Ohio congressmen seek an upgrade to the C-130ths at Youngstown Air Reserve Station

Staff report

VIENNA

The three U.S. House members who represent the Mahoning Valley and the state’s two U.S. senators are urging the Air Force Reserve to replace the Youngstown Air Reserve Station’s 910th Airlift Wing’s fleet of eight C-130H aircrafts with new C-130Js.

The legislators made the request in a Monday letter to Lt. Gen. James Jackson, the chief of the Air Force Reserve. Signing the letter were U.S. Sens. Sherrod Brown, a Cleveland Democrat, and Rob Portman, a Cincinnati-area Republican; along with U.S. Reps. Tim Ryan of Howland, D-13th; Bill Johnson of Marietta, R-6th; and David Joyce of Russell, R-14th.

“Bringing in C-130Js to modernize the C-130 fleet at YARS will help strengthen our lines of defense and maintain jobs in” the Mahoning Valley, Brown said. “This fleet carries out critical emergency missions and keeps our nation secure. It’s time to replace these aircraft to meet the unique mission at YARS.”

The 910th is the Department of Defense’s only large-area, fixed-wing aerial spray unit.

“The Youngstown Air Reserve Station has become a model for other Air Reserve Stations throughout the country, but if we want to maintain this level of high performance, we must upgrade the aircraft at the base,” Portman said.

“I am proud to support the important mission and [outstanding] work being done at the Youngstown Air Reserve Station – and I will continue to do everything in my power to ensure that long-term investments are being made at YARS,” Ryan said.

“It is critically important that we maintain the C-130 missions carried out by the Ohio Air National Guard units across Ohio,” Johnson said. “The Youngstown Air Reserve Station in particular plays an important role in America’s national security capability, and provides jobs vital to the Mahoning Valley.”

“It is now, more than ever, critical that we provide our military with the resources they need to protect us and defend our country,” Joyce said.