Three Air National Guard units took on the Air Force’s high-altitude unmanned intelligence, reconnaissance, and surveillance mission April 1 at Beale AFB, Calif. During a ceremony, the California ANG established the 222nd Operational Support Squadron and 222nd Communications Maintenance Flight and redesignated the 222nd Combat Communications Squadron, formerly at Costa Mesa, Calif., as the 222nd Intelligence Support Squadron. All three will be engaged in operations of the RQ-4 Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicle. At the event, Maj. Gen. Dennis Lucas, commander of the California ANG, said the move of the 222nd to Beale is part of a larger plan to integrate ANG units with active-duty forces and away from older missions into newer assignments. Beale is USAF’s first home for the Global Hawk; RQ-4s operating in Southwest Asia are controlled from Beale using satellite communications links. “Global Hawk is a growing mission in the Air Force, and we are excited to be here taking part in it as it continues to develop and unfold,” said CMSgt. Eric Rivera, 222nd ISS superintendent. (Includes Beale report by SrA. George Cloutier)
National Guard adjutants general from nearly two dozen states have signed a letter to Congress seeking multiyear funding for the Air Force to purchase between 72 and 100 new fighter jets per year to modernize the total force.The letter, sent to Congress last week, stresses the need for the Air…