USAF European Special Operations

RAF Mildenhall in the UK is home base of the United States Air Force (USAF) 352 Special Operations Wing ( SOW) flying the CV- 22B Osprey and the MC130J Commander II. The unit is scheduled to move to Germany in few years, the country where the unit was originally raised in 1964. Vayu recently visited the unit which operates mainly after daylight.

Mission

The 352 SOW is part of the US Air Force Special Operation Command ( AFSOC) with its headquarters at Hulbert Field, Florida USA. AFSOC also employs the other regional, but not US-continent based, 353 Special Operations Group at Kadena Air Base, Japan. The AFSOC organises, trains and equips personnel to execute global special operations and provides Air Force Special Operations Forces ( SOF) for worldwide deployment and assignment to regional unified commands. The command’s SOF are composed of highly trained, rapidly deployable personnel, conducting global special operations missions ranging from precision application of firepower, to infiltration, exfiltration, resupply and refueling of SOF operational elements. The Mildenhall 352 SOW plans and performs, specialised operations using advanced aircraft, tactics and air refueling techniques to transport and resupply military forces. Furthermore, infiltrating, exfiltration and resupplying of Special Forces by air drop or air land, often intruding politically sensitive or hostile territories. Thus the aircraft fly primarily missions at night to reduce probability of visual acquisition and intercept by airborne threats.

Unique Aircraft

In 2012, upgradation of 352 SOW started and the first 67th SOS Night Owls was transformed with brand new MC130J Commando II aircraft. The MC-130J is a two-pilot flight station with fully integrated digital avionics, multifunctional liquid crystal display, head-up displays, improved defensive, navigation, refueling and communication systems, as well as new updated engines. The crew includes two loadmasters and a Combat Systems Officer (CSO). The CSO manages the mission and integrates systems and crew with the aircraft commander to collectively achieve and maintain situational awareness and mission effectiveness. The other squadron, 7th SOS, replaced its MC-130H Combat Talon II aircraft with the revolutionary new tilt-rotor CV-22B Osprey. With its unique characteristics, it is ideal for SOF ops. The CV-22 crew consists of a pilot, co-pilot and two flight engineers/loadmasters. The aircraft can carry up to 24 seated SF personnel and can be aerial refueled by the MC-130Js at low altitude to expand mission range. For self protection, a .50 calibre machine gun is mounted at the rear end ramp and operated by one of the flight engineers. The USAF Special Operations Command plans to have 51 Ospreys in operation by 2019, of which 10 are already at the 7th SOS at Mildenhall.

Back to Germany

In 2015, the US government launched a cost cutting plan to re-shape its European structure into a leaner organisation. As per the drafted plan, current Mildenhall units like the 352 SOW would re-locate to Spangdahlem, Germany, which is in fact close to where the unit was located at Sembach AB in 1964. It is expected that the 352 SOW will move around 2022, with a detachment already preparing steps required for the re-location such as construction work and concurrently also planning the logistics of moving men and equipment. Amongst the preparations was one to capture acoustic signatures of the CV-22 in different configurations. Ospreys then visited Spangdahlem AB several times for acoustic tests. Various special manoeuveres such as approaches and take-offs at various heights and directions, hovering and taxing were executed and monitored under responsibility of German Defence Command, partnering with the USAF, to be

used to develop noise models that will help establish noise protection zones around Spangdahlem.

Although the 352 SOW continues its regular training flights out of Mildenhall, the unit is simultaneously preparing themselves for the future. Germany is being visited more often and partnership with German SOF units has increased. For example, recently concluded autumn Special Forces exercise “Nighthawk 2018” at Karup Air Base, Denmark, where several Ospreys and a MC-130J trained closely with German CH-53Gs and EC645T2s of Kommando Spezialkräfte – KSK (German special forces command) for two weeks.