 |
| Wilson Welcomes Flight of CV-22 to KAFB |
March 20, 2006 |
| |
Important Mission Good for Kirtland & Jobs in NM
Washington, DC – Congresswoman Heather Wilson today welcomed the flight of a test CV-22 from California’s Edwards Air Force Base to Albuquerque’s Kirtland Air Force Base.
“The CV-22 will be another great addition to Kirtland, and we’re looking forward to it,” Wilson said. “We continue to find important national security missions that are a good fit for Kirtland and all of our New Mexico bases. Each of these missions in turn strengthens our New Mexico jobs outlook.”
According to today’s announcement by the Air Force, the CV-22s will begin to arrive permanently this summer as part of the 71st Special Operations Squadron A, part of the 58th Special Operations Wing. Flying the aircraft will be Lt. Gen. Mike Wooley, the Commander of The Air Force Special Operations Command, based at Hulbert Field, Florida.
In 2004, at Rep. Wilson’s request, Congress authorized a $9.2 million facility at Kirtland to bed down the CV-22 and fulfill other needs at the base. That legislation, the Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2005, was signed into law on Oct. 28, 2004. It authorized a multi-use corrosion control facility to support both current operations and the CV-22. The building includes an aircraft paint bay, a support equipment preparation bay and paint booth, a paint mixing room, a composite repair room and a plastic media blasting room.
- END - |
|
|
|