Air Force Special Operations Command

Air Force Special Operations Command
Unit name	Air Force Special Operations Command
Caption	Emblem of Air Force Special Operations Command
Dates	22 May 1990 – present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Special operations
Role	Special reconnaissance, direct action, unconventional warfare, combat search and rescue
Size	~20,000 personnel
Command structure	United States Special Operations Command, United States Department of the Air Force
Garrison	Hurlburt Field, Florida
Current commander	Lt Gen Tony D. Bauernfeind
Notable commanders	Gen Michael A. Loh, Lt Gen James C. Slife

Air Force Special Operations Command. It is the special operations component of the United States Air Force and a critical component of the United States Special Operations Command. Headquartered at Hurlburt Field in Florida, the command provides specialized airpower for a wide range of sensitive and demanding missions across the globe. Its forces are trained to conduct operations in politically sensitive or hostile environments, often under the cover of darkness or in adverse weather conditions.

History

The lineage of modern Air Force special operations can be traced to units like the 1st Air Commando Group which supported Office of Strategic Services teams and British Commandos in the China Burma India Theater during World War II. Following the war, units such as the 4400th Combat Crew Training Squadron conducted counter-insurgency missions during the Vietnam War, with aircraft like the Douglas A-1 Skyraider and Helio U-10 Courier seeing extensive use. The need for a dedicated command was highlighted by the failed Operation Eagle Claw during the Iran hostage crisis, which led to the formation of the 23rd Air Force as a precursor. The command was officially established as a major command on 22 May 1990, with its first commander being Major General Thomas E. Eggers. Since its inception, it has been continuously engaged in conflicts from the Gulf War and Operation Enduring Freedom to the ongoing fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.

Organization

The command is organized under several primary wings and groups. The 1st Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field serves as the host unit and primary operational wing. The 24th Special Operations Wing, also at Hurlburt, is the United States Air Force component of the Joint Special Operations Command and includes the elite Combat Controllers and Pararescue specialists of the 724th Special Tactics Group. Other major units include the 27th Special Operations Wing at Cannon Air Force Base in New Mexico, the 352nd Special Operations Wing at RAF Mildenhall in the United Kingdom, and the 353rd Special Operations Wing at Kadena Air Base in Japan. The 492nd Special Operations Wing at Duke Field, Florida, focuses on training and advanced aviation applications.

Missions and capabilities

Its core missions are defined by the United States Department of Defense and include direct action, special reconnaissance, and unconventional warfare. AFSOC personnel are experts in combat search and rescue, often working alongside United States Navy SEAL Team Six and Army Special Forces units. The command also provides unique capabilities in psychological operations and military information support operations, utilizing specialized aircraft for leaflet dissemination and broadcast. Furthermore, it is responsible for the Precision Strike Package and provides critical close air support and armed overwatch for ground special operations forces during sensitive activities.

Aircraft

The command operates a diverse and specialized fleet. The workhorse for long-range infiltration and exfiltration is the CV-22B Osprey, a tiltrotor aircraft operated by the 8th Special Operations Squadron. For clandestine insertion and resupply, it uses the versatile MC-130J Commando II and the low-observable MC-130H Combat Talon II. The AC-130J Ghostrider and AC-130W Stinger II gunships provide devastating persistent close air support. Other key platforms include the U-28A Draco for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, the C-146A Wolfhound for non-combatant evacuation operations, and the MQ-9 Reaper for unmanned strike and reconnaissance.

Training

Initial training for enlisted special operators, such as Combat Control and Pararescue, begins with the intense Special Warfare Preparatory Course and the Special Warfare Assessment and Selection at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland. Officers attend the Special Tactics Training Squadron pipeline. Aircrew for aircraft like the CV-22B Osprey and AC-130J Ghostrider undergo extensive training at the 71st Special Operations Squadron and the 4th Special Operations Squadron respectively. All personnel receive advanced instruction in survival, evasion, resistance and escape at the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School and train regularly with allied forces like the British Special Air Service and Australian Special Operations Command.

Notable operations

AFSOC units played pivotal roles in major conflicts and covert actions. During the Gulf War, Combat Controllers from the 23rd Special Tactics Squadron were among the first on the ground in Kuwait. In Somalia, AC-130H Spectre gunships provided support during the Battle of Mogadishu. Following the September 11 attacks, AFSOC aircraft, including MC-130s, were instrumental in inserting Central Intelligence Agency and Army Special Forces teams into Afghanistan for Operation Enduring Freedom. More recently, its assets supported the raid on Osama bin Laden's compound in Abbottabad and have been central to operations against al-Qaeda and the Islamic State in Syria, Iraq, and Africa.

Category:Special operations units and formations of the United States Air Force Category:Military units and formations established in 1990