Eielson Air Force Base (IATA: EIL, ICAO: PAEI, FAA LID: EIL) is a United States Air Force (USAF) base located approximately 26 miles (42 km) southeast of Fairbanks, Alaska, and just southeast of Moose Creek, Alaska.

The 354 FW's primary mission is to support RED FLAG-Alaska, a series of Pacific Air Forces commander–directed field training exercises for U.S.

[9] The F-35 program increases the number of military personnel at Eielson by approximately 50%, which is a significant change for a base once on the brink of closure.

[11] Because of its hazard-free approaches and relatively flat terrain, surveyor reports indicated a site a little more than 25 miles southeast of Ladd Army Airfield to be the best in the vicinity for military aviation.

The field became known as "Mile 26" because of its proximity to a United States Army Signal Corps telegraph station and a Richardson Highway milepost marker using the same designation.

Ladd Field served as the debarkation point for the Alaska-Siberia Ferry Route of the Lend-Lease program and was the hub of activity.

The first USAAF operational unit assigned to Eielson was the 57th Fighter Group, equipped successively with P-38 Lightnings, P/F-51 Mustangs, F-80 Shooting Stars, and F-94 Starfire aircraft.

A year later Eielson moved from under the shadow of Ladd Field when the Alaskan Air Command assumed organizational control.

The primary missions of Mile 26 were to support Arctic training for USAF tactical and strategic units, as well as defend the base itself.

Headquarters USAF General Order 2, dated 13 January 1948, redesignated Mile 26 as Eielson Air Force Base.

It was named for Carl Ben Eielson, an Alaska aviation pioneer who was killed, along with his mechanic Earl Borland, in the crash of their Hamilton H-45 aircraft in 1929.

Many of the facilities used today were built at that time, including Amber Hall, the Thunderdome, Base Exchange, Gymnasium, Theater, some of the schools, and many of the dormitories.

The 720th was replaced by the 455th Fighter-Bomber Squadron (323d FBW), stationed at Bunker Hill Air Force Base, Indiana.

During the height of the Cuban Missile Crisis of October 1962, Eielson-based Lockheed U-2 pilot Charles Maultsby was allegedly blinded by the aurora borealis while collecting radiation from Soviet nuclear weapons tests over the North Pole and accidentally strayed 300 miles (480 km) into Soviet airspace, into Chukotka.

The unit was redesignated the 58th Strategic Weather Squadron on 21 February 1951 as part of the 303d Bombardment Wing at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona.

The 6th SW flew RC–135 strategic reconnaissance missions with an assigned squadron, and, with KC–135 Stratotankers deployed to Eielson from SAC, Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC), and the Air National Guard (ANG), conducted Alaska Tanker Task Force (ATTF) missions to support reconnaissance and numerous exercises for the USAF and U.S.

The 25 TASS, at Eielson since 1971, flew O-2 Skymaster and OV-10 Bronco aircraft until its inactivation in 1989; the newly assigned 18 FS operated A-10 Thunderbolt IIs until it converted to F-16 Fighting Falcons in 1991.

Prior to its shutdown, the 343d was the oldest surviving air combat unit in Alaska with a lineage dating back to the Aleutian Campaign.

Within the first year of its arrival the 354 FW hosted an Arctic combat search and rescue exercise between the United States, Canada, and Russia.

Ironically, these were the same countries that took part in the search and recovery efforts that followed the fatal crash of Carl Ben Eielson and his mechanic, Earl Borland, in 1930 as they were attempting to fly relief supplies to the Nanuk.

The 354th Fighter Wing mission is to "Prepare U.S. and partner forces for 21st century combat and to project and integrate Airpower in support of worldwide operations."

The wing vision is "An elite team of pioneering Airmen forging Airpower's frontier through world-class training, engagement, and readiness for 21st century combat."

The wing has six priorities, which are: "Strong Airmen and Families, Resilient Airfield and Infrastructure, Preparation for 2 x F-35 Combat Squadrons, Premier Joint/Air Exercises and Adversary Support, Synchronized Airpower into Army I Corps Ops, and OPLAN-Focused Readiness."

"[30] The 356th Fighter Squadron was reactivated on 10 October 2019 at Eielson Air Force Base, assigned to the 354th Operations Group.

[35][36] Eielson Air Force Base was proposed to be a Superfund site on 14 July 1989, and was officially designated as such on 21 November 1989.

[39] In 2014, Eielson tested waters and soils for perfluorinated compounds around areas where aqueous film forming foam (AFFF) had been used for firefighting and training.

[40] In July 2015, water from 132 Moose Creek wells, which serve more than 200 residences, was found to contain perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) above the health advisory level of 0.2 micrograms per liter by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation said "contamination stretches 6.5 miles from the south of Eielson's runway to the north of Moose Creek and is found up to 100 feet deep".