SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany -- The 726th Air Mobility Squadron broke ground on a $11 million, 2-year passenger terminal expansion project here, Dec. 1, 2023.
This project will improve the ability of the 726th AMS to provide support to the 52nd Fighter Wing as well as provide additional capacity to service mobility aircraft that otherwise would be required to transit through Ramstein Air Base, Germany, located approximately 100 kilometers southeast of Spangdahlem.
“Ultimately, what we are building here is a premier combat power projection platform…a ‘Gateway to Freedom’ running multiple, concurrent missions with more passengers,” said Col. Charles Cooley, 521st Air Mobility Operations Wing.
The expansion will bring multiple new features to the terminal, including more check-in counters, a larger baggage area, and a larger Transportation Security Administration inspection and customs area.
These additions will give the 726 AMS the ability to process three times more customers, significantly reduce wait times, and will enable the squadron to support aircraft flying into and departing Spangdahlem simultaneously.
“The most challenging part was in phase one, getting things approved and routing things through different channels,” said Staff Sgt. Dustin Carlton, 726th AMS unit deployment manager. “Now that we’re in phase two, we’re starting to see everything come together and that’s exciting!"
The 726th AMS is a tenant unit of Spangdahlem and is a subordinate unit of the 521st AMOW, which is made up of two groups and nine squadrons across 19 locations that provide command and control, en-route aircraft maintenance, and air transportation services for theater and strategic air mobility missions in Europe, Africa, and Southwest Asia.