| SAC Bases: Robins
Air Force Base |
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Robins Air Force Base is home of Georgia Air National Guard 116th Bomb Wing,
flying the B-1B bomber, and is the main US operating base for the E-8 Joint
STARS. Robins AFB is the largest industrial complex in Georgia, with
$3,298,814,000 replacement value of facilities, 3.8 million square feet of
maintenance shops, 3.5 million square feet of storage space, and 1.7 million
square feet of administrative space. It is one of the largest Air Force
bases in the South, with 13,801,313 total square feet of facilities situated
on 8,722 acres. The base has the largest runway in Georgia --12,000 feet
long by 300 feet wide with two 1,000-foot overruns. It employs more than
19,000 men and women, including more than 5,000 military members, almost
12,000 civilians, and more than 2,800 contract civilians. Already the
largest industrial complex in Georgia, Robins Air Force Base is poised to
become a megabase in the 21st century.
World War II
In early 1941, the City of Macon and Bibb County floated
$100,000 in bonds and purchased and donated 3,000 acres of land to the
federal government. The gift of land to the government was to influence the
Army Air Corps to establish a maintenance and supply depot in the area.
During the defense buildup preceding World War II, the middle Georgia area
was chosen for the maintenance/supply depot primarily because of its level
land and abundant pure water. In World War II, the personnel at Robins AFB
maintained various and numerous warplanes as well as train and dispatch over
a quarter of a million maintenance, supply, and logistics field teams to
every theater of war.
Post War
After World War II, the number of military and civilian
employees dropped dramatically until in March 1946, it reached a total of
only 3,900. However, the critical role that Robins AFB and its repair and
supply personnel played in the Berlin Airlift (Operation Vittles) 1948-1949
caused the work force to grow to 11,000. During the the Vietnam
War through it supplied troops and materiel known as the Southeast Asian
Pipeline. Among the weapons systems managed by WRAMA personnel during the
Vietnam War was the B-57 Canberra used for night raids along the Ho Chi Minh
Trail. The AC-119K Gunship was modified entirely at Robins AFB in 1969. It
proved to be the Allies' primary "truck killer" during the war. Also playing
a vital part in war were the AC-130 Gunship, various helicopters, the C-141,
the C-130, the C-123, and the C-124 cargo aircraft--all serviced and
maintained at WRAMA.
Strategic Air Command
The Russians use of a missile to place the
Sputnik Satellite into orbit sent shivers down the back of SAC. It's
B-52 wings contained 45 aircraft, making them prime targets for attack.
This led to the concept of establishing strategic wings. Each of the
wing's three squadrons was redesignated a strategic wing. The 4137th
Strategic Wing was activated at Robins on Feb. 1, 1959. It's 15 B-52Gs
were flown by the 342nd Bomb Squadron. They were soon joined by the
912th Aerial Refueling Squadron.
the 465th Troop Carrier wing flew C-119 "Flying
Boxcars," and was in 1957. It was redesignated the 465th Bombardment
Wing, Heavy and activated November 15, 1962. Organized February 1, 1963 at
Robins AFB, Georgia, where it assumed the resources of the 4137th Strategic
Wing. It conducted strategic bombardment training and air refueling
operation.
The 465th was replaced by the 19th Bomb Wing in 1968.
The
19th Bomb Wing ceased B-52 operations on October 1, 1983 at which time the
unit was redesignated the 19th Air Refueling Wing, Heavy. Redesignated the
19th Air Refueling Wing on September 1, 1991.
B1-B, Joint Stars
In April 1996, the Air National Guard's 116th Fighter Wing
relocated to Robins where it was renamed the 116th Bomb Wing and flies the
B-1B bomber. Part of the reason to move the Guard was simply the air space
required. It wasn't possible to fly the B-1B at Dobbins Air Reserve Base (ARB),
so when the unit converted from F-15s to the B-1B they had to find a new
home. The Georgia Air National Guard (GAANG) B-1 base is a
base-within-a-base, 134 acres of Robins AFB surrounded by a class B security
fence. The master plan lays out buildings, streets, aprons, infrastructure,
utilities, drainage, weapons storage areas, and future expansion. This
includes horizontal construction -- roadways, hydrant fueling, apron,
taxiway, a consolidated aircraft support system (which powers the plane for
testing without running the engine), and laying utility lines.
In April 2000 the 116th Bomb Wing of the Georgia Air National
Guard at Robins AFB opened new facilities valued at over $60 million. These
improvements represent Phase I of a three-phase project valued at over
$100-million for the middle Georgia Air Force Base. It also represents the
largest facilities improvement contract in the history of the Air National
Guard. Phase One improvements at the 116th Bomb Wing include a $5.8 million
aircraft site beddown area, a $9.4 million Consolidated Aircraft Support
System and Fuel Complex, and $8.8 million worth improvements to the aircraft
parking apron and taxiway. A new double bay hangar, single-bay hangar and
engine shop costing $20.9 million are among the largest hangar and
maintenance facilities on the base. Other improvements to be opened are an
Aircraft Ground Equipment and Munitions Trailer Maintenance area ($2.8
million), Operations Group and Security forces buildings ($5.3 million), a
Munitions Maintenance shop ($.5 million), and a T-9 Engine Noise Suppressor
($1 million). The 116th Bomb Wing moved to Robins AFB in 1995 from Atlanta
and since that time has occupied 33 temporary facilities throughout Robins
Air Force Base. Phase II valued at more than $11.8 million will include a
weapons release/load crew training facility and munitions maintenance and
training area. Completion is anticipated in 2002. Phase III, yet unfunded,
includes a new wing headquarters, communications flight and services flight
facility, a vehicle maintenance and avionics Test station, and a supply and
civil engineering complex.
In January 1996, Robins AFB became the main operating base in the
US for the E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System aircraft
(Joint STARS or J-STARS). The wing received its first aircraft March 22,
1996, and will receive one to three a year until there are 19 E-8Cs at
Robins by 2006. Joint STARS construction began in December 1992 and
continued through fiscal year 2000.
Aviation Museum
Robin's Museum of Aviation is a major center of education
for Georgia. The second largest aviation museum in the USAF, it features 93
historic aircraft and missiles on a 43 acre site consisting of both indoor
and outdoor exhibits. The Museum of Aviation is located only seven miles
east of I-75, near Robins Air Force Base. |
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