Arizona is home to a large and active military community with over 100,000 active-duty service members, reservists, and National Guard Members. The military community in Arizona is a close-knit group, and they provide support to each other through thick and thin. The state is home to seven major military installations:
- Barry M. Goldwater Range
- Camp Navajo
- Davis-Monthan Air Force Base
- Fort Huachuca
- Luke Air Force Base
- MCAS Yuma
- Yuma Proving Ground
Barry M. Goldwater Range
The Barry M. Goldwater Range (BMGR) is a military training range located in southwestern Arizona. It is one of the largest military training ranges in the world, covering an area of over 1.9 million acres. The range is used by the United States Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, and Army for a variety of training activities, including air-to-air combat, air-to-ground combat, and bombing exercises.
For more information, please see the base website: Barry M. Goldwater Range
Camp Navajo
Camp Navajo was originally opened in 1942 as Navajo Ordnance Depot. It was used to store ammunition for the Pacific Theater of World War II. In 1993, the Department of Defense transferred all ammunition activities to Hawthorne Army Ammunition Plant in Nevada. Following the transfer, Camp Navajo remained federal land under the Department of the Army, overseen by the Arizona Army National Guard. Camp Navajo is now an industrial park, munitions storage facility, and regional training site overseen by the Arizona Army National Guard, and managed by the Arizona Department of Emergency and Military Affairs. It is the largest National Guard training facility in the state and the largest military installation in Northern Arizona.
For more information, please see the base website: Camp Navajo
Davis-Monthan Air Force Base
Davis-Monthan Air Force Base was established in 1925 as Davis-Monthan Landing Field. It was named after two World War I pilots, George S. “Hap” Arnold and Oscar Monthan. The base was initially used as a training field for Army Air Corps pilots. Davis-Monthan Air Force Base is home to the 355th Wing, which is responsible for training and deploying A-10C Thunderbolt II pilots. The base is also home to the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (AMARG), which is responsible for storing and maintaining aircraft that are no longer in active service, the 55th Electronic Combat Group, the 214th Attack Group of the Arizona Air National Guard, and the 943rd Rescue Group of the Air Force Reserve.
For more information, please see the base website: Davis-Monthan Air Force Base
Fort Huachuca
Fort Huachuca was established in 1877 as Camp Huachuca. It was named after a nearby mountain range. The fort was initially used to protect settlers from Apache attacks. Fort Huachuca is home to the U.S. Army Intelligence Center, and the U.S. Army’s Network Enterprise Technology Command. The fort is also home to a number of other military units.
For more information, please see the base website: Fort Huachuca
Luke Air Force Base
Luke Air Force Base was established in 1941 as Luke Field. It was named after World War I flying ace Frank Luke, Jr. The base was initially used as a training field for Army Air Corps pilots. Luke Air Force Base is the largest F-16 Fighting Falcon training base in the world. The base is also home to the 56th Fighter Wing, which is responsible for training and deploying F-16 pilots. Luke Air Force Base is also home to the 944th Fighter Wing of the Air Force Reserve, and the 162nd Wing of the Arizona Air National Guard.
For more information, please see the base website: Luke Air Force Base
MCAS Yuma
MCAS Yuma was established in 1942 as Yuma Army Air Base. It was renamed Marine Corps Air Station Yuma in 1952. The base was initially used as a training field for Marine Corps pilots. MCAS Yuma is one of the busiest Marine Corps air stations in the world. The base is home to a number of Marine Corps aircraft, including F/A-18 Hornets, AV-8B Harriers, and CH-53E Super Stallions. The base is also home to the Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron-1 (MAWTS-1), which is responsible for developing and teaching air-to-ground combat tactics to Marine Corps pilots and aircrew.
For more information, please see the base website: MCAS Yuma
Yuma Proving Ground (YPG)
YPG was established in 1942 as Yuma Test Station. It was renamed Yuma Proving Ground in 1952. The base was initially used to test weapons and equipment for the U.S. Army. YPG is used to test a wide variety of weapons and equipment, including aircraft, ground vehicles, weapons systems, and electronic warfare systems. The base is also used to train military personnel in the use of these systems.
For more information, please see the base website: Yuma Proving Ground
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