146th Airlift Wing Fact Sheet The 146th Airlift Wing California Air National Guard Channel Islands Air National Guard Station 100 Mulcahey Drive Port Hueneme CA 93041-4001 (805) 986-7500 DSN 893-7500 FAX (805) 986-7437 http://www.146aw.ang.af.mil 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 the California National Guard, 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. The wing's designated wartime mission is to provide general purpose and intra-theater 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, aero-medical 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 utilizing 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 is our 1,200 Guardsmen 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. HISTORY The California Air National Guard's 146th Airlift Wing has been part of the 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 new facility built on 204 acres of state-owned land adjacent to Naval Air Weapons Station 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 that $70 million dollars, and is widely recognized as one of the newest and best flying facilities in the Air National Guard. The 146th operates from the military airfield on NAWS Pt. 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.