Units

The 353rd Special Operations Wing located at Kadena Air Base, Japan is comprised of approximately 1000 Airmen and is the only Air Force Special Operations unit in the Pacific. The 353 SOW is the focal point for special operations aviation activities throughout the Pacific. Under operational control of the commander, Special Operations Command Pacific, the 353 SOW plans and executes general war and contingency operations using advanced aircraft, tactics and techniques to infiltrate, exfiltrate, resupply and support special operations forces.

The 353rd Special Operations Wing traces its origins to the 3rd Air Commando Group and the 553rd Reconnaissance Wing. First activated as the 353rd Special Operations Wing at Clark Air Base in the Philippines April 6, 1989, the Air Force radically reorganized in 1992 in order to drawdown the size of headquarters staffs. During the process the 353 SOW was re-designated the 353rd Special Operations Group, effective Dec. 1, 1992. On July 14, 2021, the 353 SOW was re-designated back to the 353rd Special Operations Wing.

The 1st Special Operations Squadron operates the MC-130J Commando II. The Commando II flies clandestine, or low visibility, single or multiship, low-level air refueling missions for special operations helicopters and tiltrotor aircraft, and infiltration, exfiltration, and resupply of special operations forces by airdrop or airland intruding politically sensitive or hostile territories.

The 21st Special Operations Squadron flies the CV-22B Osprey. The CV-22 Osprey is a tiltrotor aircraft that combines the vertical takeoff, hover, and vertical landing qualities of a helicopter with the long-range, fuel efficiency, and speed characteristics of a turboprop aircraft. Its mission is to conduct long-range infiltration, exfiltration, and resupply missions for special operations forces.

The 320th Special Tactics Squadron consists of Combat Controllers, Pararescuemen, Special Reconnaissance personnel and Survival Resistance and Escape specialists. Enabled by deployed-ready combat support personnel, these Special Tactics operators can rapidly infiltrate into austere or hostile areas to enable airpower success in support of contingency operations.

The 1st Special Operations Aircraft Maintenance Squadron provides consolidated fixed-wing maintenance for highly specialized combat-ready aircraft from the multiple-mission design series. The unit provides a full range of logistics support to include managing maintenance formal training, readiness spares, scheduling, and analysis.

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The 21st Special Operations Aircraft Maintenance Squadron maintains the CV-22 Osprey, a tiltrotor aircraft that combines the vertical takeoff, hover, and vertical landing qualities of a helicopter with the long-range, fuel efficiency, and speed characteristics of a turboprop aircraft.