The National Guard is loudly complaining today about orders to hand over its fleet of AH-64 Apache attack helicopters to the Army, saying the move is dramatically impacting readiness.
The plan, which the Army says will save $12 billion through 2017, involves replacing the Army’s OH-58 Kiowas with the National Guard’s Apaches. The Guard is to be given UH-60 Black Hawks to replace them.
National Guard Chief Gen. Frank Grass complained that the switch is going to require him to retrain pilots and alter the facilities that are housing the Apaches.
The Pentagon has argued that the National Guard doesn’t use the Apaches in the first place, and the Black Hawks are actually meant for search and rescue missions, so they’d be of some conceivable use. Gen. Grass insists the Apaches are needed to be a “combat reserve.”
At the behest of the Guard’s leadership, there is a bill going through the House aiming to block the transfer of the Apaches and creating a commission to study any other proposed changes to the Guard’s arsenal.
Eastern European NATO nations have been calling for military support from the US, and it's no surprise that Apaches would be in the mix because of Russia's large supply of armored vehicles and tanks. US forces are spread thin so the National Guard (NG) has to provide the Apaches, even though NG units may be called upon to fly those aircraft if/when regular army units need relief or reinforcement, as occurred extensively in Iraq and Afghanistan. If NG pilots have to fly aircraft they are not familiar with against well trained Russian troops manning advanced anti-aircraft missile systems it's not hard to figure out what will happen. That may explain the NG's strong opposition to this rather short sighted plan.
WOW RICinOR, You are so knowledgeable………. Who woulda thought that this transfer is probably Ukraine related…….. WTF..!!!!
No it's about the National Guard to be able to protect the American people at home when the Revolution starts!
Or, more likely, use them against those people…..
I think Gary may be referring to protecting important people. You know, corporations.
It could be a siphoning off for use in Europe, but the more likely bet is they are taking them out of the hands of the National Guard units who would be the first to switch sides in the event of a declaration of martial law by the Federal Government.
Doesn't the National Guard report to Governor of the State and not the U.S. Army?