Channel Islands Air National Guard Station

Channel Islands Air National Guard Station is a military airfield located in Oxnard, California. The 146th Airlift Wing (146 AW) of the California Air National Guard has been stationed at this facility since operations began transferring there in December 1988, with the move completed by March 1990. The station operates from a military airfield adjacent to the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, sharing the facility with Navy and other federal aviation activities. The 146th Airlift Wing's primary mission involves providing global military airlift capability to state and federal agencies, utilizing Lockheed C-130J Super Hercules aircraft. The wing also contributes to aerial firefighting efforts, being one of four C-130 Air National Guard units equipped with the Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System (MAFFS). The 146th AW was the first unit to transition to the MAFFS 2 system in 2008 and is the only unit flying it on C-130J aircraft. In 2021, a permanent fixed-base retardant reload pit was constructed on the parking ramp, increasing storage capacity to 50,000 gallons for aerial firefighting operations. The 146th Airlift Wing has participated in numerous military operations including Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Southern Watch, Operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, and has been involved in humanitarian relief and civil support missions within the United States, such as COVID-19 response and civil unrest transport operations. The wing consists of units including the 146th Operations Group, 146th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, 146th Contingency Response Flight, 146th Mission Support Group, 146th Security Forces Squadron, 146th Maintenance Group, 146th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, and the 146th Medical Group. Construction for a C-130 flight simulator facility broke ground in January 2023, after previous delays.