The 314th Airlift Wing at Little Rock AFB, Ark., recently flew its final legacy C-130H training sortie before it transitions to the C-130J over the next few months, officials announced. The Active Duty wing has already handed-off C-130H pilot and loadmaster training to the Arkansas Air National Guard’s 189th AW, and will soon relinquish legacy Herc maintenance training to the Guard as well, according to a release. “This is a great step for the Guard,” said 189th AW crewchief SSgt. David Rogers. “It means bigger responsibility and a larger footprint for us,” he added. The Guard unit—also based at Little Rock—currently operates the largest C-130H fleet in the inventory with more than 20 airframes, according to the release. Active Duty instructors began training Arkansas ANG instructors last October, and plans call for the Guard to take over training maintainers early this fall. The 314th AW’s final C-130H sortie launched June 30.
The first flight of the secretive B-21 bomber has slipped to mid-2022, but the program is moving along well, Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office director Randall Walden said in an exclusive interview. The second copy of the B-21, which will be used for structural testing, is now on the production…