Located near Marysville, CA just north of Sacramento, Beale AFB is home to the Air Force's 9th Reconnaissance Wing, whose motto is "In God We Trust, All Others We Monitor."

Originally built as a World War II gunnery range, Beale became home to the Air Force's U-2 and SR-71 reconnaisance aircraft. The SR-71 was deactivated in the 1990s, but the U-2s still operate out of Beale. More recently, Beale AFB has been designated at the future home of the Global Hawk UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles).

Beale is also home to the 7th Missile Warning Squadron which uses a massive, 10-story PAVE PAWS radar site to detect submarine launched ballistic missiles and other activities.