CHICOPEE, Mass. (WGGB) — It’s looking more and more likely that Westover Air Reserve Base in Chicopee will lose half its C-5 fleet.
We’ve all seen the the huge C-5 cargo planes flying over Western Massachusetts. They are an integral part of Westover’s mission.
The C-5′s have flown on missions of mercy and transported military personnel and equipment all over the world.
There are currently sixteen C-5′s stationed at Westover.
Proposed changes would cut that number in half says Lt. Col. James Bishop. “The proposal is to transfer eight of our C-5′s to a unit in Lackland. This is based on the National Defense Authorization Act,” says Col. Bishop.
Before they’re transferred though, the C-5B’s will be upgraded to C-5M’s at a cost of $90 million per plane. “The upgrades will mean they’re quieter, more efficient, more fuel-efficient and they are more mission ready,” says Col. Bishop.
While plans call for Westover to lose eight of its C-5′s, Colonel Bishop says Westover will remain a vital part of our country’s defense.
“Under the proposal, Westover stays Westover. We did $25 million of base construction last year. We have Army, Navy, Marines. We have about 5,500 people on base. Westover remains a vital part of national security,” says Col. Bishop.
Colonel Bishop also said at this point, there’s no indication that there would be a reduction of personnel as a result of the reduction in the C-5 count at Westover.
If given final approval, the transfer of the eight C-5′s wouldn’t take place until 2016.
I dont know if they’ve made the upgrade to some of the planes already but one flew over my house the other night, fairly low, and it was pretty darn quiet!!! I even questioned myself on if it was even a C-5 but from the looks of it it was. Any idea if they started?