BATTLE CREEK,Mich. — The 110th Airlift Wing will not be getting the C-130 aircraft flying mission at Battle Creek Air National Guard Base as the Secretary of the Air Force released the news on March 14, 2013.“It is disappointing as many folks around our community have fought hard trying to get us this flying mission,” said Colonel Ronald Wilson, 110th Airlift Wing Commander.
The 110th Airlift Wing is slated to get an MQ-9 Reaper control mission at Battle Creek Air National Guard Base as stated in the Fiscal Year 2013 budget. The MQ-9 Reaper is Air Force’s commitment toward future technology.
“We will move forward and be an outstanding RPA (remotely piloted aircraft) unit and we are excited for the MQ-9 mission,” said Wilson, “this is the way of the future in aircraft technology.”
At this time, it is unknown when the mission will be setup and 110th members are working with headquarters for the transition.
The MQ-9 Reaper is an armed, multi-mission, medium-altitude, long endurance RPA. They can also perform the following missions and tasks such as intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR), close air support (CAS), and even combat search and rescue (CSAR), much like the A-10 Thunderbolt mission, which the 110th flew from 1991-2009. The MQ-9’s capabilities make it uniquely qualified to conduct irregular warfare operations in support of the combatant commander objectives.
