Twenty-Third Air Force (23 AF) In December 1982, the Air Force transferred responsibility for Air Force
special operations from
Tactical Air Command (TAC) to
Military Airlift Command (MAC). Consequently, in March 1983, MAC activated
Twenty-Third Air Force (23 AF) at
Scott Air Force Base,
Illinois. This new numbered air force's responsibilities included worldwide missions of
special operations,
combat rescue,
weather reconnaissance and aerial sampling, security support for
intercontinental ballistic missile sites, training of USAF helicopter and
HC-130 crewmen, pararescue training, and medical evacuation.
U.S. Special Operations Command In May 1986, the
Goldwater-Nichols Department of Defense Reorganization Act led to the formation of the
United States Special Operations Command.
Senators
William Cohen and
Sam Nunn introduced the Senate bill, and the following month Congressman
Dan Daniel introduced a like measure in the
House of Representatives. The key provisions of the legislation formed the basis to amend the 1986 Defense Authorizations Bill. This bill, signed into law in October 1986, in part directed the formation of a unified command responsible for special operations. In April 1987, the DoD established the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) at
MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, and Army GEN
James J. Lindsay assumed command. Four months later, 23 AF moved its headquarters from Scott AFB to
Hurlburt Field, Florida. In August 1989, Gen Duane H. Cassidy, USAF, CINCMAC, divested 23 AF of its non-special operations units, e.g., search and rescue, weather reconnaissance, etc. Thus, 23 AF served a dual role: still reporting to MAC, but also functioning as the air component to USSOCOM. Meanwhile, the Special Missions Operational Test and Evaluation Center (SMOTEC), which explored
heavy lift frontiers in special operations capabilities, while pursuing better equipment and tactics development, was also reorganized. In April 1994, the Air Force, in an effort to standardize these types of organizations, redesignated SMOTEC as the 18th Flight Test Squadron (18 FLTS).
Gulf War From early August 1990 to late February 1991, AFSOC participated in
Operation Desert Shield and
Operation Desert Storm, the protection of
Saudi Arabia and liberation of
Kuwait. Special tactics personnel operated throughout the theater on multiple combat control and combat rescue missions. Special operations forces performed direct action missions, combat search and rescue, infiltration, exfiltration, air base ground defense, air interdiction, special reconnaissance, close air support, psychological operations, and helicopter air refuelings.
Pave Low crews led the helicopter assault on radars to blind Iraq at the onset of hostilities, and they also accomplished the deepest rescue for which they received the
Mackay Trophy. MC-130E/H Combat Talons dropped the
BLU-82, the largest conventional bombs of the war and, along with MC-130P Combat Shadows, dropped the most psychological warfare leaflets, while
AC-130A and
AC-130H Spectre gunships provided valuable fire support and armed reconnaissance. However, the AC-130 community also suffered the single greatest combat loss of coalition air forces with the shoot down of an AC-130H, call sign
Spirit 03, by an Iraqi
SA-7 Grail surface-to-air missile. All fourteen crew members aboard
Spirit 03 were killed.
AFSOC Post-Gulf War In December 1992, AFSOC special tactics and intelligence personnel supported
Operation Restore Hope in Somalia. In late 1994, AFSOC units spearheaded
Operation Uphold Democracy in Haiti, and in 1995
Operation Deliberate Force in the
Balkans.
Operation Enduring Freedom valley, during the initial days of the
U.S. invasion of Afghanistan in 2001. The terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City, and the Pentagon, Washington D.C., on
11 September 2001 brought U.S. special operations forces to the forefront of the
war against terrorism. By the end of September 2001, AFSOC deployed forces to Central Asia for
Operation Enduring Freedom – Afghanistan to help destroy the
al Qaeda terrorist organization and remove the
Taliban regime in
Afghanistan. AFSOC aircraft delivered special tactics forces to the battle ground and they in turn focused U.S. airpower and allowed Northern Alliance ground forces to dispatch the Taliban and al Qaeda from Afghanistan. AFSOC personnel also deployed to the
Philippines to help aid that country's efforts against terrorism.
Operation Iraqi Freedom In March 2003, AFSOC again deployed forces to the Middle East, this time in support of what would become
Operation Iraqi Freedom – the removal of Saddam Hussein and his Baathist government. The command's personnel and aircraft teamed with SOF and conventional forces to quickly bring down
Saddam Hussein's government by May 2003. AFSOC forces continued to conduct operations in support of the new Iraqi government against insurgents and terrorists. ==Commanders==