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A NGAUS review of the fine details of President Joe Biden's fiscal 2024 budget request found 74 helicopters for the Army National Guard.
The number includes 24 new UH-60 Black Hawks, 26 L-model to V-model Black Hawk conversions and 24 rebuilt AH-64E Apaches.
The Army Guard flies the oldest helicopters in the Army.
The continued recapitalization of Guard Apaches and concurrent and proportional fielding of UH-60M Black Hawks to the Guard are NGAUS legislative priorities.
Fiscal 2023 defense appropriations included 35 M-model Black Hawks for the Guard, 10 more than Biden requested.
Biden's fiscal 2024 proposal also includes 42 Bradley Fire Support Team vehicles, 34 Abrams M1A2 System Enhancement Program Version 3 tanks, 12 new M109 Paladin 155mm howitzers and 360 Joint Light Tactical Vehicles for the Army Guard.
Modernization of the Army Guard's combat vehicles is another NGAUS legislative priority.
Biden's request continues the Army Guard's end strength at 325,000 soldiers and maintains Army Guard force structure at 27 combat brigade teams, eight combat aviation brigades and two theater aviation brigades.
The request also indicates that the Army will keep focusing on a Regionally Aligned Readiness Modernization, or ReARMM, to shift the organizational focus to division-centric formations.
"Unfortunately, there is no mention of the Army National Guard’s eight combat divisions in the president’s budget," said retired Col. Mike Hadley, the association's vice president, government affairs.
Biden's budget does mention needed military construction.
The proposal would provide $340.2 million for military construction projects in 13 states and territories: Arizona, Idaho, Illinois, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia, Wisconsin and Puerto Rico.
Fiscal 2023 defense appropriations included $459 million for Army Guard MILCON projects in 17 states, $161.7 million more than Biden asked for.
Increased Guard MILCON funding is another NGAUS legislative priority.
Air Guard equipment needs don’t fare as well in Biden's proposal.
The request includes 48 F-35A Lightning II fighters, 24 F-35 EX Eagle II fighters and 15 KC-46A Pegasus tankers, but none are designated for the Air Guard.
The fielding of modern aircraft to the Air Guard is additionally a NGAUS legislative priority.
Biden's ask does include $71.2 million for C-130H Hercules cargo plane modifications, including NP2000 propeller upgrades, T-56 series 3.5 engine upgrades and the Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System.
The proposal also has $66.3 million for active electronically scanned array radars for the Air Guard's F-16 Fighting Falcon fighters.
The suggested budget maintains 21 Air Guard combat-coded squadrons, but reduces the total aircraft inventory from 982 to 962 planes.
Biden's request slightly increases Air Guard end strength to 108,400 airmen.
The proposal would also provide $178.7 million for Air Guard MILCON projects in five states: Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Indiana and Oregon.
— By John Goheen
