The unit was established as the 86th Fighter Wing at Neubiberg AB, Germany in July 1948 and redesignated 86th Fighter-Bomber Wing in January 1950 when the wing converted to the F-84. The wing moved to Landstuhl AB (later Ramstein AB) in August 1952 and changed to Fighter-Interceptor Wing status in August 1954. The unit upgraded to 86th Air Division in November 1960 with responsibility for F-102A-equipped air defense squadrons located at one Dutch and three West German bases. The designation reverted to 86th Fighter-Interceptor Wing in November 1968 and changed to Tactical Fighter Wing in October 1969. The wing moved to Zweibrucken AB, Germany in November 1969, operating the RF-4C and F-4C, and returned to Ramstein in January 1973 where it acquired a squadron of F-4Es, with a second added in 1977. The unit won the F-4 category in the 1978 William Tell competition at Tyndall AFB, and converted to the F-16C beginning September 1985. It became the 86th Fighter Wing during the spring of 1991, and later the 86th Wing, but transferred its F-16s to the 31st FW at Aviano AB during 1994. The unit became the 86th Airlift Wing in October 1994 with the transferr of the C-130E from Rhein Main AB.