Budget cuts to put an end to manned flights at Fargo Air Base

A major blow to the North Dakota Air National Guard. 2013 defense budget cuts mean the 119th wing in Fargo will no longer have a manned flying mission.

It was just last December when congressional leaders announced $480 million in funding would bring the C-27 J Spartan Aircraft to Fargo, but the defense department is now scrapping that program all together.

The base will also lose its C-21 jet mission when it's retired in 2013. North Dakota will be the only state without a manned flying mission.

General David Sprynczynatyk - North Dakota Adjutant General: “Very disappointing quite frankly that here we are one of the best if not the best air National Guard units in the country suddenly finding itself without a manned flying mission. We; myself the governor, congressional delegation, leaders in the community; are going to do everything we can to aggressively pursue a flying mission for the 119th at Fargo.”

The Happy Hooligans will continue to fly unmanned predators and get a new intelligence group mission. Staffing levels will increase by half a dozen to just fewer than 1,100 members.

Tags: news, military, fargo, updates