Swapping out the C-130H with C-130J and deploying CV-22s to Japan are part of the Pacific rebalance by the Pentagon, commander of 374th Airlift Wing told Stars and Stripes.
By U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Jonathan Snyder/Released [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
Col. Douglas C. DeLaMater said the C-130Js will start to arrive at the wing starting from September and the exercise to replace 14 C-130Hs will be completed by mid-2018.
Three CV-22s will be operating out of Yokota next year and eventually all 13 tilt-rotors will be deployed by 2021. The long term plan is to build new facilities on the east side of the flightline to house the Ospreys. The unit will get hangars and a headquarters.
Other aircraft in the wing has gotten equipment upgrades as well. Three C-12Js were modified to fit aerobeds inside the cabin. This will allow them to fly medavac missions.
Four UH-1 from the wing were installed with hoists so that they can rescue personnel without having to land.
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