Pawlenty: Keep military cargo planes in Minn.

Gov. Tim Pawlenty is asking the Pentagon to keep two huge cargo planes in Minnesota, arguing that moving them would hurt two Air National Guard units.

On Friday, the governor sent a letter to Air Force Secretary Michael Donley asking him to reconsider Air Force plans to move two C-130s from Minnesota's Air National Guard wings to an active-duty unit in Arkansas.

The move is part of the Pentagon's 2011 budget.

Minnesota's two Guard wings are based at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.

Pawlenty says the move "will negatively impact the operations" of two units, which have deployed airmen in Iraq and Afghanistan and earthquake relief to Haiti.

Pawlenty says in his letter that he and other state governors only recently heard about the move.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Create a More Connected Minnesota

MPR News is your trusted resource for the news you need. With your support, MPR News brings accessible, courageous journalism and authentic conversation to everyone - free of paywalls and barriers. Your gift makes a difference.