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Great Falls could see a new aircraft making its way to the Montana Air National Guard, and that would mean some big changes for MANG, who just completed a big transition from the F-16 to the F-15.

On Thursday, it was announced that Great Falls and Boise are the two finalists as a possible operations base for the C-27J Spartan aircraft.

If Great Falls is selected, it could mean that the 120th Fighter Wing might not fly fighter aircraft anymore.

(click the Video tab above to see the C-27J in action)

Over the next 60 days, Air Force officials will complete surveys at both locations and complete an environmental analysis process to narrow the selection.

The 120th Fighter Wing was just declared "operation ready" in June after converting to the F-15 a year ahead of schedule, but if the C-27 comes to Montana, the F-15's might not be needed, which could mean a possible loss of jobs.

Officials with the MT Air National Guard told KRTV that there would be some support staff cuts, but there could be other missions with the C-27 that would add more staff.

Colonel Pete Hronek, commander of the 120th Fighter Wing, noted, "We will just wait and see how they program that F-15, if they keep us longer, or if it departs when the new ones come in. These aircraft right now, at best case, probably wont get to us until 2013 or 2014 the way I am hearing it right now. What do we do until then? Most likely we will be in the F-15 and then transition if that's what they want us to do."

Hronek says the Air Force will evaluate MANG's facilities to see what sort of engine or fuel shops might need to be built, as well as determine if the Guard's hangar space is adequate.

If MT ANG is selected by the Air Force, pilots and maintenance personnel would have to train on the new twin-turboprop engine aircraft.

CLICK HERE to watch the C-27J in action

Additional information about the aircraft is available at the C27J website, including this overview:

The C-27J features the unique capability to vary cargo floor height and continuously adjust attitude, ensuring easy loading and unloading of large volume, high density payloads without ground support equipment and also facilitating drive-in/out of vehicles so that they can be in use immediately.

The C-27J has outstanding threat-avoidance capabilities, including a take-off ground run of about 1,900 feet at maximum take-off weight on an unpaved surface. In a tactical environment, the aircraft is capable of climbing to 10,000 ft in 3 minutes, descending from 10,000 ft in under 2.5 minutes, and can handle up to 3.0g forces. At its maximum landing weight, the C-27J has a ground roll of less than 1,115 ft.

The C-27J is in service with the Air Forces of Greece, Italy, Lithuania and Bulgaria. The aircraft is also under production for the U.S. Army and Air Force's Joint Cargo Aircraft (JCA) program. The C-27J is the best selling twin-turboprop military tactical airlifter in the world, ordered by six air forces: Italian (12 aircraft), Greek (12, plus 3 options), Lithuanian (3), Bulgarian (5) and by the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force (78), for a total of 110 aircraft.