US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth signed a memorandum directing the establishment of a new Air National Guard Special Tactics Squadron in Florida to strengthen special operations capabilities and improve military readiness, the Pentagon said Wednesday.
– The new unit will be positioned near key US special operations commands, including US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) at MacDill Air Force Base and Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) at Hurlburt Field, it said in a statement.
– The move aims to deepen integration between the Air National Guard and active-duty special operations forces while expanding capabilities for combat operations, reconnaissance and personnel recovery.
– “Under the leadership of Secretary Hegseth, we are growing our elite Special Tactics community,” said chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell.
– The memorandum directs the establishment of the squadron, placing the unit at the center of the special operations community at Hurlburt Field and MacDill Air Force Base, Parnell added.
– The Pentagon said the Florida-based unit would strengthen capabilities in combat control, pararescue and special reconnaissance by drawing on the experience of Air National Guard personnel.