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| U.S. Air Force Fact SheetAIR FORCE SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND**Air Force Special Operations Command, was established May 22, 1990, with headquarters at Hurlburt Field, Fla. AFSOC is one of ten major Air Force commands and the Air Force component of U.S. Special Operations Command, a unified command located at MacDill Air Force Base, Fla.Mission**America's specialized air power...a step ahead in a changing world, delivering Special Operations power anytime, anywhere. AFSOC provides Air Force special operations forces for worldwide deployment and assignment to regional unified commands. The command's SOF are composed of highly trained, rapidly deployable Airmen. These forces conduct global special operations missions ranging from precision application of firepower, to infiltration, exfiltration, resupply and refueling of SOF operational elements. AFSOC's unique capabilities include airborne radio and television broadcast for psychological operations, as well as aviation foreign internal defense instructors to provide other governments military expertise for their internal development. The command's special tactics squadrons combine combat controllers, special operations weathermen and pararescuemen with other service SOF to form versatile joint special operations teams.The command's core missions include battlefield air operations; agile combat support; aviation foreign internal defense; information operations; precision aerospace fires; psychological operations; specialized air mobility; specialized refueling; and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.**Personnel and Resources**AFSOC has approximately 12,900 active-duty, Air Force Reserve, Air National Guard and civilian personnel. The command's active duty and reserve component flying units operate fixed and rotary-wing aircraft, including the CV-22, AC-130H/U, C-130, EC-130, MC-130, MH-53, PC-12 and U-28A.**Organization**The command's forces are organized under two active-duty wings, a numbered air force, one reserve wing, one ANG wing, two overseas groups, and several direct reporting units. **Numbered Air Force**     23rd Air Force, at Hurlburt Field, stood up Jan. 25, 2008, to provide worldwide Air Force special operations command and control support to combatant commanders. 23rd AF is designated as the air component's unit of execution to U.S. Special Operations Command, providing a special operations liaison element to regional air operations centers and a forward command and control team to be the air component to a joint special operations task force commander.**Wings**     The **1st Special Operations Wing,** also at Hurlburt Field, and the **27th Special Operations Wing,** at Cannon Air Force Base, N.M., are composed of a variety of specialized aircraft to support special operations worldwide. **Groups**     The **352nd Special Operations Group,** at Royal Air Force Mildenhall, England, is the Air Force component for Special Operations Command Europe.     The **353rd Special Operations Group,** at Kadena Air Base, Japan, is the Air Force component for Special Operations Command Pacific.     The **720th Special Tactics Group** at Hurlburt Field trains, organizes, and equips more than 800 combat controllers, special operations weathermen, and pararescuemen for assignment to special tactics squadrons**Other Subordinate Units**     The **U.S. Air Force Special Operations School** at Hurlburt Field provides special operations-related education to Department of Defense personnel, government agencies and allied nations.     The **18th Flight Test Squadron,** at at Hurlburt Field and with detachments at Edwards AFB, Calif., and Marine Corps Air Station New River, N.C.,conducts operational and maintenance suitability tests and evaluations for aircraft, equipment, concepts, tactics and procedures for employment of special operations forces.**Gained Air Reserve Component****     919th Special Operations Wing,** at Duke Field, Fla., is the command's Reserve special operations wing. It provides MC-130E and MC-130P aircraft that support helicopter refueling requirements to USSOCOM.**Gained Air National Guard Units****    ****193rd Special Operations Wing,** at Harrisburg International Airport, Pa., provides the only airborne psychological operations platform in the Department of Defense with the EC-130 Commando Solo.**     123rd Special Tactics Squadron** at Standiford Field, Ky., provides combat controllers and pararescuemen for worldwide operational needs.**     209th Civil Engineer Squadron** located at Gulfport, Miss., is AFSOC's only Guard civil engineer squadron supporting the command's transportable collective protection system mission.     **227th Special Operations Flight** at McGuire Air Force Base, N.J., provides modified C-32B aircraft supporting worldwide airlift operations.**     280th Combat Communications Squadron** at Dothan, Ala., is AFSOC's only Guard communications squadron.**     107th Weather Flight** at Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Mich.; **146th Weather Flight** at GTR Pittsburgh Air Guard Station; and the **181st Weather Flight** at Dallas Naval Air Station, are the command's three National Guard weather units.**Point of Contact**Air Force Special Operations Command, Public Affairs Office; 229 Cody Ave, Ste 103; Hurlburt Field FL 32544-5273; DSN 579-5515 or 850-884-5515.March 2008 |