Army plans to cut Army Guard fixed-wing fleet

National Guard, Oct 2001

The Army Guard's Operational Support Airlift Airplane fleet will undergo a major transformation over the next two years including a cut in the number of aircraft and moving the remaining planes to hubs around the country.

Army officials have directed a fleet reduction of 30 airframes in fiscal 2002. Nineteen C-12 aircraft will be pulled in February and all 11 C-26 aircraft will be turned over in September. Plans call for consolidating the remaining planes at 15 hub locations around the country over Fiscal Years 2003 and 2004. Those sites have not been determined.

In a note to adjutants general, Army Guard director Lt. Gen. Roger Schultz said restructuring the program was necessary because of consistent underfunding, including a $10 million shortfall in fiscal 2001 and $13.4 million of unfunded requirements in fiscal 2002.

"I recognize that this is going to cause some serious concerns within the community," Schultz wrote. "I don't know the full impact of the actions noted above but our staff is currently working options to implement the intent."

National Guard Bureau officials are still developing a plan to carry out the transformation.