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Air Force Cuts To Westover Base In Chicopee

U.S. Air Force officials say President Obama's proposed cuts in defense spending will lead to cuts in the C-5 cargo jet fleet at the Westover Air Reserve Base in western Massachusetts.

The Air Force says it will cut half of the 439th Airlift Wing's C-5B fleet at the base in Chicopee in 2016. The plan also includes upgrading the remaining eight jets to C-5H.

Col. Steven Vautrain, 439th Airlift Wing commander, says the proposed changes will have an operational impact on the base, "but Westover will remain a viable part of the reserve."

Obama is seeking to cut $487 billion from the defense budget over the next 10 years to help trim a federal budget deficit.

The Air Force is scheduled to announce manpower changes caused by this force restructuring in the next few weeks.

This program aired on February 4, 2012. The audio for this program is not available.

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