Sen. Brown urges modernization of C-130 fleet

YOUNGSTOWN

United States Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), during a tour today of the Youngstown Air Reserve Station (YARS), said it is in the economic interest of the Mahoning Valley and the security of the nation to modernize the C-130 Hercules cargo/personnel planes here and keep the air station viable.

Brown is cosponsor of a bill to modernize Ohio’s Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard C-130H fleet without a costly overhaul. To continue operating, the fleet must be upgraded by 2020 to meet federal and international standards, he said.

Without the modernization, Brown said the C-130 fleet would be largely inoperable.