193d Special Operations Wing The 193d Special Operations Wing ( 193 SOW ) is a unit of the Pennsylvania Air National Guard , stationed at Harrisburg International Airport , Middletown , Pennsylvania . The Wing is gained by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as well as by the United States Air Force and Air Force Special Operations Command . Mission . The 193d SOW ' s primary wartime and contingency operations mission is to broadcast radio and television signals to target populations from an airborne transmitter , jamming existing television and radio signals where necessary . Messages are not developed within the wing itself , but are provided by staff of the United States Army ' s 4th Psychological Operations Group ( Airborne ) , based at Fort Bragg , North Carolina . Units . The 258th Air Traffic Control Squadron ( formerly the 114th Tactical Control Flight ) at Johnstown - Cambria County Airport was assigned to the 193 SOW , but was realigned into the ANG ' s 171st Air Refueling Wing ( 171 ARW ) at Pittsburgh International Airport / Air Reserve Station shortly after moving to Johnstown . History . On 15 October 1964 , the 140th Air Transport Squadron was authorized to expand to a group level by the National Guard Bureau . However , due to a designation conflict with an existing 140th Fighter Group with the Colorado ANG , the units designation was changed to the 168th Air Transport Squadron , being assigned to the new 168th Air Transport Group as its flying squadron . Other squadrons assigned into the group were the 168th Headquarters , 168th Material Squadron ( Maintenance ) , 168th Combat Support Squadron , and the 168th USAF Dispensary . Special operations . Threatened by the closure of Olmsted Air Force Base ( now Harrisburg Air National Guard Base ) and by the downsizing of all conventionally powered transport aircraft , the National Guard Bureau volunteered the unit for a psychological warfare capability named " Coronet Solo " in 1967 . Following the Arab - Israeli War of June 1967 , psychological warfare once again became a U . S . military priority . The unit was again re - designated as the 193rd Tactical Electronic Warfare Group and transferred to Tactical Air Command ( TAC ) . Four of its C - 121s were converted to EC - 121S Coronet Solos for its electronic warfare mission . In 1970 the unit deployed two EC - 121 aircraft to Korat Royal Thai Ai Base for a six - month temporary duty code named " Commando Buzz " . Throughout the 1970s , the wing earned a reputation as being the most deployed Air National Guard unit , sometimes deploying 10 times in a single year . In 1978 , the 193 SOW began transitioning to the EC - 130E Pendant Solo ( later Commando Solo ) aircraft , eventually receiving 8 aircraft total by 1980 . Soon after the 193d SOG received EC - 130s , the Air National Guard unit participated in the rescue of American citizens in Operation Urgent Fury in 1983 . Then known as Volant Solo , the aircraft acted as an airborne radio station , keeping the citizens of Grenada informed about the U . S . military action . Several years later in 1989 , Volant Solo was instrumental in the success of coordinated psychological operations in Operation Just Cause . During this mission it broadcast throughout the initial phases of the operation , helping to end the Noriega regime . In the mid - 1980s , along with all other USAF special operations units , it was assigned to the 23d Air Force of the Military Airlift Command ( MAC ) . In 1990 , the 193d joined the newly formed Air Force Special Operations Command , and the wing ' s aircraft were redesignated Commando Solo , with no change in mission . In 1990 – 91 , Commando Solo was deployed to Saudi Arabia and Turkey in support of Operations Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm . Its missions included broadcasting the " Voice of the Gulf " and other highly successful programs intended to convince Iraqi soldiers to surrender . In 1992 , the 193 SOW received its first EC - 130E upgraded to Commando Solo II configuration . In 1994 , the Commando Solo II aircraft wer used to broadcast radio and TV messages to the citizens and leaders of Haiti during Operation Uphold Democracy . President Jean - Bertrand Aristide was featured in these broadcasts , which contributed to the orderly transition from military rule to democracy . Continuing its tradition , in 1997 the 193 SOW and Commando Solo supported the United Nations ' Operation Joint Guard with radio and TV broadcasts over Bosnia - Herzegovina in support of stabilization forces operations . In 1998 , the unit and its aircraft participated in Operation Desert Thunder , a deployment to Southwest Asia to convince Iraq to comply with U . N . Security Council resolutions . The Commando Solo II was again sent into action in 1999 in support of Operation Allied Force . The aircraft was tasked to broadcast radio and television into Kosovo to prevent ethnic cleansing and assist in the expulsion of the Serbs from the region . In 2001 , the Commando Solo II aircraft broadcast messages to the local Afghan population and Taliban soldiers during Operation Enduring Freedom . In 2003 , the Commando Solo II was deployed to the Middle East in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom . In 2004 , the 193 SOW received newer EC - 130J aircraft . These were quickly redeployed to the Middle East in support of the War on Terror .