Cannon AFB

Cannon Air Force Base Clovis Air Force Base/AAF
Part of Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC)
Located near: Clovis, New Mexico
16th Special Operations Squadron AC-130H Spectre Gunship
Coordinates	34°22′58″N 103°19′20″W / 34.38278°N 103.32222°W / 34.38278; -103.32222 (Cannon AFB)
Site information
Controlled by	United States Air Force
Site history
Built	1942
In use	1942 – present
Garrison information
Garrison	27th Special Operations Wing

Airfield information
IATA: CVS ICAO: KCVS FAA LID: CVS
Summary
Elevation AMSL	4,295 ft / 1,309 m
Coordinates	34°22′58″N 103°19′20″W / 34.38278°N 103.32222°W / 34.38278; -103.32222Coordinates: 34°22′58″N 103°19′20″W / 34.38278°N 103.32222°W / 34.38278; -103.32222
Website	www.cannon.af.mil
Map
KCVS Location of Cannon Air Force Base
Runways
Direction Length Surface ft m 04/22 10,000 3,048 Concrete 13/31 8,200 2,499 PEM
Sources: official web site and FAA

Cannon Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base, located approximately 7 miles (11 km) southwest of Clovis, New Mexico. It is under the jurisdiction of Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC). The population of the Cannon AFB CDP was 2,245 as of the 2010 census. The host unit at Cannon is the 27th Special Operations Wing (27 SOW), which activated on 1 October 2007, and is assigned to the Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC). The 27 SOW plans and executes specialized and contingency operations using advanced aircraft, tactics and air refueling techniques to infiltrate, exfiltrate and resupply special operations forces (SOF) and provide intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance and close air support in support of SOF operations.

Cannon AFB was established in 1942 as Army Air Base, Clovis. The commander of the 27th Special Operations Wing is Colonel Tony D. Bauernfeind. The Command Chief Master Sergeant is Paul J Henderson II.

A variety of special operations aircraft are stationed at Cannon, including the AC-130W Stinger II, MQ-1 Predator, MQ-9 Reaper, CV-22 Osprey and several versions of light and medium transport aviation aircraft. The AC-130W is assigned to the 73rd Special Operations Squadron, with all twelve becoming operational in 2010.

Cannon Air Force Base is named in honor of General John K. Cannon (1892–1955). General Cannon received his wings in 1922 and held a variety of command positions in World War II, including command of all air operations for the invasion of Southern Europe in August 1944 and Commander in Chief, Allied Air Forces in the Mediterranean Theater. In 1950 he returned to Europe as Commander in Chief of USAFE. General Cannon retired in 1954 as Commanding General, Tactical Air Command. The history of the base began in the late 1920s, when a civilian passenger facility, Portair Field, was established on the site. Portair Field was used as a terminal for early commercial transcontinental flights, flew passengers in the Ford Trimotor “Tin Goose” by day, and used Pullman trains for night travel. In the 1930s Portair was renamed Clovis Municipal Airport.