The Tennessee Air National Guard works with the United States Air Force and National Guard Bureau to deploy and conduct operations throughout the world.

Headquarters Tennessee Air National Guard is the senior staff, directly responsible to
and acting on behalf of the Adjutant General, providing evaluations, issuing resolutions,
action recommendations, and command and control of the State’s units.

The mission of the 118th Wing is providing the U.S. Air Force with its most comprehensive Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing. This is accomplished through the synergistic efforts of highly trained citizen airmen aligned within specific mission-oriented groups. Each group is poised to carry out the directives of higher headquarters through the disciplines of remotely piloted aircraft, intelligence/targeting and cyber/ISR resources.

The 134th Air Refueling Wing in Knoxville, flying the KC-135 Stratotanker, provides the core aerial refueling capability for the United State Air Force and supports refueling operations throughout the world.

The 164th Airlift Wing in Memphis, flies the C-17 Globemaster, a smaller version of the unit’s former aircraft, the C-5. The C-17 is a logistics military transport aircraft designed to provide world-wide massive strategic airlift.