Cannon Air Force Base, located in the high plains of eastern New Mexico, is currently home to “The World’s Most Lethal Warfighting Team”. On June 20, 2006, the Air Force announced that Cannon would be given a new mission that will entail up to 100 Air Force Special Operations (AFSOC) aircraft under the command of the 16th Special Operations Wing. Special Operations will assume ownership of CAFB and the Melrose Bombing Range by October 2007. The F-16s now at Cannon will be transitioned out over the next six to 12 months. There is speculation that personnel and aircraft from other bases, including Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, 352nd Special Operations Group at Royal Air Force Base Midenhall, England, and 353rd Special Operations Group at Kadena Air Base in Japan, could also be repositioned at Cannon. 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. According to an article on the Air Force Link, military members directly supporting the F-16 mission at Cannon will transfer to new assignments as the aircraft they are responsible for transfer to new bases. Mission support Airmen will remain and support the incoming AFSOC unit. Initially, the 16th Special Operations Wing 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.

To learn more about Cannon Air Force Base, visit http://www.cannon.af.mil