U.S. Congresswoman Cheri Bustos toured the Army National Guard base in Peoria Thursday. She met senior Guard officials and also touted federal funding for upgrades at the facility. Bustos says six that includes replacing six Chinook helicopters at more than $20 million per chopper:
“It gets down to better safety, better operationally, better when they need these in time of conflict.”
Major General Richard Hayes says the helicopters will have re-purposed blade systems.
“So we’re going to have some of the same parts we’ve been using for a couple decades here. But a lot of the interior of the aircraft, the frame and the avionics are going to be upgraded to the latest standard.”
Hayes also says a nearly 70-year-old hangar roof is getting replaced next year with $2 million in federal funds.