The Air Force’s proposed force structure realignments for Fiscal 2011, issued late Tuesday, include details on the compromise deal concerning the transfer of Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve C-130s to Little Rock AFB, Ark. According to the force structure announcement, the service now intends to move 18 C-130Hs temporarily from multiple ANG and Reserve locations to support the reserve component training unit being established at Little Rock. But as new C-130Js continue to enter the fleet and legacy C-130 training requirements ebb, those C-130Hs will return to their home states. This compromise came after the initial plan involving a permanent move of the C-130s met with strong Congressional resistance. As part of this compromise, members of West Virginia’s Congressional delegation announced already on Monday that the state’s 130th Airlift Wing in Charleston will not be transferring two of its C-130s to Little Rock. (West Virginia lawmakers joint statement)
The Pentagon has concluded a new agreement to buy laser-guidance kits that turn rockets into drone-killing weapons. BAE Systems and the Defense Department announced a framework deal of up to seven years for 25,000 Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System guidance kits annually for the U.S. military.