By BRENT MARTIN
St. Joseph Post
New aircraft could be coming to the Air National Guard in St. Joseph and securing the latest C-130 airplane could be vital to the long-term future of the 139th Airlift Wing at Rosecrans Memorial Airport.
Airlift Wing Commander, Colonel John Cluck, says the airlift wing hopes to replace its fleet of C-130 H planes with the new C-130 J model.
“The Air Force itself has basically retired all their H-model C-130s and has transitioned to a purely J-model fleet,” Cluck tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “And, as the Guard transitions, which we have several units that already have, we need to feel like the 139th needs to remain relevant in that conversation and the best way we can go that is with new aircraft.”
Cluck spoke about the future of the 139th Airlift Wing as well as its work in national defense and community service in an address to the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce Public Affairs Coffee Friday morning.
Cluck says the current military budget contains enough money to buy 16 new C-130s. The 139th needs eight to replace its current fleet.
“The biggest thing I think really is that we want to make sure that we’re still representing the city of St. Joe and the citizens of the state of Missouri to the highest level we can and that will help us to do that,” Cluck says.
The Air National Guard employs approximately 1,000 people at the St. Joseph base. It has been making a move into new buildings from its old headquarters at Rosecrans built in the 1950s.
Cluck says the C-130 upgrade could prove vital to the long-term future of the 139th Airlift Wing in St. Joseph.
Cluck says what the St. Joseph base is hearing from Washington has been good, so far.
“We know that there were some added into last year’s budget. So, that’s a known and there were 16 there. We really need eight,” according to Cluck. “And we’re also hearing that there may be some more in this year’s budget. If that’s the case, we want to make sure that we get some of those somewhere.”
The 139th has 10 total planes in its fleet, two extra to fly during special training courses.