001) *** Flying Castle Composite Squadron (OK-008)


United States Navy

Commander, Naval Air Forces Commander, Naval Air Forces ( COMNAVAIRFOR, and CNAF; and dual-hatted as Commander, Naval Air Force, Pacific, and COMNAVAIRPAC) is the aviation Type Commander (TYCOM) for all United States Navy naval aviation units. Type Commanders are in Admini ...
(COMNAVAIRFOR) * Strategic Communications Wing ONE ** Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron THREE (VQ-3)E-6B Mercury ** Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron FOUR (VQ-4) – E-6B Mercury ** Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron SEVEN (VQ-7) – E-6B Mercury ** TACAMO Weapons School
US Navy Reserve The United States Navy Reserve (USNR), known as the United States Naval Reserve from 1915 to 2005, is the Reserve Component (RC) of the United States Navy. Members of the Navy Reserve, called Reservists, are categorized as being in either the Sele ...
(USNR) * Naval Operational Support Center - Oklahoma City


See also

* 33rd Air Division (United States) *
Air Force Materiel Command Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) is a major command ( MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force (USAF). AFMC was created on July 1, 1992, through the amalgamation of the former Air Force Logistics Command (AFLC) and the former Air Force Systems Co ...
* Central Air Defense Force (Air Defense Command) *
Oklahoma World War II Army Airfields During World War II, the United States Army Air Forces (AAF) established numerous airfields in Oklahoma for training pilots and aircrews of AAF fighters and bombers or as major maintenance and supply centers. Most of these airfields were under ...
* Tinker Federal Credit Union


References


Other sources

* * Much of this text in an early version of this article was taken from pages on the Tinker Air Force Base Website, which as a work of the U.S. Government is presumed to be a public domain resource. That information was supplemented by: * Mueller, Robert (1989). Active Air Force Bases Within the United States of America on 17 September 1982. USAF Reference Series, Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. * Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947–1977. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. .


External links


Tinker AFB Public Affairs Site

Tinker AFB Installation Overview
fro
AirForceUSA.org


from GlobalSecurity.org
''Tinker Take Off''

Tinker OC-ALC


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Oklahoma Digital Maps: Digital Collections of Oklahoma and Indian Territory
{{Authority control 1941 establishments in Oklahoma Airfields of the United States Army Air Forces Technical Service Command Airfields of the United States Army Air Forces in Oklahoma Airports in Oklahoma Installations of the United States Air Force in Oklahoma Installations of the United States Air National Guard Initial United States Air Force installations Buildings and structures in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma Military in Oklahoma City United States nuclear command and control Superfund sites in Oklahoma Military Superfund sites Military installations established in 1941