[MilCom] Cannon to get 16th SOW

[Mike Riffle]

It looks like the news isn't as bad as first feared for Hurlburt...

http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123022224

"Because of historical lineage, the 16th Special Operations Wing flag will
transition to Cannon, and the wing at Hurlburt Field will regain its
designation as the 1st Special Operations Wing.

...

Initially, the 16th SOW will partition its assets to support the mission at 
Cannon. During the next few years, AFSOC will experience some growth as the 
result of the increased special operations mission outlined in the 
Quadrennial Defense Review released this year.

The growth in weapons systems and people will be divided between the two 
bases. New airframes, including the CV-22 Osprey, will be assigned to 
Hurlburt and Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., as well as to the new wing at 
Cannon. Other potential aircraft for Cannon are AC-130U gunships and the 
MC-130H Combat Talon II. The final aircraft mix between Cannon and Hurlburt 
Field has not been finalized."


Mike Riffle
Cataula, GA

On 20-Jun-06 12:44, Steve Douglass wrote:
> Cannon Air Force Base will stay open as home to a Special Operations 
> mission, Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., announced in a conference call this 
> morning.
> 
> Domenici said Cannon could become a "full special operations base" 
> within the next two years.
> 
> The federal Base Realignment and Closure Commission last August accepted 
> the Pentagon's recommendation to send Cannon's three F-16 fighter 
> squadrons elsewhere - but stopped short of closing the eastern New 
> Mexico base.
> 
> Instead, the commission voted to make Cannon an enclave, keeping it open 
> in a much-reduced form while the Department of Defense looked for 
> another mission for it.
> 
> An Air Force team began evaluating Cannon's facilities last November to 
> help the Defense Department decide what the base might become. Earlier 
> the same month, Congress approved language that ensured construction 
> projects continued while the new mission was sought.
> 
> 
> 16th Special Operations Wing [16th SOW] moving to Cannon AFB.
> 
> The 16th Special Operations Wing consists of approximately 7,000 highly 
> trained military professionals who stand ready to conduct special 
> operations missions at a moment's notice. The wing is the largest Air 
> Force unit assigned to the U.S. Special Operations Command, a command 
> responsible for conducting special operations worldwide.
> 
> The 16th SOW specializes in unconventional warfare. At the direction of 
> the National Command Authorities, the 16th SOW goes into action with 
> specially trained and equipped forces from each service working as a 
> team to support national security objectives. Special operations are 
> often undertaken in enemy-controlled or politically-sensitive areas and 
> can cover a myriad of activities.
> 
> The 16th SOW's motto is, "Any Time, Any Place." The wing stands ready to 
> go worldwide to conduct unconventional warfare, counterinsurgency, or 
> psychological operations. Through special operations, the United States 
> is able to protect its interests in low-intensity conflicts throughout 
> the world.
> The 16th Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt is the oldest, largest and 
> most seasoned unit in AFSOC.