Ramstein Air Base, located in the heart of Germany, serves as the premier hub for U.S. Air Force operations in Europe. As the headquarters of the U.S. Air Forces in Europe and NATO Allied Air Command, it plays a critical role in global mobility, strategic airlift, and command and control. Known as the “Gateway to Europe,” Ramstein supports missions spanning continents, enabling rapid response to humanitarian crises and military operations alike. With state-of-the-art facilities and a dedicated team of Airmen and allies, the base is a symbol of strength, partnership, and readiness. Its strategic location and unmatched capabilities make it a cornerstone of transatlantic security.

The McDonnell Douglas/Boeing C-17 Globemaster III is a large military transport aircraft developed for the United States Air Force between the 1980s to the early 1990s by McDonnell Douglas. The C-17 carries forward the name of two previous piston-engined military cargo aircraft, the Douglas C-74 Globemaster and the Douglas C-124 Globemaster II. The C-17 is based upon the YC-15, a smaller prototype airlifter designed during the 1970s. It was designed to replace the Lockheed C-141 Starlifter, and also fulfill some of the duties of the Lockheed C-5 Galaxy. Compared to the YC-15, the redesigned airlifter differed in being larger, having swept wings, and more powerful engines. Development was protracted by a series of design issues, causing the company to incur a loss of nearly US$1.5 billion on the program’s development phase. On 15 September 1991, roughly one year behind schedule, the first C-17 performed its maiden flight. The C-17 formally entered USAF service on 17 January 1995. Boeing, which merged with McDonnell Douglas in 1997, continued to manufacture the C-17 for almost two decades. The final C-17 was completed at the Long Beach, California, plant and flown on 29 November 2015. Check out this stunning Ramstein AB 313 EOSS Art by – Squadron Posters! Collect all your military travels and tell your story!