The Governor of Kentucky, Ernie Fletcher, said Tuesday that the Kentucky Air National Guard would create a new unit—the 123rd Contingency Response Group—at Louisville where it will be “the light on in great times of need,” reports the Louisville Courier-Journal. Comprising some yet-to-be-identified 144 Air Guardsmen, the 123rd CRG will be the first all Air Guard “air base in a box” unit. The unit will work with the active duty 615th Contingency Response Wing at Travis AFB, Calif., providing the capability to set up bare base operations anywhere in the world.
Amid NATO’s continued push to ramp up air defenses in Eastern Europe, Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall swung by seven allied countries to boost relations last week, including those on Russia’s and Ukraine’s doorstep.