The New 
York Air National Guard’s 107th Airlift Wing and Air Force Reserve Command’s 914th Airlift Wing accepted the first two C-130H2 transport aircraft that they will operate together during a ceremony May 2 at Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station. The two units will jointly operate 12 C-130H2s under their new association—the first of its kind for Guard and Reserve C-130 units—which resulted from BRAC 2005. Under the BRAC changes, the Guard unit lost its KC-135s tankers, but is joining with the 914th AW to operate the C-130H2s that the latter received in exchange for relinquishing the eight C-130H3 models that it had been flying.
The U.S. military is maintaining a beefed-up presence in the Middle East, including fighters and air defense assets, following the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities June 22 and subsequent retaliation by the Iranians against Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.
