Press Releases
Apr 19 2012
Arkansas Delegation and Fort Smith Community Make Case for the 188th Fighter Wing
Calls Proposal to Eliminate Tactical Flying Mission "Not Fiscally-Militarily Sound"
U.S. Senators Mark Pryor and John Boozman, along with Congressmen Rick Crawford (AR-1), Tim Griffin (AR-2), Steve Womack (AR-3), and Mike Ross (AR-4) today pressed Defense Secretary Panetta for answers about the Air Force’s decision to eliminate the A-10 mission at the 188th Fighter Wing in Fort Smith.
The 188th Fighter Wing is one of the lowest-cost fighter units in the Air Force, and the delegation believes that removing fighter aircraft from Fort Smith is not fiscally sound and will negatively impact joint training. In the letter to Secretary Panetta, the delegation requested information about the criteria and cost-analysis used by the Air Force and Department of Defense to develop their FY2013 budget proposal. The delegation originally requested this information in February, but has yet to receive it.
The delegation letter accompanied over 2,000 letters from the Fort Smith community that stated their support for the 188th’s A-10 mission and their opposition to the Air Force’s proposal. The delegation’s letter to Secretary Panetta can be found by clicking the file attached below.