Some C-130s from Montana Air National Guard transferred abroad
C-130s from the 120th Airlift Wing of the Montana Air National Guard have been transferred to Chile, Colombia and Romania.
The older C-130 models at the 120th had been replaced by newer models beginning in June 2021.
Two of the older C-130s went to Chile in April, two went to Colombia in September 2021 and the last one went to Romania in December, according to the 120th.
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The Air Force used the Foreign Military Sales program to transfer the aircraft with no cost to the Air Guard, according to the 120th.
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All of the transfers were completed by 120th airmen and the goal of the program is to “strengthen U.S. relationships with those nations and to help improve their own air force capabilities,” according to the 120th. “The transfers were great training, the crews earned flight hours and on arrival helped train foreign nation personnel on the aircraft. Once complete, everyone took commercial flights home.”
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The aircraft that went to Romania is now apart of their 90th Air Transport Base-the 901 Strategic Transport Squadron, according to Romanian media.
Over the summer, Col. Trace Thomas, 120th commander, told City Commissioners that the wing would be receiving the newer aircraft throughout the summer to replace their eight and bring the average of the planes to 1992-1993 manufacture versus the 1970s model they’ve been flying.
The 120th had been in the running for the C-130J model aircraft but was not selected and will instead be receiving newer C-130H models, the first of which arrived June 2.
