Wing, 15 March 1976 – 1 October 1991 Replaced by: 542d Crew Training Wing, 1 October 1991 – 1 April 1994 542d Operations Group, 1 October 1991 – 1 April 1994 1550th Flying Training Squadron Re-designated: 550th Flying Training Squadron Re-designated: 550th Special Operations Squadron, 15 March 1976 – present 1551st Flying Training Squadron Re-designated: 1551st Flying Training Squadron Re-designated: 551st Special Operations Squadron, 15 March 1976- 2007 Inactivated 2007, Reactivated at Cannon AFB NM 2009 – present Air Force Space Technology Center, 1 October 1982 – 13 December 1990 Combined into: Phillips Laboratory, 13 December 1990 – 30 September 1997 Split into: Air Force Research Laboratory Space Vehicle and Directed Energy Directorates, 1 October 1997 – present 377th Air Base Wing *, 1 June 1993 – present 58th Special Operations Wing, 1 April 1994 – present 512th Special Operations Squadron, 1 Apr 1994 – present Re-designated: 512th Rescue Squadron (RQS) 6 Oct 2000 71st Special Operations Squadron, 2005 – present 898th Munitions Squadron 1 July 1994 – present 498th Armament Systems Wing Re-designated: 498th Nuclear Systems Wing, 31 Mar 2006 – present .* Base Operating Unit Previous names Albuquerque Army Air Base, 8 March 1941 Kirtland Army Air Field, 24 February 1942 Kirtland Air Force Base, 13 January 1948 – present Role and operations The missions of Kirtland AFB fall into four major categories: munitions maintenance; readiness and training; research, development and testing; and base operating support to more than 100 federal government and private sector associates. Major units Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center The mission of the NWC is to ensure safe, secure and reliable nuclear weapons are available to support the National Command Structure and Air Force war fighter. 377th Air Base Wing The wing provides munitions maintenance, readiness and training, and base operating support to approximately 76 Federal government and 384 private sector tenants and associate units. Among these is the Defense Threat Reduction Agency's Defense Nuclear Weapons School, the mission of which is to provide nuclear weapons core competencies and chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and high explosive (CBRNE) response training to DoD, other Federal and State Agencies, and National Laboratory personnel. Air Force Research Laboratory, Kirtland AFB Directed Energy Directorate This lab develops, integrates, and transitions science and technology for directed energy to include high-power microwaves, lasers, adaptive optics, imaging and effects to assure the preeminence of the United States in air and space. Phillips