Airmen from the California Air National Guard’s 146th Airlift Wing geared up for the upcoming wildfire season by practicing water drops with their Modular Airborne Firefighting System-equipped C-130s and coordination with US Forest Service aircraft, according to a unit release. “The airmen of this wing are passionate about this mission, protecting and defending our local communities, the great state of California, and the United States as a whole,” said Col. David Bakos, commander of the wing, which operates from Channel Islands ANG Station. During the six-day training event in mid-April, the C-130s integrated with Forest Service King Air and Cal Fire OV-10 spotter aircraft, drenching simulated fires in the nearby Angeles National Forest, according to the wing’s April 16 release. Some 100 firefighting personnel took part in the air and ground training. California Governor Jerry Brown (D) in January declared a drought state of emergency. The severe drought brings heightened wildfire risk. Over the weekend, wildfires raged near Corona and Norco, southeast of Los Angeles.
Lockheed Martin projects more than a billion dollars of losses on a classified program, but company officials said April 23 they are confident it will turn profitable by 2028 and become a "franchise" system in the U.S. military.