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U.S. Air Force

RED HORSE

Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron Engineers. The Air Force's heavy construction units. RED HORSE builds runways, taxiways, and infrastructure where nothing exists. The hardest hats in the Air Force.

RED HORSE
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820th / 823rd / Reserve RED HORSE
Heavy Construction, Austere Locations Est. 1965
RED HORSE
SELF-SUFFICIENT
RED HORSE Squadrons
Heavy Construction / Airfield Building
RED HORSE
Rapid Eng Deployable
820th
Nellis AFB, NV
823rd
Hurlburt Fld, FL
Self
SUFFICIENT UNIT
RED HORSE squadrons are self-sufficient, mobile civil engineering units that perform heavy construction and repair in austere environments. Unlike Prime BEEF teams that augment existing base CE, RED HORSE deploys as a complete squadron with organic heavy equipment, power generation, and water capability. They build runways, taxiways, aircraft parking aprons, and structures from the ground up. The 820th RED HORSE at Nellis and 823rd RED HORSE at Hurlburt Field are the active duty squadrons. Reserve RED HORSE units provide critical additional capacity. Read more
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Vietnam to Global Deployments 1965 - Present
VIETNAM
SOUTHEAST ASIA
Vietnam Origin
Building Airfields in Combat
1965
First Activated
Vietnam
Airfield Building
Heavy
Equipment Organic
Complete
SELF-CONTAINED
RED HORSE was created in 1965 when the Air Force needed heavy construction capability in Vietnam that existing Prime BEEF teams could not provide. The first RED HORSE squadrons built air bases, repaired battle-damaged runways, and constructed facilities across South Vietnam. They brought their own heavy equipment, dozers, graders, pavers, and concrete batch plants. The self-sufficiency concept meant RED HORSE could operate without base support. That independence defines the mission today. Read more
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GWOT
OIF / OEF / HA/DR
GWOT and Humanitarian Ops
Building Where No One Else Can
Iraq
Base Construction
Afghanistan
Airfield Repair
Haiti
Disaster Relief
Concrete
POURED IN COMBAT
RED HORSE squadrons built and expanded air bases across Iraq and Afghanistan. They poured concrete for aircraft parking ramps at Bagram, constructed hardened facilities at Balad, and built force protection infrastructure at forward operating bases. In humanitarian operations, RED HORSE has deployed to Haiti, Pakistan, and other disaster zones to restore airfield capability and build emergency infrastructure. When the mission requires building something big in a place with nothing, RED HORSE gets the call. Read more
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RED HORSE
Rapid Eng Deployable
820th
Nellis AFB
823rd
Hurlburt Field
Heavy
Construction