A group of lawmakers recently urged Armed Services Committee conferees to ensure the final National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) bill offers an inventory of C-130 aircraft in West Virginia and nationwide.
Sens. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and Joe Manchin (D-WV) recently joined a Senate coalition in forwarding correspondence to the Armed Services Committee as a means of advocating for a large enough C-130 aircraft fleet in West Virginia and across the country to support active duty missions, as well as respond to disasters and emergencies at home.
“Our Air National Guard C-130 flying wings provide nearly half of the Air Force’s tactical airlift capability,” the legislators wrote. “For more than 50 years, we have brought Americans into combat, provided humanitarian relief around the globe, and supported domestic response throughout the nation. As the Air Force proposes changes to align our force structure with the National Defense Strategy (NDS), it is vitally important we do not trade experience and know-how in pursuit of expensive, less defined capabilities.”
The lawmakers maintain the Senate’s proposed language sets a minimum number of C-130 aircraft in the fleet by adopting a Primary Mission Aircraft Inventory (PMAI) of 230 aircraft. Mandating PMAI alone does not account for training aircraft inventory requirements or backup aircraft needed to support maintenance inspection and depot requirements. The ANG C-130 fleet has been the backbone of tactical airlift capability for a generation, per the legislators.
“Our ANG wings have built experience and expertise through repeated deployments and domestic operations,” the lawmakers concluded. “Hard choices will be required as we restructure the Air Force to face future foreign and domestic challenges. Therefore, we must make informed, data-driven decisions as we manage the C-130 fleet.”