Modernization

Army National Guard Divisions must have parity in aviation force design and personnel authorizations with the Active Component Army inclusive of future combat systems. The current lack of parity risks interoperability with the Active Component, threatens overmatch against our enemies, and ties the hands of commanders.

The Army National Guard operates 858 UH/HH-60 Black Hawks, with a majority, UH-60Ls, reaching or exceeding their expected useful life by 2031. Increased overseas deployments and domestic operations coupled with reductions in Army Reserve rotary wing aircraft and no modernization strategy for ARNG aircraft places immense pressure on the existing UH/HH-60 fleet.

The Nation relies heavily on the ARNG's HMMWV fleet to respond to the homeland and be ready to deploy. These missions are accomplished with a fleet that averages 25 years old - beyond the expected useful life of the vehicle.