Great Falls Air National Guard Base


 * See: Great Falls International Airport for civil airport information

Great Falls Air National Guard Base is the home base of the Montana Air National Guard 120th Fighter Wing.

Overview
The 120th Fighter Wing (FW) of the Montana Air National Guard occupies 141 acre of leased land on the Great Falls International Airport (IAP), located approximately 3 mi southwest of downtown Great Falls, Montana. The 120th FW flies a general-purpose mission, including air defense, utilizing the F-15 Eagle.

The 120th FW occupies three administrative, one services, and 43 industrial buildings totaling approximately 392,372 sqft with 350 full-time personnel. A unit training drill is conducted twice a month and results in a surge of up to a total of 943 personnel.

BRAC 2005 sent the unit's F-16 Fighting Falcons to ANG bases in Alabama and Iowa; F-15 Eagles were assigned to replace them.

History
The airport was leased by the U.S. War Department during World War II and became a home for the 7th Ferrying Command of the U.S. Army Air Forces during the war. During the war years, more than 7,500 bombers and fighter aircraft passed through Great Falls on their way to the war fronts in Europe and the Pacific. While using the airport as an air base, the U.S. Army acquired an additional 740 acre of land and built many buildings and other facilities. The airport remained under government control until June 1948, at which point the newly established Department of Defense deeded the airport back to the City of Great Falls with the stipulation that the facility could revert to military control in the event of a national emergency. The airport was released from this clause in 1961.