The 52nd Fighter Wing (52 FW) is a wing of the United States Air Force stationed at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany. It flies the F-16CJ fighter aircraft. It was activated in 1948, but derives significant elements of its history from the predecessor Second World War 52nd Fighter Group, which is now the 52nd Operations Group, subordinate to the wing. The wing provides United States Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa and/or the NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe with mission-ready personnel and systems. The assigned F-16 aircraft can be tasked to suppress enemy air defenses, provide close air support, carry out air interdiction, counter-air, strategic attack, and combat search and rescue. The wing also supports contingencies and operations other than war as required. In concert with USAFE wings at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, the 52nd Fighter Wing directly supports the strategic mobility mission once conducted at Rhein-Main Air Base, Germany. The wing provides logistics support for C-17 Globemaster III and C-5 Galaxy aircraft, crew, passengers and cargo to sustain air mobility operations throughout Europe, Africa and Southwest Asia. The 52nd Fighter Wing also supports USAFE's Joint Fires Center of Excellence, whose mission is to conduct joint and combined training focused on the effective integration and application of tactical fires. Subordinate organizations The wing is authorized for about 5,560 active-duty members and about 210 Department of Defense civilians. The wing is organized with four groups responsible for operations, maintenance, mission support and medical operations, and has headquarters staff. 52nd Operations Group (52 OG) 52nd Operations Support Squadron (52 OSS) 480th Fighter Squadron (480 FS) 52nd Maintenance Group (52 MXG) 52nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron (52 AMXS) 52nd Maintenance Operations Squadron (52 MOS) 52nd Equipment Maintenance Squadron (52 EMS) 52nd Component Maintenance Squadron (52 CMS) 52nd Medical Group (52 MDG) 52nd Aerospace Medicine Squadron (52 AMDS) 52nd Dental Squadron (52 DS) 52nd Medical Operations Squadron (52 MDOS) 52nd Medical Support Squadron (52 MDSS) 52nd Mission Support Group (52 MSG) 52nd Civil Engineer Squadron (52 CES) 52nd Communications Squadron (52 CS) 52nd Contracting Squadron (52 CONS) 52nd Force Support Squadron (52 FSS) 52nd Logistics Readiness Squadron (52 LRS) 52nd Security Forces Squadron (52 SFS) 470th Air Base Squadron (470 ABS) NATO Air Base, Geilenkirchen, Germany 52nd Munitions Maintenance Group (52 MMG) (custody and storage of tactical nuclear weapons) 701st Munitions Support Squadron (701 MUNSS) Kleine Brogel Air Base, Belgium 702nd Munitions Support Squadron