The 150th Special Operations Wing (150 SOW) is a unit of the New Mexico Air National Guard, stationed at Kirtland Air Force Base. The wing traces its history back to the expansion of the 150th Tactical Fighter Group into the 150th Fighter Wing in 1995. In 2013, the Wing combined with the 58th Special Operations Wing to become the 150th Special Operations Wing, tasked with providing training for Air Force Special Operations Command units.
History
The 150th Tactical Fighter Group was constituted in 1957.
The group began converting from the A-7D Corsair II to the F-16 Fighting Falcon at the beginning of the 1990s. On 16March 1992, the 150th Tactical Fighter Group was redesignated as the 150th Fighter Group. Its last A-7 was flown from Kirtland to Davis–Monthan Air Force Base for decommissioning on 28September.
In October 1995 the 150th Tactical Fighter Group was expanded into the 150th Fighter Wing. On 1December 2013 the 150th Fighter Wing was re-designated as the 150th Special Operations Wing and integrated with the 58th Special Operations Wing. The wing assumed the mission of special operations training.
Lineage
Constituted as 150th Fighter Group (Air Defense) and allotted to New Mexico ANG, 1957 Received federal recognition and activated on 1 July 1957 Re-designated: 150th Tactical Fighter Group, 1 April 1964 In non-operational status, 26 January 19684 June 1969 Re-designated: 150th Fighter Group, 16 March 1992 Status changed from Group to Wing, 1 October 1995 Re-designated: 150th Fighter Wing, 1 October 1995 Re-designated: 150th Special Operations Wing, 1 December 2013
Components
Groups
150th Maintenance Group
150th Operations Group
150th Mission Support Group
150th Medical Group
Squadrons
188th Rescue Squadron
250th Intelligence Squadron, 2013 – present
210th RED HORSE Squadron, 2013 – present
References
Further reading
A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization 1946 – 1980, by Lloyd H. Cornett and Mildred W. Johnson, Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado (includes dates of federal mobilization of 150th Group) Rogers, B. (2006). United States Air Force Unit Designations Since 1978.
External links
150th SOW Facebook Page
150th Special Operations Wing official website
https://web.archive.org/web/20101001022006/http://www.peopleforpearce.com/content/last-two-f-16s-depart-new-mexico%E2%80%99s-150th-fighter-wing On 1 December 2013, the 150th Fighter Wing became the 150th Special Operations Wing. Kirtland AFB Fact Sheet GlobalSecurity.org USAFPatches.com Kirtland AFB Biographies-Colonel Joe A. Martinez II