43d Airlift Wing

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43d Airlift Wing
43d Airlift Wing Insignia
Active	November 3, 1947
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Role	Tactical Airlift
Part of	Air Mobility Command
Garrison/HQ	Pope Air Force Base
Motto	Willing, Able, Ready

The 43rd Airlift Wing is the US Air Force host unit at Pope AFB, North Carolina. It is a component of Eighteenth Air Force and Air Mobility Command of the United States Air Force, and is part of the air force component of United States Transportation Command. It provides airlift, special missions, and aeromedical evacuation for U.S. troops and regional Unified Commands using C-130 Hercules aircraft. The 43d was originally formed on 3 November 1947 as the 43d Bombardment Wing, Very Heavy, and has held various designations, including the 43d Air Refueling Wing in the mid 1990's. It became the 43d Airlift Wing on 1 April 1997.

The 43d Airlift Wing is composed of the 43d Operations Group, 43d Mission Support Group, the 43d Maintenance Group, and the 43d Medical Group. The 43 AW is also the host unit for the tenant 18th Air Support Operations Group, the 23d Fighter Group (Flying Tigers), and other squadrons.