The Montana Air National Guard and the state’s Congressional delegation and local officials are working together to try to get the Air Force to create an associate unit between the ANG’s 120th Fighter Wing at Great Falls and an active duty force at Malmstrom Air Force Base, reports KRTV in Great Falls. In 2006, a Montana group urged the Air Force to consider reopening the Malmstrom airfield and moving the 120th FW there as part of its BRAC-induced switch from F-16 to F-15 fighters. The latest proposal would have the Air Guardsmen train an active associate unit of F-15 maintainers. The Montana group also would like to increase the 120th FW’s aircraft inventory from 15 to 24.
The six-week government shutdown did not affect the hours flown by Air Force pilots, a service spokesperson told Air & Space Forces Magazine—avoiding what could have been a major blow at a time when flying hours are already lower than they have been in decades.
