98th Range Wing

98th Range Wing

The Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR) is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Warfare Center of Air Combat Command. The unit is stationed at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada as a tenant unit.

The NTTR is a non-flying unit that provides command and control of the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR). The commander coordinates, prioritizes and is the approval authority for activities involving other governmental agencies, departments and commercial activities on the NTTR. The NTTR integrates and provides support for test and training programs that have a direct effect on the war-fighting capabilities of the combat air forces.

The history of the NTTR can be traced to its predecessor, the 98th Bombardment Group, a B-24 Liberator heavy bomber group that fought in North Africa and Italy during World War II. The group was last assigned to the range as the 98th Operations Group in 2011 and its history and honors have been temporarily been bestowed on the range. Two of the group's members, Colonel John R. (Killer) Kane and First Lieutenant Donald Pucket were awarded the Medal of Honor for their actions in combat. The group flew a total of 417 missions and earning a total of 15 battle streamers as well as two Distinguished Unit Citations.

During the early years of the Cold War, the 98th Bombardment Wing(BW), Very Heavy was formed in 1947 as and assigned to Strategic Air Command. Further redesignations followed as the wing mission changed, including the 98th Strategic Aerospace Wing when it added intercontinental ballistic missiles to its bomber force in 1964, and later the 98th Strategic Wing when it moved to Spain to control deployed Strategic Air Command (SAC) assets in 1966. The 98th Strategic Wing was inactivated on 31 December 1976 with the phaseout of SAC operations at Torrejon AB, Spain and its functions transferred to the 306th Strategic Wing at Ramstein AB, West Germany.

The NTTR is commanded by Colonel Kenneth Thompson.