The 169th Airlift Squadron is America’s premier Air National Guard C-130 tactical airlift squadron. Currently, our fleet consists of 6 C-130H3 aircraft and employs around 40 full- and part-time pilots. Our mission focuses around several core capabilities: Airdrop, short-field takeoff and landing, NVG proficiency, and VMC/IMC formation. These mission capabilities lend themselves to operating in austere environments delivering supplies to front-line troops.

Peoria was announced as a recipient squadron to transition to the C-130J model, a conversion which wil begin later this year. We anticipate the first J to arrive in Peoria in August of 2026. New pilots will go through the J-model pipeline. A typical C-130J crew consists of two pilots, and 1-2 loadmasters.

Peoria has a population of roughly 113,000 people and is located approximately 2.5 hours drive-time from both St. Louis and Chicago. Caterpillar, OSF and Carle Healthcare systems, and Bradley University are major employers in the area.