INSTALLATION: 460th Space Wing
LOCATION: Buckley AFB is located within the eastern city limits of Aurora, Colorado.
MAJOR COMMAND: Air Force Space Command
MISSION: The 460th Space Wing is responsible for providing space-based missile warning data to Cheyenne Mountain Air Station, Colorado, and the 21st Space Wing at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado.
HISTORY: Initially activated in July 1943, the 460th Bomb group "Black Panthers" flew B-24 liberator bombers from Spinazolla, Italy supporting combat missions throughout Europe during World War II. Activated a second time during the Vietnam, War, the 460 Tactical Reconnaissance Wing supported the Air Force reconnaissance mission in Vietnam from 1966 to 1971. The largest in-theater Air Force wing performed day and night visual, radar, electronic, and thermographic reconnaissance from five distinct aircraft platforms. Renamed and reactivated a third time and flying the F-4 Phantom, the 460 Tactical Reconnaissance Group performed reconnaissance missions at the Taegu Air Base, Korea for one year starting in the fall of 1989 and inactivating October1990. With four Presidential Unit Citations, one Distinguished Unit Citation, and three Air Force Outstanding Unit Citations (two with Combat Service), the 460 Air Base Wing (ABW) reactivated on 1 Oct 2001.
On 19 Aug 2004, the 460th Air Base Wing was redesignated the 460th Space Wing. Tasked to build the newest base in the Air Force, the 460 Space Wing supports varied space missions and 28 tenant units totaling over 88,000 Air Force, Army, Navy, Marine Corp active duty, National Guard, Reserve members and missions, their families and a large retired community.
The 460 SW also provides personnel, logistical, communications, security, construction, and building maintenance, financial and morale support and programs.