NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. –
"Prepare today for tomorrow's victories, by providing Air Force, joint and coalition warfighters unsurpassed instruction, training, tactics, and threat replication ...while showcasing Airpower to the world." That is the mission statement of the 57th Wing, the U.S. Air Force's most diverse wing, as the unit continues to perform a vital role in ensuring the success of Air Force objectives.
Air Force officials stated that the 57th Wing is among the very best as they announced that the wing has earned the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award for the period of June 1, 2008 to May 31, 2010. The award is the ninth AFOUA the wing has received.
Wing personnel provide advanced air and space training to Air Force, joint, and coalition warfighters while managing the fast-paced and demanding flying operations at Nellis Air Force Base. Specifically, wing responsibilities include advanced aircrew training, tactics development and publication, logistics, command and control training and intelligence dissemination for U.S. and allied combat air forces throughout the world.
Units of the wing include the U.S. Air Force Weapons School, the 57th Adversary Tactics Group, the 57th Operations Group, the 57th Maintenance Group, the U.S. Air Force Advanced Maintenance and Munitions Officers School, the U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron Thunderbirds and the 561st Joint Tactics Squadron.
The Air Force established the wing at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, in March 1948 to provide air defense to Alaska, flying F-51, F-80, C-47, C-54, and C-82 aircraft. The unit was re-designated the 57th Fighter-Interceptor Wing on Jan. 20, 1950 before its inactivation January 1, 1951. The service re-designated the unit the 57th Fighter Weapons Wing Aug. 22, 1969, activating it at Nellis to replace the 4525th Fighter Weapons Wing Oct. 15, 1969.
Initially at Nellis, the wing flew the A-7, F-4, F-100, F-105, F-111 and T-39 aircraft. Other re-designations include the 57th Tactical Training Wing on April 1, 1977; 57th Fighter Weapons Wing on March 1, 1980; 57th Fighter Wing on Oct. 1, 1991; and 57th Wing on June 15, 1993.