WRP New Mexico Military Asset List (MAL)
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WRP New Mexico Military Asset List (MAL) Within the Western Regional Partnership (WRP) region, there are significant military testing and training installations and ranges. WRP developed summaries from all of the Services and the National Guard, describing the history, missions, and importance of these assets. These summaries use only publicly available information and are written for the policy maker new to military issues and the military savvy person needing specific military information. It is our hope that WRP Partners use these summaries as a tool for land use planning efforts to encourage compatible growth and ensure future mission viability. Incompatible development (encroachment) comes in many forms but for the military, it means those issues that affect their ability to fulfill their mission on land, in the sea, or in the air. These military summaries are for general planning purposes. Attached New Mexico MAL summaries: Air Force: • Cannon Air Force Base • Holloman Air Force Base • Kirtland Air Force Base • Melrose Air Force Range Army: • Fort Bliss • Fort Bliss Training Center • White Sands Missile Range National Guard: • New Mexico Air National Guard • New Mexico Army National Guard Military Asset List 2016 U.S. Air Force CANNON AIR FORCE BASE : NEW MEXICO Cannon Air Force Base (AFB) is located on the high plains of Eastern New Mexico, near the Texas panhandle. It is named in honor of the late Gen. John K. Cannon, former commander of the Tactical Air Command. Beginning as a small passenger facility for civilians in the 1920’s, the military established a presence at the air base in 1942. The 27th Special Operations Wing (SOW) is the host unit of Cannon AFB. From 1959 until 2007, Cannon AFB hosted a fighter wing. Today, Cannon AFB is the location of one of only four active- Top: Air Commandos from the 27th Special duty Special Operations Wings Operations Aircraft Maintenance Squadron position themselves for the final flight of within Air Force Special "Heavy Metal," an AC-130H Spectre gunship, Operations Command. prior to its retirement April 8, 2015. (U.S. Air Force photo) Cannon AFB had an estimated economic impact of $688 million Bottom: Air Commandos with the 27th on the local economy in 2011. Special Operations Civil Engineer Squadron practice putting out an aircraft fire during an FAST FACTS exercise Aug. 14, 2015. Airmen conducted joint fire training on base with a Clovis, N.M., fire department as part of a mutual aide » Location: Curry County, NM (near Clovis) agreement. (U.S. Air Force photo) » Land Area: 3,789 acres Left: An AC-130H Spectre 2 gunship soars over the Jockey » Special Use Airspace: 188,222 nautical miles 14 memorial. This unique » Military Personnel (est.): 4,600 airframe has since been retired from military service. (U.S. Air » Civilian Personnel (est.): Force photo) 600 CONTACT Public Affairs Office (575) 784-4131 1 Military Asset List U.S. AIR FORCE CANNON AFB : NEW MEXICO UNIT MISSIONS 27th Special Operations Wing (27th SOW): The primary mission of the 27th SOW is to execute specialized airpower from a premier installation. The wing's core missions include close air support, agile combat support, information operations, precision strike, forward presence and engagement, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations, and specialized mobility. Includes wing staff agencies and the following groups: o 27th Special Operations Group: Conducts infiltration/exfiltration, combat Above: The 26th Special Tactics Squadron support, tilt-rotor operations, aerial refueling, close air support, unmanned performs push-ups dedicated to the aerial vehicle operations, non-standard aviation and other special missions. memory of Senior Airman Mark Forester, Includes the 27th Special Operations Support Squadron; 3rd, 9th, 12th, Sept. 29, 2015. Forester was killed in action 16th, 20th, 33rd, 318th, and 524th Special Operations Squadrons; and the when he put himself in direct line of fire to 56th Special Operations Intelligence Squadron. save a teammate’s life in Afghanistan on Sept. 29, 2010. He posthumously received o 27th Special Operations Maintenance Group: Executes global special the Silver Star medal for his heroism in operations tasks as an Air Force component member of U.S. Special battle against an enemy of the United Operations Command. Responsible for all flightline and backshop States. (U.S. Air Force photo) maintenance in support of assigned AC-130W, MC-130J, CV-22, U-28A, C- 146A, and MQ-1/9 aircraft. Provides contract oversight of civilian maintenance on two Non Standard Aviation program aircraft types. Includes the 27th and 727th Special Operations Aircraft Maintenance BASE COMMANDER RANK Squadrons, and 27th Special Operations Maintenance Squadron. Colonel o 27th Special Operations Mission Support Group: Provides housing, facilities/infrastructure, fire protection, environmental management, explosive ordnance disposal, disaster preparedness, food service, law enforcement and security, communications, personnel support, and other base services, as well as recreation activities for the base. Includes the 27th TESTING & TRAINING RANGES Special Operations Civil Engineer Squadron; 27th Special Operations Melrose Air Force Range Communications Squadron; 27th Special Operations Contracting Squadron; 27th Special Operations Force Support Squadron; 27th Special Operations Logistics Readiness Squadron; and the 27th Special Operations Security Forces Squadron. UNIQUE CHARACTERISTICS » Began as a civilian air field in the 1920s o 27th Special Operations Medial Group: Provides a wide range of services » Over 50 years of consecutive service to include: family practice, pediatrics, women's health, optometry, flight » Began purchasing wind power in 2002 medicine, human performance training, dental, public health, » Several at-risk species are in the allergy/immunizations, mental health, family advocacy, bioenvironmental vicinity of the range, including lesser engineering, laboratory services, pharmacy, diagnostic imaging, physical prairie chickens and burrowing owls therapy and health and wellness. Includes the 27th Special Operations » Base Realignment and Closure Aerospace Medicine Squadron; 27th Special Operations Medical Operations threatened to close Cannon in 2005; Squadron; and the 27th Special Operations Medical Support Squadron. however, an intense effort by eastern NM communities, the State of New Mexico, and the Congressional For more information, please see < http://www.cannon.af.mil > Delegation resulted in the assignment of a new mission to Cannon. 2 Military Asset List 2016 U.S. Air Force HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE : NEW MEXICO Holloman Air Force Base (AFB) is located in the heart of the Chihuahua Desert near the White Sands Missile Range and the City of Alamogordo. It was established in 1942 as Alamogordo Army Air Field and renamed in 1948 after Colonel George Holloman, a pioneer in aircraft automatic landing systems and remotely piloted aircraft. The 49th Wing of Air Combat Command is the current host wing of the base. After World War II, Holloman AFB was a premier facility for Above: An F-16 Fighting Falcon from the developing and testing guided missiles and pilotless aircraft. 314th Fighter Squadron taxis toward its new home in the hangars at Holloman Air Force During the 1990s, base, N.M. The 314th FS is the second squadron to transfer from Lukeafb. (U.S. Air Holloman was home to the Force photo / Released) F-117A Night Hawk. The Left: An MQ-9 Reaper sits on the flight line of Air Force retired the F- Holloman Air Force Base, N.M. The MQ-9 117 in 2008. That same Reaper is a medium-to-high altitude, long endurance unmanned aircraft system. (U.S. year, Holloman welcomed Air Force photo / Released) the F-22A Raptor, making the 49th Wing the only active Air Force unit to have operated two stealth platforms. Holloman’s MISSION F-22 aircraft were relocated to Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida in 2014. Deploy Combat Ready Airpower in Today, the 49th Wing is the only active duty formal training unit for Support of Global Operations. U.S. Air Force remotely piloted aircraft. The base trains MQ-1 Predator Develop the World’s Best Professional and MQ-9 Reaper pilots, sensor operators, and maintenance technicians. RPA Enterprise. Holloman has 18 tenant units that include the German Air Force Support Team Holloman, Our Airmen Flying Training Center (GAF FTC), which trains GAF Tornado pilots, and and Their Families. the 54th Fighter Group, which trains U.S. F-16 Fighting Falcon pilots. Holloman AFB has an estimated economic impact of $482.1 million per year (as of 2013). FAST FACTS » Location: Otero County, NM (near Alamogordo, NM) CONTACT » Land Area: 59,639 acres Public Affairs Office 2 (575) 572-7383 » Special Use Airspace: 2,256 nautical miles » Military Personnel: 3,882 » Civilian Personnel: 780 1 Military Asset List U.S. AIR FORCE HOLLOMAN AFB : NEW MEXICO UNIT MISSIONS » 54th Fighter Group: Train the world’s greatest F-16 pilots while deploying mission ready warfighters. » 96th Test Group: Provide technically superior test and evaluation in support of the warfighter. » German Air Force Flying Training Center (Deutsche Luftwaffe): The German Air Force has been training its aircrews in the United States since 1958, and at Holloman AFB since 1996. » Det 1, 82d Aerial Targets Squadron: Provide full-scale aerial targets for the Above: The 50,788 ft. (almost ten miles) Department of Defense and Foreign Military Sales customers. test track is the longest and fastest in the world. (U.S. Air Force photo) » 49th Operations Group: The 49th Operations Group supports national security objectives, as directed by the Joint Chiefs of Staff, by utilizing remotely piloted aircraft. Includes the 49th Operations Support Squadron, the 6th Reconnaissance Squadron, the 9th Attack Squadron, the 29th Attack Squadron, COMMANDER RANK and the 16th Training Squadron. Colonel » 49th Maintenance Group: The 49th Maintenance Group maintains aircraft, propulsion, avionics and accessory systems for the T-38 Talon, MQ-1B Predator TESTING & TRAINING RANGES and MQ-9 Reaper. Includes the 49th Maintenance Squadron and the 49th White Sands Missile Range Aircraft Maintenance Squadron.