Alert for Huey Replacement

Air Force Global Strike Command is increasing its rotary-wing personnel pool to allow for round-the-clock missile field security alerts once the current UH-1N Huey helicopter force is replaced. Transitioning to the future common vertical lift support platform “requires a plus-up in aircrews … to get to get to the point where we can have 24/7 operations,” Lt. Gen. James Kowalski, AFGSC commander told reporters at AFA’s Air & Space conference Wednesday afternoon. “We did a limited test period at Malmstrom to find out where the stress points were on crews, manning, and facilities,” added Kowalski. While AFGCS had yet to implement 24/7 alerts “in the traditional sense,” Malmstrom is taking a “look at what they’re going to need to bring up their 24/7 force structure,” he noted. Missile wings at F. E. Warren AFB, Wyo., and Minot AFB, N. D., are, or will be, running similar trials this year.