86th Air Division

The 86th Air Division (86 AD) is a former designation of the 86th Airlift Wing, a United States Air Force organization. It was assigned to United States Air Forces in Europe at Ramstein Air Base, West Germany. It was inactivated on 14 November 1968. Its mission was the air defense of NATO-controlled airspace in Western Europe.

The 86th Air Division (Defense) was a re-designation of the 86th Fighter-Interceptor Wing at Ramstein Air Base, West Germany, on 18 November 1960 when the 86th FIW was combined with the ground radar functions of the 501st Tactical Control Wing. Its mission was to upgrade the air defense capabilities of Western Europe.

Unlike other USAFE organizations, the 86th AD had a complex chain of command. Air defense missions were directed by the U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff from The Pentagon in Washington, D.C.. Since the components of the division would be committed to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in time of war, USAFE NATO missions came under the direction of the Supreme Allied Commander, Supreme Headquarters, Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE). Thus all 86 AD units came under a dual command structure.

Under NATO, the Allied Air Forces Central Europe (AAAFCE) was divided into the 2nd Allied Tactical Air Force (2ATAF) and the 4th ATAF, commanded by the Allied Forces Central Europe (AFCENT). Fighter-Interceptor units in Spain, however, were not part of AFCENT, and operated under a separate command structure of the 65th Air Division at Torrejon Air Base, Spain.

The 86th AD units in West Germany reported to NATO 4ATAF, and its interceptor units operated in Air Defense Sector 3 (Central and Southern West Germany). The 32d FIS in The Netherlands reported to NATO 2ATAF, and operated in Air Defense Sector 1 (Benelux, Northern West Germany). USAFE FIS units in Spain were not part of the NATO air defense system, but were charged with the protection of USAF units in Spain and operated as part of the Spanish Air Defense System.

86th AD FIS were linked to a number of ground control radar stations through an extensive communications network. In Central Europe, NATO had divided the region into four Air Defense Sectors. Each of these sectors had their own operations enter which functioned as the central coordination center for units under its control.

The 86th AD always had one flight of interceptors in the air. A normal sortie lasted about 90 minutes. Along with the airborne aircraft, each squadron had two to four aircraft in an alert hangar, with one pair on five-minute and the other pair on fifteen minute alert (although in November 1963, this was changed to a thirty-minute alert). An additional two squadron aircraft were maintained on a one-hour standby. The main peacetime mission for the interceptors was the identification of unknown aircraft in the ADIZ (Air Defense Identification Zone). This was a thirty-mile wide zone between Communist-controlled areas and NATO airspace. Between two and four alert scrambles happened weekly to identify intruders. These were usually airliners or private aircraft off their track or flight plan. In addition, each squadron was tasked to provide assistance to pilots in distress.

Another, but no less important mission was the control of the Southern Air Corridor between West Germany and West Berlin. Radar controllers of the 616th Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron at Wasserkuppe guided both military and civilian aircraft though the negotiated air corridor over East Germany to and from Tempelhof Central Airport.