Its mission is to support and defend U.S. interests in the Asia Pacific region and around the world by providing units who are ready for worldwide air power projection and a base that is capable of meeting USINDOPACOM's theater staging and throughput requirements.

Major units assigned are: On July 28, 2010, a Boeing C-17 Globemaster III cargo aircraft practicing for an upcoming airshow crashed into a wooded area within the base, killing all four aircrew members; three from the Alaska Air National Guard and one from the USAF.

The low altitude of the turn made it impossible for the crew to recover from the stall in time to avoid impacting the ground.

Air Force rescue teams were reported to be concentrating their search for the missing plane and pilot, Captain Jeffrey Haney, in Denali National Park.

The accident review board ruled Haney was to blame, as he did not react properly to engage the emergency oxygen system.