Congress’ mandate that the Air Force keep 32 tactical airlifters in service that it aimed to retire in Fiscal 2013 effectively “equates to an intratheater airlift floor” of 358 airplanes through the fiscal year, said Col. Jon Thomas, program integration chief in Air Force headquarters. Lawmakers, in the Fiscal 2013 defense authorization act, directed the Air Force to retain those tails—either C-130s, C-27Js, or a mix—to ensure there’s enough direct airlift support of ground forces. With C-130s spread over all three Air Force components, the newly formed Intra-Theater Airlift Working Group has its work cut out for it, Thomas told reporters on Jan. 10. “They’re going through and very carefully looking at all the inventories and where all the airplanes are moving” due to past decisions and newly authorized retirements, he noted. Since Air Force Secretary Michael Donley told reporters on Jan. 11 that he does “not anticipate” the service revisiting its plan to retire all C-27Js, it appears that the 32 airlifters will all be C-130s. Thomas said the Air Force still has enough C-130s in service that it probably wouldn’t have to draw from its aircraft boneyard to maintain 358 airframes.
Pentagon Releases Cost of Living, BAH Rates for 2026
Dec. 30, 2025
The Pentagon will pay cost of living allowances to 127,000 service members in the continental U.S. in 2026, an increase of 66,000 members in 2025. Airmen and Guardians across the U.S. will also receive an average increase of 4.2 percent for their Basic Housing Allowance, compared to the 5.4 percent…
