With the Department of Defense making big cuts to Air Force infrastructure, many milair monitors in and around Ohio may experience a big decrease in local activity.
At this point all plans are 'Unofficial' but it appears that the DoD seeks to make heavy cuts involving over 100 A-10 aircraft including squadrons. Two squadrons are neighbors to Ohio, the 163rd FS 'Blacksnakes' from the Indiana Air National Guard at Fort Wayne and the 107th FS based at Selfridge Air Base for the Michigan ANG. Both units recently converted to the A-10 from the F-16.
The A-10 'Warthog' began flying operations in the 70s with its mission to providing
close air support for ground troops. Other squadrons that maybe affected are the 184th Arkansas ANG at Fort Smith, the USAFE's 81st FS at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany and the AFRC's 47th FS at Barksdale AFB.
Possible good news for the 163rd FS and Fort Wayne, is that the unit could pick up the mission of the MC-12 flying nine to eleven aircraft beginning in October 2013. The MC-12 is a turboprop plane that provides intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance information for ground forces. It just entered operational flying status in 2009.
Good Job.....
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