ANG to get F-15C's

[ThePhantomTwo]

Guard may add new F-15 fighters

By PETER JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Writer

The U.S. Air Force intends to transfer 18 top-of-the line "C" model F-15s to

the National Guard Bureau and will add ultra-modern radar, U.S. Sen. Conrad

Burns announced Monday.

The Montana Republican said getting some of the new fighters will "help

guarantee a long-term future for the 120th Fighter Wing," the Montana Air

National Guard headquartered at Great Falls International Air -port.

Burns spokes-man Matt Mackowiak said Burns, a member of the Senate

Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, lobbied the Pentagon hard during the

last 10 days of budget work to assign some of the more modern fighters to

the Air Guard.

Since a Montana senator was influential in getting the Air Force to agree to

transfer 18 of the F-15Cs to the Guard Bureau, the MANG unit is likely to

get "its fair share," or five or six of the jets, Mackowiak said.

Currently, most state Air Guard units flying F-15s around the country are

assigned older "A" model F-15s built in the 1970s with few updates since,

Burns said. Assigning the Air Guard the more modern "C" models known as

"Golden Eagles" is a "huge step forward" for Guard units, he said.

The Air Force also agreed to spend $73 million to buy advanced radar, known

as Active Electronically Scanned Array Radar, for those 18 jets, Burns said.

Pilots flying with that radar are capable of shooting down incoming cruise

missiles, he said.

"Anything that our congressional delegation can do to help solidify the

missions of the 120th Fighter Wing is really appreciated," said Col. Mark

Meyer, MANG commander.

About $22 million of construction work starts next year to ready MANG

facilities for the twin-engine F-15s, which are expected to start arriving

in 2008 to replace single-engine F-16s.

MANG officials say they will need 76 more full-time personnel and 39 more

part-timers to fly, maintain and protect the F-15s. The unit now has nearly

1,000 personnel, including 300 full-time employees.

Reach Tribune Staff Writer Peter Johnson at (406) 791-1476, (800) 438-6600

or pejohnso@greatfal.gannett.com.

Squadrons return

Two groups of airmen from the Montana Air National Guard and Malmstrom Air

Force Base return to Great Falls this week after seven months in Afghanistan

and Iraq.

Altogether, more than 300 were deployed.

Airmen with MANG's 219th Red Horse Squadron and from Malmstrom's 341st unit

return today. Airmen from Malmstrom's 819th Red Horse Squadron return

Thursday.

Note the reporter calls the F-15 the "Golden Eagle" :D

[Murph]

Note the reporter calls the F-15 the "Golden Eagle" :D

That's an actual term; it's used to refer to F-15C's that will receive a series of upgrades to remain in service through at least 2020.

Regards,

Murph

[Vesper]

As oppose to "Moldy Eagle"?

Where's the door?

Ves :D

[ThePhantomTwo]

Thought they were being called "Super Eagles"?

Hmm, so the MANG will get the V5 radars, plus some C-models. Wow, and the active duty still manages will old-*** plain Eagles, with no real replacement in the works for years. Splendid

I imagine the funding for the AESA radars will come out of the ANG budget and not from the USAF's budget.

[A6ETRAM]

I imagine the funding for the AESA radars will come out of the ANG budget and not from the USAF's budget.

Yeah,

Those are the F-15C's from my unit (131st FW) of the MoANG. Just as we got rid of our A's and acquired the C's, we get placed on the BRAC list. So, by 2009 our jets have to be gone.

Chris

[ThePhantomTwo]

Yeah,

Those are the F-15C's from my unit (131st FW) of the MoANG. Just as we got rid of our A's and acquired the C's, we get placed on the BRAC list. So, by 2009 our jets have to be gone.

Chris

At least you guys have planes until 2009,we(181st FW) start scooting ours out the door in a few months to the guys in Atlantic City.

[A6ETRAM]

At least you guys have planes until 2009,we(181st FW) start scooting ours out the door in a few months to the guys in Atlantic City.

I hear ya' and feel your pain.

Chris

[ThePhantomTwo]

I hear ya' and feel your pain.

Chris

How are things over there?I did a two month stint on your flightline working on your F-4E's while your crew chiefs were at Luke for F-15 training.Had some fun times

[ReccePhreak]

Note the reporter calls the F-15 the "Golden Eagle" ;)

Is that anything like the "Golden Fleece"? :blink:

Larry

Edited June 23, 2006 by ReccePhreak

[A6ETRAM]

How are things over there?I did a two month stint on your flightline working on your F-4E's while your crew chiefs were at Luke for F-15 training.Had some fun times :D

Well PhantomTwo, aside from the BRAC thing, we are doing well here at St. Louis. Still busy and now about to get busier since we will be transitioning to work on the Spirit when our jets leave.

Chris