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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Feb. 26, 2008 No. 08-023
Kansas National Guard studies moving portion of Army aviation assets to McConnell Air Force Base
The Kansas National Guard is conducting a site study to determine the feasibility of moving a portion of the Army Guard’s aviation assets to McConnell Air Force Base in Wichita. Currently, the Guard has 18 UH-60 Black Hawks with 13 helicopters based in Topeka, with five stationed in Salina.
“The site study is only in the preliminary stages,” said Maj. Gen. Tod Bunting, Kansas adjutant general. “We are looking at the feasibility of moving four to eight, maybe ten, of the Army Guard’s Black Hawk helicopters to Wichita, while still maintaining our Black Hawk presence in Topeka and Salina.”
“We’re considering this move for two reasons: to ensure the best positioning of our National Guard assets around the state and to ensure we are making the best use of our facilities,” Bunting said.
If moved, the Black Hawks would go in hangars at McConnell previously used by the 184th’s air refueling tankers (KC 135s); however, through Base Realignment and Closure, the tankers have all been moved to the 190th Air Refueling Wing in Topeka.
The move would mean approximately 50 to 150 Kansas National Guard personnel would transfer to Wichita including pilots, crew members and administrative staff.
“We must constantly re-evaluate the positioning of our resources within the state to ensure we have our equipment in the best location to respond to emergencies quickly,” said Bunting, “and placing some Black Hawks in Wichita could provide for quicker response to certain areas if a helicopter is needed.”
During the past year the Guard’s helicopters were used extensively in the war in Iraq, and in Kansas for disaster response to drop hay to cattle in western Kansas during the January 2007 ice storm. They were also used for surveillance of storm damage during each of the four federally declared disasters in the state.
A decision on the partial move of the Army Guard aviation assets is not expected until the site study is completed, which could take as long as a year. -30- |
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