Air Force Special Operations Command

Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) Shield (Color), U.S. Air Force graphic.  In accordance with Chapter 3 of AFI 84-105, commercial reproduction of this emblem is NOT permitted without the permission of the proponent organizational/unit commander.
Air Force Special Operations Command was established May 22, 1990, with headquarters at Hurlburt Field, Florida. AFSOC is one of 10 major Air Force commands and the Air Force component of U.S. Special Operations Command, a unified command located at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida.

Vision
Air commandos … Ready today, relevant tomorrow, resilient always.

Mission
Provide the nation’s specialized airpower, capable across the spectrum of conflict … Any place, any time, anywhere.

Priorities
- Ensure readiness to execute global special operations today.
- Transform the force and fleet to maintain relevance tomorrow.
- Invest in the resiliency of the force, family and relationships.

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, conducting global special operations missions ranging from precision application of firepower to infiltration, exfiltration, resupply and refueling of SOF operational elements.

The command's core missions include battlefield air operations; agile combat support; aviation foreign internal defense; information operations/military support operations; precision strike; specialized air mobility; command and control; and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.

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, tactical air control party members, special operations weathermen and pararescuemen with other service’s SOF to form versatile joint special operations teams.

Personnel and resources
AFSOC has more than 19,500 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-22B Osprey, AC-130 gunships, EC-130 Commando Solo, MC-130 variants, MQ-9 Reaper, U-28, C-145A and C-146A Wolfhound.

Organization
The command's forces are organized under five active-duty wings, one Reserve wing, two National Guard wings, one overseas group and several direct reporting units.

Wings
The 1st Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field and the 27th Special Operations Wing at Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico, are composed of specialized aircraft to support special operations worldwide. Together, the wings operate AC-130J/W, MC-130H, CV-22 and U-28A, MQ-9 and C-146A aircraft.

The 24th Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field, provides special tactics forces for rapid global employment to enable airpower success. The 24th SOW is the only special tactics wing in the Air Force.

The 352nd Special Operations Wing at RAF Mildenhall, United Kingdom, is the Air Force component for Special Operations Command Europe. The 352nd SOW plans and performs specialized operations using advanced aircraft, tactics, air refueling techniques, and special tactics operators to transport, resupply and support military special forces. The unit has six squadrons and two different types of aircraft: the MC-130J Commando II and the CV-22B Osprey.

The 492nd Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field organizes, trains, educates and equips forces to conduct special operations missions; leads MAJCOM Irregular Warfare activities; executes special operations test and evaluation and lessons learned programs; and develops doctrine, tactics, techniques and procedures for Air Force Special Operations Forces.

Groups
The 353rd Special Operations Group at Kadena Air Base, Japan, is the Air Force component for Special Operations Command Pacific. Its mission is air support of joint and allied special operations forces in the Pacific. The 353rd SOG comprises five squadrons and operates the MC-130J Commando II.

Gained Air Force Reserve Component
The 919th Special Operations Wing, at Duke Field, Florida, is the only special operations wing in the Air Force Reserve. The wing provides operations and maintenance personnel to support the aviation foreign internal defense and combat aviation advisor programs for Air Force Special Operations Command through the use of the C-145A aircraft. The wing conducts U-28, C-145A and AC-130J formal training unit flight instruction through a classic association with the 492nd SOW. The wing performs remotely piloted aircraft operations in the MQ-9 aircraft and provides operations and maintenance personnel to conduct the Non-Standard Aviation program in the C-146 aircraft through a classic association with the 27th Special Operations Wing located at Cannon AFB, New Mexico.

Gained Air National Guard Units
The 137th Special Operations Wing at Will Rogers Air National Guard Base, Oklahoma, maintains and operates the MC-12, designed to augment downrange intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities.

The 193rd Special Operations Wing at Harrisburg International Airport, Pennsylvania, provides the only airborne psychological operations platform in the Department of Defense with the EC-130J Commando Solo.

Point of Contact
Air Force Special Operations Command Public Affairs Office | 229 Cody Ave, Suite 103 | Hurlburt Field, Fla. 32544-5312 | (850) 884-5515 | DSN 579-5515 | afsoc.pa.org@us.af.mil