There are dozens of U.S. Air Force bases scattered across the U.S. Some are large and well-known, such as Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada, which houses the Air Force’s most advanced air combat training facility. Others, however, fly under many people’s radar. For example, you may not have heard of Buckley Air Force Base in Aurora, Colorado, but the facility traces its roots back to World War II. Named for a World War I fighter pilot that was killed in combat, this base had an interesting history following the second World War. It was briefly an auxiliary field for Lowry Air Force Base before being converted to an Air National Guard Field, and then to a Navy Air Station. It was eventually transferred to the Air Force in 1959.

In 2004, Buckley became the host base for the 460th Space Wing and also hosted the Colorado Air National Guard. After the Space Wing was deactivated in 2020, Buckley became a unit of the new United States Space Force and renamed Buckley Space Force Base. Today, it hosts Space Base Delta 2, which provides support services for global missile warning and tracking. It also houses 117 tenant units, such as the Navy Reserve Center Denver and the Army National Guard Colorado. Overall, the base is used by active-duty service members from every service branch, along with civilians, contractors, reservists, and more. While you may not see any soldiers in uniform on base, you will indeed still see planes flying in and out.

Buckley Space Force Base’s name change didn’t alter the base’s core mission, but simply reflects its realignment under the Space Force. Its main mission, to “[e]mpower Joint and Allied dominance across all domains through unrivaled global combat support,” falls under several domains, including air, space, cyberspace, land, and sea. Major units that are stationed there include the Colorado Air National Guard’s 140th Wing, which flies and maintains F-16C+ Fighting Falcon aircraft. 

In addition to the Fighting Falcon, Buckley sees a wide variety of aircraft flying into and out of the base. In 2025, six MV-22B Ospreys from the Marine Corps conducted training out of Buckley, giving crews high-elevation experience for potential future operations and illustrating Buckley’s contribution to joint operations throughout the region and beyond.

The United States Space Force is a branch of the U.S. Armed Forces and operates six bases across the country, including Buckley. There are two more bases in Colorado, one in Florida, and two in California. The organization’s mission is to “secure our nation’s interest in, from, and to space.” At the time of this writing, there were 9,400 active duty members, also known as Guardians. One has even been to space, launching to the International Space Station in 2024.