175th Wing to retire flying mission

MIDDLE RIVER — In a move not taken favorably among local and state leaders, the U.S. Air Force has decided to select the Warfield Air National Guard Base, commonly known as the 175th Wing, as the site to transition from an A-10 to a cyber wing mission.

The decision, officially announced March 7, effectively retired the fighting mission at the 175th Wing, which has grown to become a local and regional fixture.

Replacing the 175th fighter wing’s A-10 Thunderbolt IIs with a cyber mission “will create a natural synergy between cyber assets at Fort George G. Meade, Maryland, and the 175th Cyberspace Operations Group already operating out of Warfield ANG,” read a statement released by the Air Force.

“The transition of the 175th Fighter Wing to a cyber wing also aligns the Maryland Air National Guard with an enduring modern mission that meets the requirements of the National Defense Strategy. Warfield ANGB is not precluded from being considered for other potential missions in the future.”

Divestment of the 21 A-10s at the 175th Wing is estimated to begin this fall, according to the Secretary of the Air Force. While local political figures suspect the move will put hundreds of jobs in jeopardy and will have detrimental economic effects on Baltimore County and the state, the Air Force maintains that personnel numbers “are expected to remain neutral but will be finalized over the next year.”

In addition, the Department of the Air Force announced it will conduct an environmental impact analysis for the cyber wing, which is expected to be completed by fall 2025 before a final decision is made.

The decision leaves the 175th Wing’s 104th Fighter Squadron without a replacement for its A-10 Thunderbolt IIs after 45 years flying the airframe. Maryland is now the only state without a flying mission.

Retired Maj. Gen. Francis M. McGinn, president of the National Guard Association of the United States, recently said the Air Force’s decision “squanders some of the U.S. military’s most experienced pilots and maintainers at a time when such talent is in short supply,” adding that the decision makes no sense considering the nation’s role amid a Great Power Competition era.

U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin, along with outgoing Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger, (all D-Md.) released a joint statement on the Air Force’s decision to expand the cyber mission of the Maryland Air National Guard.

The Air Force is facing a shortage of nearly 2,000 pilots, they pointed out, pledging to work aggressively with the White House, Pentagon and the governor’s office to ensure a follow-on flying mission for 175th Wing’s air guardsmen.

“This increased mission and growth in the cyber domain will result in additional high-tech jobs for our citizen-soldiers. We will be working with the Air Force and U.S. Cyber Command to ensure that this expansion is adequately resourced,” the statement reads.

“That being said, we are disappointed that, despite our repeated objections, the Air Force will move forward with retiring the A-10 presence at Martin State without immediately assigning the 175th a replacement flying mission.”

On Feb. 9, Delegates Kathy Szeliga and Ryan Nawrocki championed a letter to Secretary Kendall of the U.S. Air Force, imploring him to keep the flying wing of the Air National Guard at Middle River’s Martin State Airport.

In bipartisan unity, Szeliga and Nawrocki joined 17 other state lawmakers in penning the letter to Kendall to consider preserving the 175th Wing’s flying mission.

Concurrent with sentiments expressed by local and state political leaders Gov. Wes Moore (D) decried the Air Force’s move. He said he is “advocating vigorously” to maintain Maryland’s flying mission in partnership with the state’s congressional delegation.

“We are disappointed to learn of the Air Force’s decision to hurriedly retire the A-10 mission across the nation, including the mission at Martin State, without a plan to retain experienced pilots and maintainers or to replace older systems with advanced aircraft,” Moore said.

“We are committed to working with our federal partners at the White House and the Pentagon to acquire another flying mission in Maryland this year.”