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Keep hearing a good rumor that the 122nd FW (Indiana ANG in Ft Wayne) will be losing their vipers and gettign A-10's. Any one else hear this news? Any idea where they will be from? Willow Grove perhaps??

I'm in the 122FW, and have heard the same rumor.

Nothing is ever set in stone so until I see them on our ramp I won't hold my breath.

The rumor I've been hearing is A-10Cs by 2010, and I keep hearing maybe from Spang (who knows?). Again, it's a rumor so don't hold me to it. However, we were informed by our Adjutent General about the A-10s so maybe it'll hold true.

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SoWW #2485
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I'd be surprised if they pulled the only Hawg unit in Europe out; but I've been surprised before!

That would still suck as they are the last lineage of the 81 TFW (they were the 510 TFS before that designation was given to an F-16 squadron at Aviano in Feb 94, and they were redesignated the 81 FS).

Cheers! M2

Im an old member of the 181st. In UPT for a diff ANG unit now. It be pretty cool to see hogs in Indiana.

Didn't Spang get a few extra jets temporarily out of Alaska to fill the holes they would have getting their jets modded? Possible those \"extras\" would roll into the 122nd when Spang was done with them?

--Raven

Lots of changes to force structure in the works to make room for other things. Vipers are wearing out so they're being replaced with Hogs. Sort of like a three card monte until we get some new aircraft.

Ok hows is that the 122FW getting our F-16's (Springfield IL) this year and going to Hog's in less than 2 years???????



Goose

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Goose, the last I heard we're not getting any 16s from Springfield anymore. The jets we're getting are coming from Selfridge and maybe some from Syracuse. Originally I thought we'd be getting them from Springfield and Terre Haute, but TH's birds are already in Atlantic City.

We do have about 4-5 Springfield pilots with us though, and a Springfield Crew Chief who's already a temp tech (full time).

It's pretty weird, but I guess the block 30 conversion was already going through so it would have been too hard to stop it. We're supposedly going to maintain our \"new\" block 30s for about a year until we can find a new home for them, and at that time we'll convert to the A-10. Kind of strange if you ask me (or anyone) but then again I don't ask questions anymore, I just do my job.

The biggest deal with this is trying to keep our base open as long as we can. With the block 30s or pretty much any F-16, they are coming up on retirement within the next 5-6 years, where the A-10C's life has been extended another 20 years I believe. Of course we also hear we're in good running to get F-35s when they are up and running...which would be a few years after the F-16s retire. Who knows...lol.

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I still think they \"Boned the Springfield\" Boys.

But their doing the \"Engine Depot\" for the F-16's, go figure? I remember when Springfield was flying A-37's in the 80's . Then C-130's (I was offered a job with them then) then they go to F-16's,now Nothing.

This whole \"BRAC\" Crap is what it is, Political

Goose

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\"Live Free Or Die\"

I agree Goose...BRAC is always a mess. I'm pretty fortunate this round that my base wasn't on the chopping block. I was at George AFB, CA in the late 80s and it did get on the list and was a big reason I left the active duty AF in 90. The base closed in 92.

I think one of the reasons we're hanging in there is for a reason the city of Ft Wayne doesn't like. FWA \"International\" Airport (that our base shares) is one of the most up to date airports in the country...that's barely used. We have a 12,000 ft runway (5/23), and an intersecting 10,000 ft runway (14/32). We have a huge air cargo ramp that Kitty Hawk Cargo just bailed out of so it sits empty, and our commercial traffic consists of a few regional flights on small regional jets and turboprop planes. That could maybe be part of the politics involved...tons of money invested in the airport.

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Who knows maybe you will get the PA jets....they are scheduled to start leaving spring 09......although now that they are 'finished' their 'duty' I guess they can take them anytime they want....didn't they take them kind of early from CT?

None of the BRAC stuff makes any sense to me, it makes me mad....let's take the fighting power of the best attack/CAS aircraft for today's type of warfair, and reduce the squadron strength while the plane is such demand. The way I see it, you lose 4 squadrons for a few years (MA, CT, PA, and BC) and then it's really two, once Selfridge and Ft. Smith are up and running and ready to be deployed. Sure the jets get spread out to the other units, but as far as deployments go..... I guess I'm just overly bitter since Willow Grove is losing the hogs, when they have a perfectly good base/runway still here, not shared with an airport mind you, and they are capable of doing the job.

Maybe this round is due to the drawdown in Iraq that's coming, and focusing more on Afghanistan. The 122FW in the past few years has provided very valuable and successful air support (CAS...even though the Hog folks don't like to hear it...lol) in Iraq twice, done the Deid, PSAB, Kuwait, and even Jordan. We're most definately a travelling show and bring the pain where needed. Mission's changing, so we're adapting?

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Yeah, I don't think you can take anything away from any unit that is doing their job, A-10 or not A-10.
I just don't see the logistics in it.....it seems like such a waste of money and time to take one A-10 squadron, who already knows the jet and can perform, give them a new mission, meanwhile giving another squadron of non A-10 jets, a new mission of flying the A-10. Why not just let the original squadron keep doing the job they are doing?? instead of having two squadrons/wings doing a completley new job, it could just be one of them.....

Not sure what the total cost of this BRAC was supposed to be but the GAO has initiated an investigation into the 10 BILLION (so far) dollar cost overrun. The conclusion is that this BRAC will not save near what the great commission said it would.

I'm also not sure whether the BRAC actions are subject to military rules as far as dollar expenditures go. If the rules apply, this would seem to be a Nunn-McCurdy breach since I don't think it was supposed to cost 40 Billion.

OC

Latest intel (rumor) is the A-10s will now come from Osan for the 122FW. I've heard some people say it'll be a mix of Spang and Osan, and some that say only from Osan.

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SoWW #2485
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