The Macon (Ga.) Telegraph offers the first public confirmation that the Air Force has decided not to apply the avionics modernization upgrade to its oldest C-130 Hercules. In response to Telegraph questions about workload share that might go to the Warner Robins Air Logistics Center in Georgia, Lt. Col. William Graham, the C-130 AMP chief, based at Aeronautical Systems Center in Ohio, states that the upgrade program—currently going through a new competition—would not cover C-130E models. The Air Force has been analyzing the best approach for months. USAF’s top uniformed official, Gen. Michael Moseley, said in April that he would prefer spending money to buy new J model C-130s rather than applying a band-aid to an older Herc.
The Air Force’s study of possible links to elevated rates of cancer among personnel who worked on intercontinental continental ballistic missiles has begun, the commander in charge of the U.S. ICBM fleet confirmed March 28. The initial phase of that study will mine cancer registries for information and compile a…