Ramstein Air Base is located in the German state of Rheinland-Pfalz and is part of the Kaiserslautern Military Community, the largest American community outside of the United States. It is an important hub for transport flights from the United States to Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia. During the 2020 pandemic crises, we visited Ramstein Air Base on a few days in September to watch the ongoing operations.

Host wing and mission partners
The 86th Airlift Wing is the host wing at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. Ramstein is assigned to U.S. Air Forces in Europe. With its seven groups and 30 squadrons across four bases in Germany, Spain, Belgium and Portugal, the 86th conducts U.S. Air Forces in Europe’s only airlift, airdrop, and aeromedical evacuation flying operations providing rapid mobility and expeditionary combat support for military operations. Ramstein is also home to two mission partners: the 435th Air Ground Operations Wing and the 521st Air Mobility Operations Wing.

Flight operations
The local 86^th Airlift Wing includes the 37th Airlift Squadron, the 76th Airlift Squadron, the 86th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, and the 86th Operations Support Squadron (OSS) at Ramstein AB. The 86^th also includes the 424th Air Base Squadron at Chièvres AB, Belgium. The 37 AS operates a fleet of 14 C-130J Super Hercules aircraft, and the 76 AS operates a fleet of five C-21A Learjet aircraft and three C-37A Gulfstream aircraft. These aircraft will fly missions from Ramstein on a daily basis, even in the weekends.

Ramstein is an important gateway for transport flights to US military units on the mainland of Europe. But the base is also ideally situated in between the US and Africa and the Middle East/Central Asia. Crews of transport flights to that locations stop over at Ramstein for well needed rest and refueling. Frequent visitors are the large C-17s and even bigger C-5s from the US Air Force. But, also private transport companies, that work for the USAF, use the air base for rest and recreation.

Largest American community outside the US

There are more than 9,000 military members and Department of Defense civilians within the 86th Airlift Wing, bringing with them more than 12,000 family members. In total, the Kaiserslautern Military Community (KMC) is comprised of 13,000 military members, 9,000 Department of Defense civilians, and their more than 25,000 family members. The KMC also employs more than 6,000 host nationals. When combined with military retirees and their dependents, the KMC has the largest concentration of Americans outside the United States.