The 486th Air Expeditionary Wing (486 AEW) is a provisional United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Combat Command. As a provisional unit, it may be activated or inactivated at any time. The unit was last known to be active during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003. During World War II, its predecessor unit, the 486th Bombardment Group (Heavy) was an Eighth Air Force heavy bombardment unit in England, stationed at RAF Sudbury. The group operated chiefly against strategic objectives in Germany until May 1945, flying 188 missions and losing 33 aircraft.