Air Force IDs Ohio base for ‘Cyber Warfare Wing,’ adds 175 jobs

As part of the selection, the Air Force said it needs to retire eight C-130H Hercules aircraft from its aging inventory at the 179th Airlift Wing as part of its fiscal year 2022 budget proposal, the service also said.

The proposed plan is contingent on congressional approval to retire the eight C-130H aircraft from Mansfield and reduce the Air Force’s total C-130 inventory from 287 to 279 aircraft in fiscal 2022.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and other state leaders hailed the news.

“I spoke directly with the secretary of the Air Force today who gave me this outstanding news,” DeWine said in a release late Wednesday. “Ohio is gaining a leading-edge mission that will strengthen the fabric of the military community and further solidify Ohio as a national leader in cybersecurity excellence. Not only will this new mission bring more jobs into the community, but it will also spur more economic growth and create new opportunities for industry and academic growth. This is a tremendous win for Mansfield and for the entire state.”

“This selection will build on the 179th Airlift Wing’s legacy of excellence to begin a new chapter in the cyber warfare domain,” said Maj. Gen. John Harris Jr., Ohio adjutant general.

Ohio was one of two locations being considered, the other being the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport in Minnesota, the state said.

“Mansfield Lahm Air National Guard Base is the pride of Richland County,” Sen. Sherrod Brown said. “Placing the new cyber warfare mission in Mansfield will help Ohioans perform critical missions to support the warfighter and will expand the strategic capabilities of the servicemembers at the base, who protect and serve their country with pride.”