Arizona congresswoman says decision is an economic boost and highlights the critical role of the 162nd Fighter Wing in our nation’s defense
TUCSON – U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords is enthusiastically welcoming a decision by the Republic of Singapore to train its F-16 pilots at the Arizona Air National Guard’s 162nd Fighter Wing in Tucson.
“Allied military pilots from around the world have been trained in the skies above Southern Arizona for more than two decades,” said Giffords. “These training missions are an essential part of our economy and they highlight the critical role of the 162nd Fighter Wing in our nation’s defense.”
Giffords, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, noted that the long-term implications of Singapore’s decision could be as important as the decision itself.
“It bodes extremely well for Tucson as the U.S. Air Force considers the 162nd as the training venue for the new F-35 Joint Strike Fighter,” said Giffords. “It tells the world that Tucson is and always will be one of the best training grounds for the skilled pilots who risk their lives to protect our freedoms.”
Giffords has long been a champion of the 162nd. Well before entering Congress, she served on the 162nd Fighter Wing Minuteman Committee, a civilian support group formed by local business leaders.
Last year, her support for the Guard earned her an award from the National Guard Association of the United States. She is the only federally elected official from Arizona to receive the Charles Dick Medal of Merit.
The Singapore training mission is valued at an estimated $60 million and will help preserve hundreds of well-paying jobs at the 162nd. Based at Tucson International Airport, the 162nd is the largest Air National Guard Fighter Wing in the country.
Also in contention for the mission was the 178th Fighter Wing at Ohio Air National Guard in Springfield, Ohio. Training in Ohio, however, would have been significantly more expensive than Tucson.
Giffords worked closely with the U.S. Air Force to ensure Singapore’s needs would be met at the 162nd.
Pilots from 23 allied nations have been trained at the 162nd since 1989 and Singapore has trained its pilots there since 1993. The island nation is one of our closest allies in Asia. It contributed troops to Operation Iraqi Freedom and sent helicopters to aid in the relief effort after Hurricane Katrina.