Bye, Bye Trucks in the Sky

C-145 Skytrucks began departing Air Force Reserve Command’s 919th Special Operations Wing flight line at Duke Field, Fla., for the boneyard last month, the unit announced. Duke will retain five aircraft for its Aviation Foreign Internal Defense mission, retiring the rest of the 16-strong fleet through August, according to a July 10 release. The slimmed-fleet will ensure air advisors “stay current in an aircraft” while Air Force Special Operations Command plans to lease AvFID aircraft more tailored to the specific capacity-building needs of partner air forces. “It’s cheaper to do that … the chances you’re going to buy the right airplane for the country you’re going to work with was pretty slim,” AFSOC Commander Lt. Gen?. Bradley Heithold explained earlier this year. Duke plans to stand up a new squadron, the 49th SOS, this fall to take on a new non-standard aviation mission flying the larger Dornier C-146 Wolfhound, according to another release.