Offutt Air Force Base
Your Community
Bellevue Nebraska is the proud home of Offutt Air Force Base, home to the 55th Wing,
US Strategic Command, the Air Force Weather Agency and the Air Force Combat Command’s
Heartland of America Band.
Offutt Air Force Base is home of the 55th Wing, the Fightin' Fifty-Fifth, and a variety
of tenant units. Offutt's diverse missions and global responsibilities put it on the cutting
edge of the Air Force's transformation. Each branch of the US military is represented among the
approximately 10,000 military and federal employees assigned here. Offutt is a beautiful community
situated near the Missouri River in the rolling hills of southeastern Nebraska.
As Bellevue’s largest employer, Offutt has an estimated payroll of $574 million and annual
expenditures of $2.1 billion. The total economic impact of the base on our region is a hefty
$2.9 billion.
Offutt AFB dates back to the early 20th century, when President Benjamin Harrison named the
site Fort Crook, in honor of Gen. George Crook, and ordered the creation of an Army cavalry
post in eastern Nebraska. Fort Crook’s first flying unit was the 61st Balloon Company.
In the late 1930’s, the nationally prominent Martin Bomber Plant was built on the site.
The plant churned out aircraft that were instrumental in brining an end to World War II.
The Army Air Forces became the U.S. Air Force in 1947. The following year, Fort Crook and
Offutt were jointly re-designated Offutt Air force Base. In November 1948, Offutt became
headquarters to the Strategic Air Command and in 1992 became United States Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM).
Mission
The 55th Wing's mission statement is, "Provides dominant intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance,
electronic attack, command and control and precision awareness to national leadership and warfighters
across the spectrum of conflict any time, any place."
Vision
The 55th Wing's vision is to provide unmatched ISR, electronic attack, and command and control
capabilities across the range of military operations.
The Fightin' Fifty-Fifth operates a variety of aircraft to conduct operations from Offutt AFB, Nebraska;
Kadena AB, Japan; RAF Mildenhall, United Kingdom; Souda Bay Naval Support Activity, Crete; and other locations around the world.
The 55th Wing is the largest wing in Air Combat Command and the second largest in the Air Force.
Links
For more information on Offutt Economic Impact, please view the Analysis Document Offutt Economic Impact Analysis.