US Rep. Tim Ryan questions Air Force on aircraft upgrades at YARS

March 3, 2016 at 10:22a.m.

WASHINGTON — During a hearing of the House Defense Subcommittee on Appropriations, U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan of Howland, D-13th, urged Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James and Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. Mark Welsh to upgrade the current fleet of C-130s in use by the Air Force Reserve's 910th Airlift Wing.

The 910th is home to the Department of Defense's only aerial spray capability and based at Youngstown Air Reserve Station in Vienna.

Last year, Ryan added legislative report language to the fiscal year 2016 Defense Appropriations Bill, which directed the Air Force to prioritize the recapitalization of its three special mission aircraft systems: the Modular Aerial Spray System, Mobile Airborne Fire, and the Weather Reconnaissance Squadron (aka Hurricane Hunters).