 |
| Wilson Says KAFB may get F-35A Joint Strike Fighter |
January 16, 2008 |
| |
Holloman and Cannon will also benefit from new AF Roadmap
Washington, D.C. – Kirtland Air Force Base is being added to the list of possible sites for the F-35A Joint Strike Fighter, the military's planned replacement for the aging fleet of F-16s, said Congresswoman Heather Wilson today.
Wilson says Kirtland Air Force Base is one of 33 locations under consideration for the F-35A, though it is not known how many total bases will ultimately be selected. The new Joint Strike Fighters - expected to be in service in 2013 - would cement Kirtland’s mission during a period when the overall number of aircraft is shrinking.
“This is really great news for New Mexico, especially our New Mexico Air National Guard,” says Wilson, herself a former Captain in the U.S. Air Force. “The Air Force is preparing itself for the next generation and as usual, New Mexico is on the leading edge. Our Tacos make an important contribution to our national defense, and if the F-35A is beddown in Albuquerque, it will ensure that we have an active guard unit for years to come.”
The F-16 is aging and is scheduled to go out of service. This decision opens up the follow-on mission for the Air Guard—the newest fighter aircraft.
Wilson took the lead with others in the New Mexico delegation who wrote to the Air Force Chief of Staff, General T. Michael Moseley last September, then again in December, and told him they were concerned about the future of Kirtland’s 150th Fighter Wing when Kirtland was not listed on a previous plan for the fighter. Wilson has also been in constant touch with the Air Force and has expressed her concern about the future of the 150th and the well-known “Tacos.”
Moseley will release today the Air Force’s weapon system “roadmap,” a long-term plan for providing Air Force capabilities we need in the 21st century to meet threats to the Nation’s security. General Moseley’s roadmap outlines where future advanced weapon systems could potentially be based in the continental US, Hawaii, Alaska and US territories. The plan calls for the Air Force to evaluate installations which currently house legacy weapon systems forecasted for replacement by future systems.
According to information from the Air Force, installations that meet preliminary objective requirements will then undergo thorough environmental studies in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). NEPA mandates environmental analyses and impact studies which are critical factors in determining final beddown bases in the US as suitable locations for weapon systems. These major studies take time, may consider either one or several installations in a single study and may not be initiated at every potential location. The findings of these environmental studies, and the results of required fiscal and operational analyses which will be conducted over the next several years, will determine the final beddown plan and phasing.
The following next-generation weapon systems could come to New Mexico under the new Air Force Road map:
Kirtland AFB, NM
CSAR-X (Combat Search and Rescue Helicopter)
F-35A Lightning II
Cannon AFB, NM
MQ-1 Predator
MQ-9 Reaper
CV-22 Osprey
Holloman AFB, NM
F-22 Raptor
Wilson, working with Senator Domenici and others in the delegation and the state, helped keep Kirtland and Cannon from being shut down during the Base Realignment and Closure process three years ago. Wilson has consistently secured federal funding for infrastructure needs at Kirtland Air Force Base.
- END -
|
|
|
|