Langley Air Force Base facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Langley Air Force Base
Hampton, Virginia in United States
Langley Air Force Base as seen from over Chesapeake Bay
Langley AFB Location in Virginia
Coordinates	37°04′58″N 076°21′38″W / 37.08278°N 76.36056°W / 37.08278; -76.36056 (Langley AFB)
Type	U.S. Air Force Base
Site information
Owner	Department of Defense
Operator	US Air Force
Site history
Built	1917 (1917) (as Langley Field)
In use	1917 – 2010 (2010)
Fate	Merged in 2010 to become an element of Joint Base Langley–Eustis
Airfield information
Identifiers	IATA: LFI, ICAO: KLFI, FAA LID: LFI, WMO: 745980
Elevation	2.4 metres (7 ft 10 in) AMSL
Runways Direction Length and surface 08/26 3,048.6 metres (10,002 ft) Concrete

Langley Air Force Base is a special place in Hampton, Virginia. It is a base for the United States Air Force. It was one of the first training camps for air forces during World War I in 1917.

In 2010, Langley Air Force Base joined with Fort Eustis. Together, they became Joint Base Langley–Eustis. This happened because the government decided to combine some military bases.

A cool fact: On February 4, 2023, an F-22 Raptor jet took off from Langley. It then shot down a Chinese balloon. This was the first time an F-22 jet had a combat air victory!

About Langley Air Force Base

The main goal at Langley is to help the United States Air Force. They make sure the Air Force can quickly send planes anywhere in the world. They also help keep the skies safe.

Langley is one of the oldest Air Force bases. It started on December 30, 1916. It was named after Samuel Pierpont Langley. He was an early aviation pioneer.

During World War I, Langley was used for many things. It was a flying field and a place to train observers. It also had schools for photography and engineering.

The base is quite large, covering 3,152 acres. It is located near the city of Hampton. It is also close to the NASA LaRC and the Back River.

Air Shows and Safety

Langley often hosts an airshow called "AirPower over Hampton Roads." This show happens in the spring. You can see amazing demonstrations there. These include the F-22 Raptor Demonstration team and Aerobatics. There are also exciting parachute demos.

Because of the powerful jets at the base, safety is very important. The city of Hampton works with the Air Force. They buy land around the base to create a safety zone. This helps protect people living nearby.

History of Langley Air Force Base

Langley Air Force Base was first called Langley Field. It is named after Samuel Pierpont Langley. He was a scientist who studied how things fly. He was also in charge of the Smithsonian Institution.

In the late 1800s, Langley started experiments with flying machines. He built early model airplanes. In 1903, he built a plane that could carry a person. However, it did not fly well at first. Later, in 1914, another pilot successfully flew a modified version of his plane.

Langley Field was the first Air Service base built just for air power. It is the oldest Air Force base that is still active today. It is also the oldest airfield in Virginia.

How Langley Field Started

Langley Field in 1920, showing early aircraft

In 1916, a group called NACA decided a new airfield was needed. This airfield would be for the Army, Navy, and NACA planes. They needed a place near water for flying over the ocean. It also had to be flat for planes to land and take off.

Officers looked for the perfect spot. They sometimes pretended to be hunters to avoid attention. This way, land prices wouldn't go up if people knew the government wanted to buy land. They checked 15 places before choosing a site near Hampton.

In 1917, the new site was named Langley Field. It honored Samuel Pierpont Langley. He had tried to fly manned aircraft in 1903. Even though his first tries failed, his work was very important.

Early on, Langley Field had different training units. They used planes like the Curtiss JN-4 "Jenny." This plane was used for aerial photography. They also used the de Havilland DH.4 bomber. Hydrogen-filled dirigibles (blimps) were also important in Langley's early days.

Between the World Wars

In the 1920s, Langley became a place for new ideas about air power. General Billy Mitchell led bombing tests from Langley. His planes bombed captured German warships. These tests showed that airplanes could be used for strategic bombing. This changed how air forces were used.

Throughout the 1930s, Langley Field grew. It became a major airfield for the United States Army Air Corps. Many of the brick buildings you see on the base today were built during this time.

World War II and Beyond

When World War II started, Langley had a new job. It helped develop special equipment to find enemy submarines. Langley units were very important in sinking enemy submarines off the U.S. coast. The base was also used to train pilots and crews.

After World War II, the Cold War began. In 1946, the headquarters for the new Tactical Air Command moved to Langley. Their job was to train and prepare forces for quick action. In January 1948, Langley Field officially became Langley Air Force Base.

In 1976, the 1st Tactical Fighter Wing came to Langley. This wing was the first to get the new F-15 Eagle jets. Their mission was to be ready for air superiority operations anywhere in the world.

Modern Day Langley

On June 1, 1992, Langley became the headquarters for the new Air Combat Command. This was part of a big change in the Air Force.

In 2005, the 27th Fighter Squadron at Langley got the first operational F-22 fighter jets. By 2007, the wing had 40 F-22s and was fully ready for action.

Langley Air Force Base has faced challenges from nature. It was badly flooded by Hurricane Isabel in 2003. It was also flooded during a big storm in 2009. To protect the base, new buildings are built higher up. They also built a sea wall and a pumping station. The base is only about 3 feet above sea level, and the sea level has risen 14 inches since 1930.

On October 1, 2010, Langley Air Force Base officially joined with Fort Eustis. They became Joint Base Langley–Eustis.

Main Units at Langley

F-22A jets from the 94th Fighter Squadron approaching Langley Air Force Base

Many different units work at Langley. They all help the base run smoothly and achieve its missions.

• The 1st Fighter Wing is a very important unit. It includes the 1st Operations Group and the 1st Maintenance Group. These groups work together to keep the F-22 Raptors flying.
  • The 1st Operations Group has two main squadrons:
    • 27th Fighter Squadron (flies F-22 Raptor jets)
    • 94th Fighter Squadron (flies F-22 Raptor jets)
    • 71st Fighter Training Squadron (flies T-38A Talon jets for training)

• The 480th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing is also based here. This wing uses a special system called "Sentinel." They gather important information using images and other data. This helps the Air Force understand what is happening around the world.

• The 192d Fighter Wing is part of the Virginia Air National Guard. They also fly and maintain F-22 Raptors at Langley. They work with the 149th Fighter Squadron. They also support intelligence missions.

• The 633d Air Base Wing helps support all the units at Langley. This wing helps both Air Force and Army units. It is part of the joint base with Fort Eustis.

Langley is also home to the Headquarters Air Combat Command (ACC). This is a very important command for the Air Force.

You might also see the F-22 Raptor Demo Team at Langley. This team travels the world. They perform amazing maneuvers with the F-22 Raptor jet. They show off the jet's abilities and help people learn about the Air Force.

Images for kids

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  A YB-17 Flying Fortress bomber crew receiving instructions at Langley, May 1942