The California Air National Guard will create a new wing to oversee its increasing space, cyber, and intelligence missions. The move will expand the number of Guard wings in the state to five, tying it with New York for most state Guard wings. The 195th Wing will become operational next month, creating one commander to oversee command and control of cyber, space, combat communications, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions, officials said in an Aug. 17 release. Previously the 162nd Combat Communications Group, the wing will include about 800 Guardsmen under the command of a colonel. A ceremony introducing the wing, which will have units across the state, will be held next month at Beale Air Force Base, states the release.
An F-16 pilot was awarded a Silver Star for a harrowing mission in which he dodged multiple surface-to-air missiles during the opening weeks of the operation against the Houthis in Yemen earlier this year.
