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| Wilson blocks move that would have left New Mexico Six Tacos short |
March 21, 2002 |
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Air Force proposal would have taken 55 jobs, 6 F-16’s from Kirtland
Albuquerque, NM - Congresswoman Heather Wilson worked behind the scenes over the last month to block an Air Force move that could have taken 55 jobs away from Kirtland Air Force Base and would have lost the New Mexico Air National Guard--the famed Tacos--at least six of their aircraft.
The 150th Fighter Wing provides unique support to the Department of Defense through its Defense Systems Evaluation (DSE) mission. DSE, established in 1971, has played a key role in the developmental testing of many critical weapons at White Sands Missile Range and around the world, including testing of the Air Force`s newest fighter airplane, the F-22 Raptor.
“The Tacos and their support staff make an important contribution to our national defense,” said Wilson, a member of the House Armed Services Committee that oversees our nation’s military. “Whether flying missions over Cheyenne Mountain to protect our homeland, or flying missions in Iraq to defend our national interests, the New Mexico National Guard is there for us. We need to support them and help them do their jobs, including this important task of doing research and evaluation on critical military systems. That fits in well with the overall missions undertaken by New Mexico’s military and DOE facilities.”
Wilson was briefed almost a month ago by the New Mexico Air National Guard about Air Force plans to remove the DSE mission from Albuquerque. Fifty-five personnel and six F-16s would have left the state under that plan. Wilson had several high-level conversations with Air Force leadership, including Secretary James G. Roche, head of the Air Force, and General John P. Jumper, the Air Force Chief of Staff. Wilson first raised the issue privately with both Air Force officials before and after a hearing of the House Armed Services Committee, and also personally called Brigadier General David Brubaker, the acting head of the Air National Guard.
In her conversations, Wilson repeatedly underscored the effectiveness of the Tacos in undertaking the DSE mission-a mission they’ve flown for more than thirty years.
U.S. Senator Pete Domenici, a long-time supporter of the Tacos through his work on the Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, was also briefed on the Air Force proposal and lauded the move to keep the DSE mission at Kirtland.
“Over the years, the Tacos have become a real part of our New Mexico identity. Their success and their future in our state is not only rooted in their commitment and patriotism, but also the support of their fellow New Mexicans. I have no doubt that the Tacos will continue to ensure the success of our military missions both domestically and abroad.,” Domenici said.
Currently, the United States Air Force and National Guard Bureau are headed towards an agreement that will keep the six F-16 aircraft, 55 jobs, and the DSE mission at Kirtland.
The Taco pilots average 655 sorties each year in their F-16 Fighting Falcons and have flown more than 18,000 sorties in the course of their DSE mission. The average DSE pilot has accumulated 2,445 hours of fighter flight time.
Since May 1999, the 150th Fighter Wing has been instrumental in the development of the F-22 Raptor air dominance fighter`s integrated avionics suite while acting as a "target" for the F-22 program`s Boeing 757 Flying Test Bed (FTB). Over the past 3 years the 150th has made numerous deployment to McChord AFB, Wash., to support FTB missions originating from Boeing Field outside Seattle. As of October 31, 2001, the 150th`s DSE jets had flown 232 sorties-accumulating 441 hours of flight time - in support of the FTB.
During the past three decades, the 150th Fighter Wing pilots have helped test a number of mission-critical airborne or air-launched defense projects, including the AN/ALE-38 and -43 chaff dispensing pods, the AN/ALQ-131 and -184 electronic countermeasures (ECM) pods, and both the BMQ-74 subsonic and the AMQ-37 supersonic air-launched target simulators. The unit has also supported the development of ground-based Army, Navy and Marine Corps systems, including the Patriot, HAWK and Stinger air defense missile systems and the Aegis shipborne air defense system.
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