"Its very clear the state militia was designed to be a combat reserve of the Army, and that means we should look like the Army," Burton said in an interview Thursday.

Sen. Mike Lees office issued a statement Friday saying he has spoken to the chief of the National Guard Bureau about the helicopters. Lee favors cuts in other federal programs rather than in defense.

"Senator Lee is greatly disappointed that the Army feels the need to propose such measures effecting the National Guard due to sequestration of the Department of Defense," the statement said.

Burton confirmed he saw a draft document that calls for the Army to remove Apache helicopters first from the Tennessee National Guard, then from Utah and Missouri. Burton said the document is a draft and has not been approved for public release. The Army did not even want to share it with him on a recent trip to Washington, D.C. to discuss the helicopters.

"We have friends that gave us a copy," Burton said.

In an email sent Friday, Army spokesman Lt. Col. Don Peters wrote: "At this time, I can tell you that there has been no decision on a timeline."

Burton assumes the Army covets the 16 Apaches at the Utah National Guards 1st Battalion, 211th Aviation Regiment because they are the newest model. Nationwide, there are eight National Guard battalions with Apaches. Most have older versions.

The draft Burton saw references language currently in the Senate version of the National Defense Reauthorization Act. It would allow the Army to take 48 Apaches in fall 2015 and require a study to examine what to do with other National Guard Apaches.

The Army is phasing out another helicopter, called the Kiowa, that performed scouting missions. The Army wants Apaches to fill that role.

Burton and other critics of the plan argue the Apache is too valuable an aircraft each costs about $35 million and too big, loud and well-armed to use for low-altitude, dangerous reconnaissance missions.

View original post here:
Utah would be among first to lose Apache helicopters under Army plan