Some 130 Air National Guardsmen from Virginia Beach are being called to active duty for 10 months to deploy to various bases in Southwest Asia. Various news reports said the Virginia ANG’s 203rd RED HORSE engineering unit would undergo refresher training at Camp Pendleton, Va. The unit plans to deploy in two groups, the first leaving next week and the next in mid-October.
The new defense reconciliation bill includes $7.2 billion for Air Force and Navy aviation accounts, almost half of which will buy more F-15EXs. While electronic warfare, drones, connectivity and airlift all get attention, the F-35 was conspicuously absent from the package, with no explanation given.