The wing operates the E-11A Battlefield Airborne Communications Node and the E/RQ-4B Global Hawk remotely piloted aircraft, delivering surveillance and reconnaissance to combatant commands.

[3] The 4th Reconnaissance Squadron[4] of the 319th Operations Group is based at Andersen AFB in Guam, however the units RQ-4B Global Hawks deploy to Yokota AB in Japan during typhoon season, normally June to December.

The 319th Bombardment Group, which had been stationed at Mitchel Air Force Base, New York, moved on paper to Reading and became the wing's combat organization.

During the first half of 1955, the Air Force began establishing detached reserve squadrons at separate sites from their parent wing locations.

[21] Starting in 1960, one third of the wing's aircraft were maintained on fifteen-minute alert, fully fueled and ready for combat to reduce vulnerability to a Soviet missile strike.

[23] In 1962, in order to perpetuate the lineage of many currently inactive bombardment units with illustrious World War II records, Headquarters SAC received authority from Headquarters USAF to discontinue its Major Command controlled (MAJCOM) strategic wings that were equipped with combat aircraft and to activate Air Force controlled (AFCON) units, most of which were inactive at the time which could carry a lineage and history.

During the Vietnam War, the 319th Bomb Wing's mission expanded to include sending bomber and tanker aircrews on temporary duty assignments to support B-52 and KC-135 operations from 1963 to 1974.

The bomb crews flew B-52Ds from bases at Andersen AFB, Guam; Kadena AB, Okinawa, and U-Tapao RTNAF, Thailand.

As the activities in Southeast Asia decreased, the 319th Bomb Wing focused its full efforts on training crews to fly strategic strike missions.

Tanker crews assigned to the wing assisted in air refueling efforts during the invasion of Panama in December 1989.

It deployed tankers to Oman, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia to provide air refueling and cargo missions in Southwest Asia, August 1990 – April 1991.

In line with the changing international situation, President George H. W. Bush decided to reduce the US nuclear alert force.

Thus, on 28 September 1991, the 319th Wing pulled its B-1B bombers and KC-135R tankers from quick reaction alert duty, ending nearly three decades of such activity at Grand Forks AFB.

By the end of 2001, the wing had flown more than 120 Operation Noble Eagle sorties, off-loading more than 4.8 million pounds of fuel to 260 combat air patrol and support aircraft.

The 319th Air Refueling Wing reached a significant milestone 3 July 2002 by flying its 1,000th hour in support of Operation Noble Eagle.

The milestone-marking mission started the evening of 2 July and was commanded by Capt Kulka of the 905th Air Refueling Squadron.

The crew's mission was to provide fuel to F-16's from Shaw Air Force Base, SC, while they patrolled the skies over the nation's capitol.

[27] In September, remotely piloted aircraft operations commenced when the 69th Reconnaissance Group of Air Combat Command, flying the RQ-4 Global Hawk, was activated at Grand Forks.

[28] Although the 69th is assigned to the 9th Reconnaissance Wing at Beale Air Force Base, California, it receives administrative and logistics support from the 319th.