ARLINGTON, Va., - The first C-27J Spartan was delivered to the 179th Airlift Wing at Mansfield Lahm Airport in Ohio on Aug. 14.
“Today marks the end of an era,” said Army Maj. Gen. Greg Wayt, the adjutant general of the Ohio National Guard. “But it marks a beginning for the 179th Airlift Wing. It’s a sad day to see the last C-130 on the ramp here.”
The event celebrated the unit’s official change in missions from the C-130 Hercules to the C-27J.
In 2005, the Mansfield base was ordered to close by the Base Realignment and Closure Commission.
“It was a devastating day for all of us,” Wayt said. “But we all maintained a positive attitude, we all stuck together, we testified before the BRAC commission.
Because of local support from community members and government leaders, the commission awarded a new mission to the base.
“Although we lost eight C-130s, this base is in incredible shape for the future.”
Wayt said the unit maintained its personnel strength, flew over 5,000 combat hours in Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom and logged over 100,000 flight hours in the C-130.
“It would have been easy to just shut the base down,” he said. Instead, “it was an easy decision for the United States Air Force to put this new weapons system right here at Mansfield.”
The C-27J, which was developed by Lockheed Martin Alenia Tactical Transport Systems in Marietta, Ga., is designed to conduct airlift, airdrop or medevac missions. It requires a pilot, co-pilot and loadmaster and can handle 60 troops or 46 paratroopers at a time.
“While letting go of our C-130 fleet is difficult, the assignment of the C-27 … is a change in the right direction,” Wayt said. "This aircraft will fly over the skies of Mansfield for many years to come.”