Hurlburt Field

Hurlburt Field is a United States Air Force installation in Okaloosa County, Florida, located west of Mary Esther. It occupies approximately 6,700 acres within the Eglin Air Force Base reservation. Established in 1942 as Eglin Auxiliary Field No. 9, the site was used as a training field during World War II. It was renamed for First Lieutenant Donald Wilson Hurlburt in 1944 and became administratively separate from Eglin in 1955. Historically, the base supported drone and missile operations, including the launch of JB-2 Loons, Bomarc surface-to-air missiles, and Mace cruise missiles. Between 1955 and 1958, the 17th Bombardment Wing operated B-26 Invader and B-66 Destroyer aircraft from the facility.

The base is operated by Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) and serves as its headquarters. The 1st Special Operations Wing is the host unit. Stationed units include the 24th Special Operations Wing, the 492nd Special Operations Wing, the 505th Command and Control Wing, and the U.S. Air Force Special Operations School. The installation also hosts the 823rd RED HORSE Squadron and the 249th Special Operations Squadron of the Florida Air National Guard.

Hurlburt Field supports a variety of specialized airframes. The base hosts squadrons of AC-130J Ghostrider and AC-130U Spooky gunships, CV-22B Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft, MC-130J Commando II transports, and U-28A Draco aircraft. It also supports MQ-9A Reaper operations. Infrastructure includes concrete flight surfaces, specialized maintenance hangars, and ramps partitioned for different mission sets. A Memorial Airpark on the installation preserves historically significant aircraft, including the AC-130A Spectre, C-123K Provider, and MH-53 Pave Low.