The Missouri Air National Guard’s 139th Airlift Wing passed its recent operational readiness inspection—the first such comprehensive inspection of the unit in 10 years—with an A+. The News-Press reports that the inspection team leader, Col. John Almind from Air Mobility Command, called the 139th AW’s review “the best I’ve seen to date.” During the eight-day test of the unit’s ability to operate under stressful conditions, the Missouri Air Guard unit faced some 166 inspectors, who, at the conclusion, recommended the unit for 35 recognition awards—10 team and 25 individual. The 139th AW flies C-130s out of St. Joseph’s Rosecrans Airport.
More than 100 B-21s will be needed if the nation is to avoid creating a high demand/low capacity capability, panelists said on a Hudson Institute webinar. The B-21's flexibility, stealth, range and payload will be in high demand for a wide range of missions, both traditional and new.