The United States Air Commando Development Center is an active United States Air Force unit stationed at

Hurlburt Field Hurlburt Field is a United States Air Force installation located in Okaloosa County, Florida, immediately west of the town of Mary Esther. It is part of the greater Eglin Air Force Base reservation and is home to Headquarters Air Force S ...

, Florida, assigned to

Air Force Special Operations Command Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC), headquartered at Hurlburt Field, Florida, is the special operations component of the United States Air Force. An Air Force major command (MAJCOM), AFSOC is also the U.S. Air Force component command ...

. It was first activated in October 1983 as the Special Operations Test and Evaluation Center, testing Air Force

special operations Special operations or special ops are military activities conducted, according to NATO, by "specially designated, organized, selected, trained, and equipped forces using unconventional techniques and modes of employment." Special operations ma ...

equipment and serving until April 1994, when it was inactivated. In October 2008, it was again activated as the Air Force Special Operations Training Center to train

forces, inactivating in February 2013, when its functions were transferred to the

Air Force Special Operations Air Warfare Center The United States Air Force Special Operations Air Warfare Center (AFSOAWC) is headquartered at Hurlburt Field, FL, with satellite locations at Duke Field, FL, and Robins AFB, GA. It works under the supervision of the Air Force Special Operation ...

. It was most recently activated in February 2024.

Mission

The center employs

forces peculiar training, resources, and technologies to provide air commandos the skills to compete in all-domain, full spectrum joint operations. It develops air commandos for mission sustainment teams, special operations task units and Joint Task Forces. It executes tasks to support

(AFSOC) institutional development and advises the AFSOC commander on current and future support requirements and resourcing necessary to meet command development requirements.

Units

United States Air Force Special Operations School The United States Air Force Special Operations School (USAFSOS) is a school under the 492D Special Operations Wing, which falls under the Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC). AFSOC is the Air Force component of the United States Special ...

* Air Commando Outreach Squadron * 370th Special Operations Combat Training Squadron * 371st Special Operations Combat Training Squadron

History

Special Operations Test and Evaluation Center

The center was first activated at on 1 October 1983 at

, Florida under

Military Airlift Command The Military Airlift Command (MAC) is an inactive United States Air Force major command (MAJCOM) that was headquartered at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. Established on 1 January 1966, MAC was the primary strategic airlift organization of ...

as the Special Operations Test and Evaluation Center. The center conducted operational tests and evaluation of new systems and tactics. It prepared technical studies, proposed changes to doctrine and identified operational difficulties and actions to correct them. The 18th Test Squadron was its primary operational unit, operating

Lockheed AC-130 The Lockheed AC-130 gunship is a heavily armed, long-endurance, ground-attack variant of the C-130 Hercules transport, fixed-wing aircraft. It carries a wide array of ground-attack weapons that are integrated with sensors, navigation, and fir ...

s.It was inactivated on 1 April 1994.

Air Force Special Operations Training Center

It was redesignated the Air Force Special Operations Training Center and activated at Hurlburt as part of AFSOC on 1 October 2008. AFSOC had activated the Air Force Special Operations Training Center (Provisional) on 1 March 2008 to test the organization. The provisional unit was inactivated on 1 October. The center consolidated multiple training functions into a single special operations training organization, allowing operational units to focus on war fighting. Its mission was to recruit, assess, select, indoctrinate, train and educate airmen for AFSOC. It brought together regular Air Force,

Air Force Reserve Command The Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) is a MAJCOM, major command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force, with its headquarters at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. It is the federal Air Reserve Component (ARC) of the U.S. Air Force, consisting of ...

Air National Guard The Air National Guard (ANG), also known as the Air Guard, is a Reserve components of the United States Armed Forces, federal military reserve force of the United States Air Force, as well as the air militia (United States), militia of each U.S. ...

Department of Defense The United States Department of Defense (DoD, USDOD, or DOD) is an executive department of the U.S. federal government charged with coordinating and supervising the six U.S. armed services: the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Space Force, ...

civilians and contract personnel as an integrated training and education team. The United States Air Force Special Operations School was AFSOC's formal school conducting special operations education and professional development. The school develops, schedules, and executes joint education for up to 7,000 students annually. It conducts resident and off-station courses in joint/combined special operations, command and control, cultural and geopolitical regional orientation, counterinsurgency, irregular warfare, and force protection. It continues this role today. The center was inactivated on 11 February 2013, and its subordinate units transferred to the

."Air Force sets up Air Warfare Center"

Air Commando Development Center

The center was renamed the Air Commando Development Center and activated in March 2024 to conduct training for Air Force special operations forces. Its 370th Special Operations Combat Training Squadron develops air commandos as they enter Air Force force generation joint collective training. It conducts pre-deployment mission rehearsals, and exercises training events to replicate special missions. It is responsible for experiential learning and scenario generation and execution. It conducts mission-specific and collective development through live and virtual battle spaces that enable readiness throug
Capability Viewpoint (CV2)
of Air Force special operations elements. Its 371st Special Operations Combat Training Squadron conducts mission ready airmen development, preparing special operations Task Units and Task Groups, and Joint Task Forces for AFSOC force generation through practical, hands-on training. Its Air Commando Outreach Squadron's mission is to inspire young Americans to become air commandos. It uses messaging and inspirational Air Commando stories to educate and inspireyouth to consider military service, focusing on building enduring relationships with organizations, civic leaders and communities.

Lineage

* Constituted as the Special Operations Test and Development Center on 23 September 1983 : Activated on 1 October 1983 : Inactivated on 1 April 1994 * Redesignated Air Force Special Operations Training Center on 5 September 2008 : Activated on 1 October 2008 : Inactivated on 11 February 2013 * Redesignated Air Commando Development Center on 29 February 2024 : Activated on 5 March 2024

Assignments

* Military Airlift Command, 1 October 1983 * Air Force Special Operations Command, 22 May 1990 – 1 April 1994 * Air Force Special Operations Command, 1 October 2008 – 11 February 2013 * Air Force Special Operations Command, 5 March 2024 – present

Components

; Center * Language Center: 1 October 2008 – 11 February 2013 ; School * United States Air Force Special Operations School: 1 October 2008 – 11 February 2013, 5 March 2024 – present ; Squadrons ;; Assigned * Air Commando Outreach Squadron: 5 March 2024 – present * 18th Test Squadron (later 18th Flight Test Squadron): 15 July 1991 – 1 April 1994 * 551st Special Operations Squadron: 25 Jul 2009 – 11 February 2013 * 370th Special Operations Combat Training Squadron: 5 March 2024 – present * 371st Special Operations Combat Training Squadron: 5 March 2024 – present * 745th Special Operations Squadron (Provisional): attached c. 1 October 2008 – c. 23 August 2013 ;; Training conducted with aircraft operated by other units * Special Tactics Training School (

720th Special Tactics Group The 720th Special Tactics Group is one of the special operations ground components of the 24th Special Operations Wing, assigned to Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) of the United States Air Force. The group is headquartered at Hurlbur ...

): 1 October 2008 – 11 February 2013Research Division, Air Force Historical Research Agency, Air Force Organization Change Status Report, October 2008, Maxwell AFB, AL *

5th Special Operations Squadron The 5th Special Operations Squadron is part of the 919th Special Operations Wing. The 5th is based at Hurlburt Field, Florida. It operates U-28A, U-28 aircraft providing special operations capability. Mission The 5th Special Operations Squadro ...

( 919th Special Operations Group): 1 October 2008 – 11 February 2013 *

19th Special Operations Squadron The 19th Special Operations Squadron is an Air Force Special Operations Command unit, part of the 492nd Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field, Florida. It conducts crew training for Lockheed AC-130, AC-130 and Lockheed MC-130 aircraft. His ...

( 1st Special Operations Group): 1 October 2008 – 11 February 2013

Stations

* Hurlburt Field, 1 October 1983 – 1 April 1994 * Hurlburt Field, 1 October 2008 – 11 February 2013 * Hurlburt Field, 5 March 2024 – present

Aircraft

General Atomics MQ-1 Predator The General Atomics MQ-1 Predator (often referred to as the Predator drone) is an American remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) built by General Atomics that was used primarily by the United States Air Force (USAF) and Central Intelligence Agency ...

, 2008–2013 era *

General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper The General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper (sometimes called Predator B) is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV, one component of an unmanned aircraft system (UAS)) capable of remotely controlled or autonomous flight operations, developed by General Atomi ...

, 2008–2013 era * Bell UH-1H Huey, 2008–2013 era *

Bell UH-1N Twin Huey The Bell UH-1N Twin Huey is a medium military helicopter designed and produced by the American aerospace manufacturer Bell Helicopter. It is a member of the extensive Huey family, the initial version was the CUH-1N Twin Huey (later CH-135 Twin ...

, 2008–2013 era *

Mil Mi-17 The Mil Mi-17 (NATO reporting name: Hip) is a Soviet-designed Russian military helicopter family introduced in 1975 (Mi-8M), continuing in production at two factories in Russia, in Kazan and Ulan-Ude. It is known as the Mi-8M series in Russ ...

, 2008–2013 era *

Lockheed C-130E Hercules The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is an American four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built by Lockheed (now Lockheed Martin). Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was originally designe ...

, 2008–2013 era * Lockheed AC-130 (including AC-130H Spectre and AC-130U Spooky), 1991–1994, 2008–2013 era * Lockheed MC-130W Combat Spear, 2008–2013 era * Fairchild RC-26B, 2008–2013 era

Awards

References

Notes

; Explanatory notes ; Citations

Bibliography

{{AFHRA Centers of the United States Air Force Military units and formations in Florida