The Air Force plans in March to send officials to Malmstrom AFB, Mont., to evaluate the ability of the installation to take on a new mission—possibly even aircraft. It would not be a USAF unit, rather one under the Department of Homeland Security, according to the Helena (Mont.) Independent-Reporter. Sen. Conrad Burns (R-Mont.) secured the USAF commitment to conduct an “attributes study,” saying it took “five meetings on this subject” over a two-week period. An optimistic Burns noted than in March the USAF team would agree that “Malmstrom is a first-class facility.”
Airmen from the California Air National Guard and Air Force Reserves brushed up on their aerial firefighting skills late last month in preparation for the 2024 wildfire season, which could see fires break out across North America.