The recently revealed plan by USAF to transfer some Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve Command C-130s to the active duty force has drawn the ire of 23 lawmakers who complained to Air Force Secretary Michael Donley in an April 8 letter. The move already attracted the attention of the Senate National Guard Caucus, whose chairmen—Sen. Kit Bond (R-Mo.) and Sen. Pat Leahy (D-Vt.)—also wrote Donley. Rep. Aaron Schock (R-Ill.) led the latest effort which urges Donley to provide “supporting data and analysis techniques” behind the decision. Schock and his colleagues declare the C-130 transfer is “in contravention” to USAF’s agreement with its reserve components on the active vs. reserve “airframe mix and will severely inhibit the ability of the National Guard and Reserve to effectively continue their mission during this time of war.” (Schock release; April 8 letter to Donley)
Ukraine’s fleet of F-16 fighters has played a vital role in protecting the country against Russian aerial attacks, including the jet-powered drones the Russians have used to try to overpower Ukrainian air defenses, senior Ukrainian officials said. But Ukraine has a chronic need for spare parts to keep the venerable jets…