2017 National Defense Authorization Act prioritizes C-130 upgrades at YARS

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, today applauded passage of the FY 2017 National Defense Authorization Act, which includes his amendment with U.S. Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, to strengthen the Youngstown Air Reserve Station and its mission capabilities.

Specifically, the amendment directs the Air Force to report on how it will prioritize upgrades to new C-130J aircrafts for facilities that include special mission units – such as aerial spray, airborne firefighting, and weather reconnaissance.

Brown and Portman have been urging the Air Force to replace YARS’ 910th Airlift Wing’s current fleet of C-130H aircraft with new C-130J aircrafts to ensure that the 910th’s Department of Defense-mandated specialized aerial-spray mission continues safely and without interruption.

YARS is located in Vienna in Trumbull County.