WASHINGTON D.C. - U.S. Senators Mark Pryor and John Boozman, along with Representatives Rick Crawford (AR-1), Tim Griffin (AR-2), Steve Womack (AR-3), and Mike Ross (AR-4) today requested answers from Department of Defense Secretary Leon Panetta about the Air Force’s decision to eliminate the A-10 mission in Fort Smith and the C-130 Avionics Modernization (AMP) program that affects the Little Rock Air Force Base.

In the letters to Secretary Panetta, the delegation requested specific information about the criteria, analysis and data used to formulate the FY2013 budget proposal, as well as information about the potential impact of the budget on the 188^th Fighter Wing and 189^th Airlift Wing and the Fort Smith and Little Rock Air Force Base communities. While the delegation expressed support for the Department of Defense’s efforts to curb discretionary spending, they want to ensure the military preserves the most cost-effective and efficient military units and provides servicemen and women with the equipment and technology needed to carry out their missions.  

The letter regarding the 188^th can be found here and the letter regarding the 189^th can be found here.