- November 27, 2007
Sen. Carper and Rep. Castle Announce $4 million in Department of Defense Appropriations for Delaware’s Air National Guard
On Wednesday, November 28, Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.) and Rep. Mike Castle (R-Del.) will be in New Castle to announce $4 million in federal funding for the Delaware Air National Guard through the Department of Defense Appropriations Bill.
They will be joined by John DiEleuterio from Sen. Biden’s office; Major General Frank Vavala, Adjutant General Delaware National Guard; Brig. General Hugh Broomall, Deputy Adjutant General for Air, Delaware National Guard; and subject matter experts Major Robert Culcasi and Lt Col Pete Klabunde.
Passed by Congress on November 9, 2007, the Defense Appropriations Bill provides $459.3 billion in 2008 for defense programs – and $32.96 million for projects in Delaware. The legislation, supported by Sens. Joe Biden and Tom Carper (both D-Del.) and Rep. Mike Castle (R-Del.), provides funding for the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and other military priorities.
This bill also allows the military to pursue important defense research and production work being done in Delaware, including $4 million for the DE Air Guard, specifically $800,000 of that $4 million for the DE Air Guard’s 166th Information Operations Squadron to continue vital intelligence activities; and $3.2 million to replace out-dated C-130 radars with AN/ANP-241 radars. Media will hear comments from subject matter experts and be able to view new radar components.
$3.2 MILLION TO REPLACE OUT-DATED C-130 RADARS WITH AN/ANP-241 RADARS
The Delaware National Guard currently has an outdated radar system, the APN-59, installed in its C-130 aircraft. The APN-59 radar currently installed on C-130 H2 aircraft is suffering from deteriorating reliability, maintainability, and sustainability (RM&S). The AN/APN-241 enhances flight safety by having the capability to predict wind shear, and is certified for all-weather, precision airdrop. The latter is a critical shortfall in current capability. The ANG has partially funded a program delivering AN/APN-241 radars to AK, NV, NY, TN, MO, TX, CA and GA Air National Guard units. The Delaware National Guard is the last unit to receive funding for this equipment.
Without this plus-up, operational mission effectiveness will continue to deteriorate. The C-130 AMP program deliveries are anticipated to begin in 2009, which will result in less than continuous production, and necessitate closing the production line. Additionally, without this radar the ability to maintain the operational tempo required by Operation IRAQI FREEDOM and Operation ENDURING FREEDOM will be severely impacted due to increased equipment failures and high maintainability and sustainability costs.
$800,000 FOR THE DE AIR GUARD’S 166TH INFORMATION OPERATIONS SQUADRON TO CONTINUE VITAL INTELLIGENCE ACTIVITIES
Building on previous Fiscal Year appropriations for training and facilities to the 166th Information Operations Squadron, the Delaware Air National Guard’s 166th Airlift Wing will create a unit for a Network Warfare Squadron (NWS), to support the 8th Air Force and Air Combat Command (ACC) through the National Security Agency (NSA) located at Ft. Meade, Maryland, with an additional DEANG facility located in New Castle, Delaware. The 166th Network Warfare Squadron will assist ACC/NSA in providing leading edge analysis, reporting, operations expertise, and capability to Information Operations (IO) planners, DOD decision makers, operations, and National Security/Critical Infrastructure users.
The Network Warfare Squadron will provide new “Follow the Money” capabilities for national intelligence agencies using the banking and international finance expertise located in Delaware. The benefits received from this type of work will directly improve national security. Delaware’s talented cadre of Citizen Airman, with many years of civilian banking expertise, facilitates that capability and allows the Delaware Air National Guard a unique opportunity to serve our nation. In addition, the Network Warfare Squadron will provide unique mission support for successful NSA missions against current, former, and ongoing enemy groups.
The Air Force, National Security Agency, National Threat Operations Center (NTOC), and National Attack Support Services (NSAA) have each requested support from the Delaware Air National Guard after using its services on various mission assignments (including in-theater support).
Following the press conference, Sen. Carper and Rep. Castle will tour two completed MILCON Projects for which the Delaware Delegation secured funding. The Security Forces Squadron Addition and the Medical Clinic Addition were each $1.5 million projects, increasing square feet to meet Air Force Requirements and renovation existing square feet to consolidate functions.
The 166th Airlift Wing can rapidly mobilize and deploy C-130H Hercules aircraft and personnel worldwide to meet peacetime and wartime contingencies. The wing provides airlift and airdrop of troops, cargo and passengers, aeromedical evacuation functions, and civil engineer functions. The Wing’s gaining command is the Air Mobility Command, U.S. Air Force.
Under command of the Governor of the State of Delaware, the 166th Airlift Wing provides trained personnel and equipment for various humanitarian missions to protect life and property and preserve peace, order, and public safety, under competent orders of state authorities.
The 166th Airlift Wing operates eight permanently assigned Lockheed C-130H2 transport aircraft.