146 AW History / Mission HISTORY The California Air National Guard's 146th Airlift Wing has been part of Southern California's rich aviation history since the mid-1920s. The wing traces its roots to the fledgling days of the 115th Observation Squadron, an early military aviation unit of the California National Guard's 40th Infantry Division. The 115th Observation Squadron was founded in the summer of 1924 at Clover Field in Santa Monica, the site of today's Santa Monica Airport. In December 1988, after more than 60 years of flying tradition in the San Fernando Valley, the 146th Airlift Wing began moving from its home in Van Nuys to a brand new state-of-the-art facility built on 204 acres of state-owned land adjacent to Naval Base Ventura County, Point Mugu. Located in Ventura County sixty miles north of Los Angeles, Channel Islands Air National Guard Station was constructed at a cost of more than $70 million dollars, and is widely recognized as the newest and best flying facility in the Air National Guard. The 146th AW operates from the military airfield on Naval Base Ventura County, Point Mugu, along with Navy and other federal aviation activities. On April 30, 1990, the flag at Van Nuys ANG Base was lowered for the last time during a special ceremony, and all units were in place at Channel Islands ANGS. MISSION The 146th Airlift Wing is a combat ready organization prepared to support U.S. and allied forces in the event of a national military contingency. As California National Guardsmen, the wing may also be called upon to provide disaster response, humanitarian relief, and large scale aerial firefighting capabilities to the state and the nation. Our wing's designated wartime mission is to provide general purpose and intratheater airlift of personnel and materiel, normally into improved airports, with optional delivery by airdrop (payload descending to a drop zone by parachute) or airland (landing on short, unimproved airstrips under combat conditions). Our aircraft can also be configured for combat delivery of paratroops, aeromedical evacuation, photo reconnaissance, and large scale aerial fire fighting with the Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System (MAFFS). The 146th AW is currently the only organization in the world implementing the new MAFFS 2 units on the C-130J platform, making it a highly capable and valuable resource in the fire fighting industry. Our most precious asset are our 1,200 Guard men and women who sustain one of the largest and most capable airlift wings in the nation, and who consistently portray the Air Force Core Values of Integrity - Excellence - Service.