On August 3, 2023, the United States Department of the Air Force (DAF) announced the proposed transformation of the 492nd Special Operations Wing (492 SOW) into the Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) Power Projection Wing (PPW) at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona. AFSOC’s PPW would include the 492 SOW, 492nd Theater Air Operations Squadron, 6th Special Operations Squadron, 6th Special Operations Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, an unnamed MC-130J Special Operations Squadron, an unnamed MC 130J Special Operations Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, 319th Special Operations Squadron, 21st Special Tactics Squadron, and the 22nd Special Tactics Squadron. Air Combat Command (ACC) will have a geographically separated Intelligence Squadron (IS) under the 361st Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group. Collectively, these units are referred to as the 492 SOW beddown. The 492 SOW beddown at Davis-Monthan AFB includes various units to be relocated, activated and retired which is part of a larger effort to analyze and prioritize the placement of affected fighter, rescue and intelligence force structure to support the current 2022 National Defense Strategy (NDS).

Ongoing activities at Davis-Monthan AFB include retirement of A-10 aircraft. As announced on February 8, 2024, the 355th Wing has begun retiring its fleet of A-10 aircraft. Phase 1 of this divestment of A-10 aircraft has already been analyzed in the Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Fourth Generation Missions Regional Realignment ("Realignment EA") (DAF, 2024). A Finding of No Significant Impact for the Realignment EA was signed on April 28, 2024. Although not part of the proposed action for this EIS, the changes (manpower, aircraft operations, etc.) that would result from retirement of the remainder of A-10 aircraft from Davis-Monthan AFB will be considered in this EIS.

No new airspace would be created as part of this EIS and there would be no modifications to existing airspace. The DAF is currently preparing a separate EIS to optimize existing Military Operations Areas (MOAs) to address existing and future training deficiencies for aircrews stationed at Davis-Monthan AFB, Luke AFB, and Morris Air National Guard Base.

This website allows the DAF to share information with the public through the EIS process. Throughout the EIS process, this website will be available to accept comments from the public. Your participation in this process will assist the DAF with the identification and evaluation of your environmental concerns regarding the proposed AFSOC 492 SOW beddown.

The DAF invites you to participate in the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process. Opportunities for public participation in the NEPA process are shown on the SCHEDULE page. The DAF started the EIS process with publication of the NOI in the Federal Register. Publication of the NOI on May 9, 2024 started the scoping period which extended until June 14, 2024. The purpose of the scoping period was to help the DAF to determine the scope of issues to be addressed and to help identify significant environmental issues to be analyzed in depth in the Draft EIS. During the scoping period, the DAF hosted an in-person scoping meeting at the Tucson Convention Center on May 30, 2024. The DAF also hosted a virtual scoping meeting via Zoom Webinar on June 4, 2024.