135th Airlift Group
A former Maryland Air National Guard airlift and special-operations unit of the United States Air Force.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
The 135th Airlift Group was a Maryland Air National Guard unit of the United States Air Force whose lineage began in 1955 with the creation of the 135th Air Resupply Group. It was established at Baltimore Municipal Airport during a period when the Air Force was reorganizing its unconventional-warfare and psychological-operations capabilities. The group was one of several Air National Guard formations created to preserve selected air-commando capabilities after active-duty special air units were being reduced. During its early years, the organization operated C-46D Commando transports and SA-16 Albatross amphibious aircraft. Its responsibilities included unconventional warfare support, psychological operations, counterinsurgency, intelligence-related transport, personnel infiltration and extraction, and military civic-action missions. The amphibious mission involved demanding night water-landing training, and the unit also practiced personnel recovery using the Fulton Recovery System. In 1958, the group was inactivated and its squadron reported directly to the Maryland Air National Guard, but the organization was reactivated in 1962 as the 135th Air Commando Group as the United States expanded its special-warfare capabilities during the early Vietnam era. The group operated several types of light aircraft during the 1960s, including U-10 Super Couriers and, temporarily, U-6 Beavers. It participated in major exercises such as Swift Strike III and supported special-operations training and intelligence-related activities. In 1971, it moved away from its special-operations identity and became a tactical air-support organization, providing Forward Air Controllers for the direction of air strikes. In 1977, it was reorganized again as a tactical airlift unit and received C-7A Caribou aircraft. The C-7s were replaced by C-130B Hercules aircraft in 1980. The unit relocated to the north side of the field at what became Warfield Air National Guard Base in 1981. During the 1990s, its airlift forces supported humanitarian relief in Somalia and Bosnia, the United States intervention in Haiti, and enforcement of United Nations sanctions against Iraq. In 1996, the group headquarters was inactivated when the 135th and 175th Fighter Groups were combined to create the composite 175th Wing. The 135th Airlift Group was reactivated in 1999 as a separate group within that wing. The reactivated group became an important test and operating organization for the C-130J Hercules, becoming the first United States Air Force unit to be fully equipped with that version. Following the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure process, its C-130J aircraft were transferred to airlift wings in California and Rhode Island. The group later received C-27J Spartan light transports and deployed personnel and aircraft for operations in Afghanistan. From 2011, elements of the group participated in rotational operations from Kandahar as the 702d Expeditionary Airlift Squadron, conducting thousands of missions and moving personnel and cargo in support of coalition operations. The C-27J deployment ended in 2012 after the Air Force decided to terminate the program and return the aircraft to the United States. The group cased its colors in September 2013 and was expected to be inactivated, although administrative processing delayed the formal action. It remained active without personnel or aircraft until its official inactivation on 1 May 2016. The group is therefore a defunct military organization rather than a commercial brand, with a history spanning special operations, tactical air support, tactical airlift, strategic mobility support, and expeditionary operations.
History
The 135th Airlift Group was allotted to the Maryland Air National Guard in September 1955 and received federal recognition on 10 September of that year. Initially designated the 135th Air Resupply Group, it was based at Baltimore Municipal Airport and assigned to the Military Air Transport Service. Its principal squadron operated C-46D Commando transports and later SA-16 Albatross amphibious aircraft in support of psychological warfare and unconventional-warfare missions. The early mission set included counterinsurgency, direct-action support, military civic action, strategic reconnaissance support, personnel infiltration and extraction, and psychological operations. SA-16 crews trained in difficult night water landings, including exercises at Patuxent River Naval Air Station. The unit also used the Fulton Recovery System to practice recovering personnel from the ground. A training accident in May 1956 killed three crew members after an aircraft contacted the water during a low approach. The group was inactivated in 1958, with its squadron thereafter reporting directly to the Maryland Air National Guard. It was reactivated on 1 July 1962 as the 135th Air Commando Group. During the 1960s, its aircraft included U-10 Super Couriers and temporarily U-6 Beavers. The unit participated in Exercise Swift Strike III and supported special-operations and intelligence-related training. In 1968 it became the 135th Special Operations Group. In 1971, it was redesignated the 135th Tactical Air Support Group and assumed a Forward Air Controller mission. In 1977, it became the 135th Tactical Airlift Group and received C-7A Caribou aircraft, which were replaced by C-130B Hercules transports in 1980. The unit moved to Warfield Air National Guard Base in 1981. During the 1990s, its airlift capability was used in relief and security operations in Somalia, Bosnia, Haiti, and support of United Nations sanctions against Iraq. The group headquarters was inactivated on 1 April 1996 when the 135th and 175th Fighter Groups were merged into the 175th Wing. It was reactivated on 1 May 1999 as a separate group under that wing and redesignated the 135th Airlift Group in 1992 as part of the earlier lineage changes. The reactivated group became closely associated with the C-130J Hercules and was the first fully equipped United States Air Force unit to operate that variant. The 2005 BRAC process transferred its C-130J aircraft to airlift wings in California and Rhode Island. The group subsequently transitioned to the C-27J Spartan, receiving its first aircraft in 2011. Personnel and aircraft deployed to Afghanistan in rotational formations with the Ohio Air National Guard, operating as the 702d Expeditionary Airlift Squadron. According to Air Force data cited in the reference material, the deployment generated approximately 3,200 missions, transported 1,400 tons of cargo and 25,000 passengers, and conducted 71 airdrops. The C-27J deployment was suspended in June 2012 after the Air Force proposed ending the program. The group cased its colors on 27 September 2013 and was expected to inactivate at the end of that month. Because the administrative inactivation request was not initially processed, the organization remained active but without assigned personnel or aircraft until its formal inactivation on 1 May 2016. Its lineage included the designations 135th Air Resupply Group, 135th Air Commando Group, 135th Special Operations Group, 135th Tactical Air Support Group, 135th Tactical Airlift Group, and finally 135th Airlift Group.
- 2016
Final inactivation
[1]The 135th Airlift Group was formally inactivated on 1 May after several years without personnel or aircraft.
- 2013
Colors cased
[1]The group cased its colors on 27 September as its inactivation was anticipated.
- 2011
C-27J operations begin
[1]The group received C-27J Spartan aircraft and began rotational Afghanistan operations with the 164th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron.
- 2005
C-130J aircraft redistributed
[1]BRAC-related changes transferred the group's C-130J fleet to airlift units in California and Rhode Island.
- 2000
Gabon 2000 deployment
[1]The 135th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron deployed to Gabon for an exercise focused on strengthening regional peacekeeping and conflict-management capacity.
- 1999
Group reactivated and receives C-130J
[1]The group was reactivated under the 175th Wing and became the first fully equipped United States Air Force C-130J unit.
- 1996
Group headquarters inactivated during wing merger
[1]The 135th and 175th Fighter Groups were combined to form the 175th Wing, and the 135th group headquarters was inactivated.
- 1980
C-130B Hercules conversion
[1]The group replaced its C-7A aircraft with C-130B Hercules transports.
- 1977
Conversion to tactical airlift
[1]The organization was redesignated the 135th Tactical Airlift Group and began operating C-7A Caribou aircraft.
- 1971
Transition to tactical air support
[1]The unit became the 135th Tactical Air Support Group and took on Forward Air Controller responsibilities.
Products and positioning
A Maryland Air National Guard aviation organization focused on combat-ready airlift, expeditionary mobility, airdrop, humanitarian support, and—during earlier periods—special operations and tactical air control.
Transport aircraft · 1955
C-46D Commando
The C-46D was the group's initial transport aircraft. It supported the early air-resupply, psychological-warfare, and unconventional-warfare mission before being supplemented and ultimately replaced by amphibious aircraft.
Amphibious aircraft · 1956
SA-16/HU-16 Albatross
The Albatross gave the group an amphibious capability for special-warfare support, personnel movement, and recovery-related training. It completely replaced the C-46 in the group's early inventory by the late 1950s.
Light utility aircraft · 1963
U-10 Super Courier
U-10 aircraft were used for infiltration, extraction, psychological operations, and other light special-warfare tasks. Loudspeaker-equipped examples were used during University of Maryland demonstrations in 1971.
Tactical transport aircraft · 1977
C-7A Caribou
The C-7A Caribou supported the group's transition into tactical airlift after 1977. The type was a light transport suited to operations from relatively short and austere airfields.
Tactical transport aircraft · 1980
C-130B Hercules
The C-130B Hercules became the group's principal tactical airlift aircraft after the 1980 conversion. It supported domestic and overseas mobility, humanitarian relief, and expeditionary operations.
Advanced tactical transport aircraft · 1999
C-130J Hercules
The group was a major early operator and test organization for the C-130J, becoming the first fully equipped United States Air Force unit to operate the modernized Hercules variant. Its aircraft were later redistributed under BRAC-related force changes.
Light tactical transport aircraft · 2011
C-27J Spartan
The C-27J was introduced as a light tactical airlifter and used in Afghanistan for movement of cargo and passengers, operations from isolated terrain, and airdrop missions. The Air Force later terminated the wider C-27J program.
Marketing campaigns
- 2011Operation Enduring Freedom Afghanistan
Afghanistan
The group provided personnel and C-27J aircraft for rotational operations from Kandahar as part of the 702d Expeditionary Airlift Squadron. The deployment conducted approximately 3,200 missions, moved about 1,400 tons of cargo and 25,000 passengers, and completed 71 airdrops according to cited Air Force data.
- 2000Gabon 2000
Gabon · Central Africa
The 135th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron deployed to Lambarene Airport for a multinational exercise intended to improve the peacekeeping and conflict-prevention capacity of Central African states.
- 1990Somalia humanitarian relief
Somalia
During the early 1990s, the group's tactical airlift resources supported humanitarian relief activity in Somalia.
- 1990Bosnia peacekeeping and humanitarian support
Bosnia and Herzegovina
The group contributed airlift support to peacekeeping and humanitarian relief operations in Bosnia during the 1990s.
- 1990Haiti intervention support
Haiti
The unit supported the United States intervention in Haiti with tactical airlift resources.
- 1990Iraq sanctions enforcement support
Iraq · Middle East
The group participated in support of United Nations sanctions enforcement against Iraq during the 1990s.
- 1971University of Maryland demonstration support
United States
The unit used loudspeaker-equipped U-10 aircraft to broadcast orders to student protesters during demonstrations. The episode was described as the aircraft's only actual operational use by the group.
- 1963Exercise Swift Strike III
United States
The group participated in the large-scale Swift Strike III maneuver, conducting special air-warfare missions while also undergoing an operational readiness inspection.
Brand decisions
2012
Termination of C-27J Afghanistan deploymentStrategyBackground
The Air Force proposed ending the C-27J program, and the maintenance arrangement supporting the aircraft in Afghanistan was approaching expiration.
Action taken
The 702d Expeditionary Airlift Squadron's C-27J operations were suspended and the aircraft were returned to the United States.
Aftermath
The decision removed the group's planned light-airlift capability and contributed to the eventual winding down of the organization.
Estimated additional maintenance cost if aircraft remained in theater. (2012)
2005
C-130J fleet redistributionStrategyBackground
The Base Realignment and Closure process reorganized Air National Guard airlift assets.
Action taken
The group's eight C-130J aircraft were transferred to the 146th Airlift Wing in California and the 143d Airlift Wing in Rhode Island.
Aftermath
The group subsequently moved toward the C-27J light-airlift mission.
1996
Merger into the 175th WingM&ABackground
The Air Force was experimenting with composite and expeditionary organizational structures while responding to post-Cold War force reductions.
Action taken
The 135th and 175th Fighter Groups were combined to form the 175th Wing, and the 135th group headquarters was inactivated.
Aftermath
The group was reactivated as a separate 175th Wing organization in 1999.
1977
Conversion to tactical airliftStrategyBackground
A broader Air National Guard modernization effort called for changes in aircraft and mission assignments.
Action taken
The group became the 135th Tactical Airlift Group and received C-7A Caribou transports.
Aftermath
It converted to C-130B Hercules aircraft in 1980 and developed a long-term airlift role.
1971
Transition to tactical air supportStrategyBackground
The unit's mission evolved from special operations toward direct support of ground forces.
Action taken
It was redesignated the 135th Tactical Air Support Group and assigned a Forward Air Controller mission.
Aftermath
The organization later moved again into tactical airlift in 1977.
1962
Reactivation as an air-commando organizationStrategyBackground
The United States was rebuilding selected special-warfare capabilities during the early Vietnam-era expansion of military special operations.
Action taken
The organization was reactivated and redesignated the 135th Air Commando Group.
Aftermath
It continued special-operations aviation activities until its transition to tactical air support in 1971.
Recent events
- 2016
135th Airlift Group is formally inactivated[1]
Other
The group was officially inactivated on 1 May 2016 after remaining active but unmanned following the casing of its colors in 2013.
- 2012
C-27J Afghanistan operations are suspended[1]
Other
The Air Force ended the planned deployment of the C-27J fleet in Afghanistan and returned the aircraft to the United States amid the decision to terminate the program.
- 2011
135th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron supports Operation Enduring Freedom[1]
Other
The Maryland unit began rotational C-27J operations from Kandahar as part of the 702d Expeditionary Airlift Squadron, supporting coalition movement and airdrop missions.
- 2011
135th receives its first C-27J Spartan[1]
Product launch · Product generation
The group received the first of four planned C-27J light transports before employing the type in expeditionary operations.
- 2005
C-130J aircraft transferred after BRAC 2005[1]
Other
Four C-130J aircraft were transferred to the 146th Airlift Wing in California and four to the 143d Airlift Wing in Rhode Island as part of the Base Realignment and Closure process.
- 1999
135th becomes the first fully equipped C-130J unit[1]
Product launch · Product generation
After reactivation within the 175th Wing, the group received the C-130J Hercules and played a major role in testing and developing operating procedures for the aircraft.
Sources1 sources
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