The Montana Air National Guard’s 120th Airlift Wing flew its first C-130 sortie on Wednesday, following the unit’s conversion from the F-15 fighter, wing officials announced on Facebook. The last F-15C from the former 120th Fighter Wing departed Great Falls for the California ANG’s 144th FW in Fresno last October, according to the unit newsletter. The redesignated 120th AW’s first C-130H arrived in March and its full complement of seven airlifters is slated to arrive by June, reported Great Falls KRTV. C-130 maintenance and support personnel trained with the Wyoming ANG over the past few months, according to a release. Montana pilots cross trained to the C-130 at Little Rock AFB, Ark., and the unit plans to begin routine flight operations in June. The unit flew fighters for 66 years before changing to the airlift mission.
The Air Force is planning to invest nearly $1.7 billion to continue modernizing the B-1B Lancer and B-2 Spirit bombers over the next five years, revising earlier plans to retire those aircraft before the B-21 Raider is fielded in bulk.