The Air Force has decided to put a new Air Force Special Operations Command wing at Cannon AFB, N.M., officials said late Tuesday. Recent speculation had ventured AFSOC as a prime candidate. The move ends the base’s nearly year-long search for a new mission, after BRAC 2005 stripped it of its F-16 mission and put it on life-support through 2009. AFSOC plans to establish its new wing—which will take the appellation 16th Special Operations Wing—by Oct. 1, 2007. The current 16th SOW at Hurlburt Field, Fla., will revert to its former designation as 1st SOW.
Lt. Gen. Dan Caine, nominee to be chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the Senate Armed Services Committee that the Defense Department needs to upgrade its electronic warfare capability and its EW training ranges; just as his predecessor said at his own confirmation hearing.