Stanley Clarke, director of the Air National Guard, has said the organization’s battlefield operations and fleet requirements are connected with those of the Air Force, Defense News reported Wednesday.Aaron Mehta writes the lieutenant general told Defense News in a recent question-and-answer session that ANG and AF collaborate on warfighting, nuclear deterrence and air mobility activities.
“We are a war-fighting component of the Air Force and we move beyond the strategic reserve world to a more operational force, if you will,” Clarke told the publication.
He noted that the militia force wants to play a role in the Air Force’s efforts to upgrade military long-range strike bombers and joint strike fighters, according to the publication.
Mehta reports Clarke said that one of the Guard’s strengths are having experienced airmen who have been trained to perform both federal and state missions.
The ANG chief also believes his organization is a good fit for cybersecurity operations.
“I think as we go through the programming efforts, as the Air Force sees the value of that, they will be very comfortable and hopefully programming more forces in the Guard to do the cyber mission,” he stated, according to Defense News.
Clarke added that ANG will continue to work with AF to address issues related to budget management and force readiness, Mehta writes.
