Air Force Gen. Craig McKinley, National Guard Bureau chief, said Tuesday that he expects a solution will be reached over what has become a controversial transfer of some C-130 transports from the reserve components to the active duty. “We are going to find a compromise that meets the needs of the states and … the Air Force,” he told defense writers in Washington, D.C. He added, “I hope we get there quickly; I hope it is an integrated solution.” McKinley did not discuss details, preferring to let the Air Force leadership be the ones to make any announcement. But it’s already been revealed that the solution might entail the temporary transfer of the Air Guard and Air Force Reserve C-130s instead of a permanent switch. He said, too, he expects the decision to reflect that C-130 inventory must be reduced to shed excess capacity.
Members of the House Armed Services Committee say the AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile program has been set back three months due to the ongoing government shutdown. The comment is noteworthy because the JATM's status has been kept tightly under wraps.
