165th Airlift Wing

165th Airlift Wing
Georgia National Guard Airmen from the 165th Airlift Wing stand in front of a C-130H Hercules, Sept. 16, 2012 at Savannah Air National Guard Base
Active	10 July 1958-Present
Country	United States
Allegiance	Georgia
Branch	Air National Guard
Type	Wing
Role	Airlift
Size	1000+
Part of	Georgia Air National Guard
Garrison/HQ	Savannah Air National Guard Base, Pooler, Georgia
Tail Code	Red tail stripe "Savannah" in white letters
Commanders
Current commander	Col Rainer "Speedy" Gomez
Insignia
165th Airlift Wing emblem

The 165th Airlift Wing (165 AW) is a unit of the Georgia Air National Guard, stationed at Savannah Air National Guard Base, in the U.S. state of Georgia. If activated to federal service, the Wing is gained by the United States Air Force Air Mobility Command.

The mission of the 165th Airlift Wing is to provide tactical airlift of personnel, equipment and supplies worldwide.

The 165th Airlift Wing consists of the following units:

On 10 July 1958, the Georgia Air National Guard 158th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron was authorized to expand to a group level, and the 165th Fighter-Interceptor Group was established by the National Guard Bureau. The 158th FIS becoming the group's flying squadron. Other squadrons assigned into the group were the 165th Headquarters, 165th Material Squadron (Maintenance), 165th Combat Support Squadron, and the 165th USAF Dispensary.

Gained by Air Defense Command, along with the activation of the Group, the 158th FIS was re-equipped with the F-86L Sabre Interceptor, a day/night/all-weather aircraft designed to be integrated into the ADC SAGE interceptor direction and control system. In 1958, the 116th implemented the ADC Runway Alert Program, in which interceptors of the 128th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron were committed to a five-minute runway alert.

Reorganization came in 1962 when the unit transitioned from a fighter mission to an airlift mission The 158th Fighter Squadron became 158th Air Transport Squadron on 1 July 1962 assigned to the 165th Air Group. They traded in its Sabre interceptors for 4-engines C-97 Stratofreighter transports. With air transportation recognized as a critical wartime need, the squadron was re-designated the 128th Air Transport Squadron (Heavy). The 116th ATG was assigned to the MATS Eastern Transport Air Force, (EASTAF), and the squadron flew long-distance transport missions in support of Air Force requirements, frequently sending aircraft to the Caribbean, Europe Greenland, and the Middle East in support of Air Force requirements.