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Department of Defense Agrees to Temporarily Halt Plane Transfers

By Beacon Staff

HELENA — The Department of Defense says it will stop scheduled Air Force transfers of aircraft until Congress finalizes 2013 budget plans later this year.

The announcement comes as several states become increasingly worried about their Air National Guard units losing aircraft missions.

Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer filed a lawsuit earlier this month against the Defense Department, seeking to stop the military’s transfer of F-15 fighter jets to California. Montana wants assurances that the state will later get its planned replacement mission of C-130 cargo planes.

But political leaders from the Gulf Coast states are threatening action to prevent movement of the C-130s from their states, where they help with hurricane preparedness.

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta writes that about 150 aircraft transfers and 98 aircraft retirements were scheduled in 2012 and 2013.