[Scan-DC] Milcom Tidbits

[Rapbep at aol.com]

All,

The following items were taken from the March issue of Combat Aviation 
magazine:

1. In 2005 the AFRC's 419th FW will relinquish its F-16Cs but continue to fly 
the fighters as an associate unit with the co-located 388th FW at Hill AFB.

2. The VA ANG 192nd FW at Richmond will "partner" with the 1st FW at Langley 
VA as it transitions to the F-22 Raptor. The magazine believes that the 192nd 
pilots may be transitioning to the F-22 in an associate status.

3. USMC took delivery of the first of 20 KC-130J tankers, which was assigned 
to VMGR-252 at Cherry Point.

4. The USAF has activated Det 1 of the 58th Ops Group at MCAS New River NC. 
This unit will be trained alonside the USMC's VMMT-204 Marine Medium Tiltrotor 
training Sqdn on the CV-22B Ospreys.

5. The 337th Test & Evaluation Sqdn was recently activated at Dyess AFB TX as 
part of the 53rd Test & Evaluation group replacing Det 3, 53rd Test & 
Evaluation Group as the B-1 operational test & evaluation organization.

6. The Arizona ANG 162nd ARW revently received its first two KC-135Rs 
(68-8023 & 59-1500) at Phoenix Sky Harbor Aprt.

7. The PA ANG 193rd SOW has unveiled it new EC-130J Command Solo III at 
Harrisburg International Aprt. The unit hopes to replace all its EC-130Es with the 
"J" models by 2006.

8. The Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) Flight Support Det at NAS Patuxent 
River MD was designated as Scientific Development Sqdn One (VXS-1) on Dec 13, 
2004. The unit flies four NP-3Ds.

9. The Minnesota NG has announced plans to build a new Aviation Support 
Facility at St Clair regional Aprt to support 6 UH-60s of the 1,256th Med Coy as 
well as 6 CH-47Ds to be assigned to a new unit. The Minnesota NG recently 
retired the last of their UH-1Hs.

10. The Army Aviation Center at Ft Rucker AL recently sent its last UH-1Hs to 
Draughton-Miller Aprt, Temple TX. More than 200 hueys are stored in Temple. 

11. The last 6 UH-1s with the Colorado NG 2/135th Avn at Buckley were 
recently retired to Temple TX.

12. Three attack helo companies assigned to the 1st Armored Div (1AD) 1st Bn, 
501st Avn Regt have relocated to Ft Hood TX to begin transition from the 
AH-64A to the AH-64D. the "Flying Dragons" will spend one year training with the 
21st Avn Bde.

Ron
Maryland USA