The Air Force plans to divest Vandenberg AFB, Calif., of its sole aircraft unit, the 76th Helicopter Squadron, next month, as part of its financial belt-tightening effort, reports the Santa Maria Times. The unit’s UH-1 helicopters will go to other Air Force Space Command units to support ICBM operations. The Vandy helicopters provided launch range support, overflying the range prior to launches. In the interim, the unit served as a rescue and firefighting resource.
The Senate confirmed new leaders of U.S. forces in Europe and the Middle East over the weekend. Lawmakers on June 29 also approved a reshuffling of Air Force officials that will put new faces in the service’s Pentagon headquarters as well as at its largest command.