Officials at Cannon AFB, N.M., inactivated the 56th Intelligence Squadron in order to clear the way for the new 56th Special Operations Intelligence Squadron. Both the inactivation of the old unit and stand-up of the new squadron took place during ceremonies on April 27 at the Air Force Special Operations Command base. The new squadron is an addition to the Cannon family, which switched missions from Air Combat Command to AFSOC following the 2005 BRAC round. The squadron combines the resources of several intelligence units to support Cannon’s 27th Special Operations Wing and US Special Operations Command components. (Cannon release)
The Air Force in October carried out a homeland defense mission, with jets including F-16 Fighting Falcons, in Alaska’s remote Aleutian Islands to show a base there could safeguard the northern regions.