Eglin Air Force Base (AFB) is a United States Air Force base located in northwest Florida, approximately 64 kilometers (40 miles) east of Pensacola. It is one of the largest and most diverse military bases in the world, covering over 724 square kilometers (280 square miles). The base is named after Lieutenant Colonel Frederick I. Eglin, a U.S. Army Air Corps pilot who lost his life in a crash in 1937.
Eglin AFB is primarily focused on research, development, testing, and evaluation of military aviation and weapons systems. It is home to the Air Force Test Center, Air Armament Center, 96th Test Wing, 33rd Fighter Wing, and several other tenant units.
The base is known for its involvement in a wide range of military activities, including testing and evaluation of aircraft, weapons, and munitions. It is also home to the United States Air Force's largest aerial warfare training range, known as the Eglin Gulf Test and Training Range, which spans over 724,000 acres.
