Air Combat Command Shield

U-2 Dragon Lady

The U-2 provides high-altitude, all-weather surveillance and reconnaissance, day or night, in direct support of U.S. and allied forces.

T-38 Talon

The T-38A Talon is a 2-seat, twin-engine, supersonic jet trainer used in a variety of roles because of its design, economy of operations, ease of maintenance, high performance and exceptional safety record. Air Education and Training Command is the primary user of the T-38C for joint specialized undergraduate pilot training. Air Combat Command, Air Force Materiel Command and the National Aeronautics and Space administration also use the T-38A in various roles. The T-38A is used at Beale AFB as the companion trainer to the U-2 program.

PAVE PAWS

PAVE PAWS is a radar system operated for missile warning and space surveillance, primarily to detect and track sea-launched (SLBM) and intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs).

ACC Fact Sheet

Air Combat Command, with headquarters at Langley Air Force Base, Va., is a major command created June 1, 1992, by combining its predecessors Strategic Air Command and Tactical Air Command. ACC is the primary provider of combat air forces to America's unified combatant commands. Learn more about ACC.

9th Reconnaissance Wing

The wing also maintains a high state of readiness in its expeditionary combat support forces for potential deployment in response to theater contingencies. The 9th RW is composed of more than 3,000 personnel in four groups at Beale and multiple overseas operating locations. At any given moment, day or night, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, there is probably a U-2 aircraft from the 9th RW flying an operational mission somewhere in the world.

Beale's History

Camp Beale opened in October 1942 as a training site for the 13th Armored and the 81st and 96th Infantry Divisions. During World War II, Camp Beale's 86,000 acres were home for more than 60,000 soldiers, a prisoner-of-war encampment and a 1,000-bed hospital. In 1948, the camp transferred from the Army to the Air Force.

More Air Force Fact Sheets

AIR FORCE FACT SHEETS