WESTFIELD - Gov. Deval L. Patrick and U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal used the occasion Friday of a ribbon-cutting at Westfield-Barnes Regional Airport and Barnes Air National Guard base to tout the state's readiness for an expected round of Pentagon cutbacks.
Neal, D-Springfield, predicts another BRAC, or Base Realignment and Closure Commission review, in 2015, a process that could result in recommended cutbacks at one of Massachusetts' six military bases. It's a list that includes Barnes in Westfield and Westover Air Reserve Base in Chicopee.
But Patrick, who last year established a statewide commission to keep the bases on their military missions, said collaborative effort like that in Westfield will help the commonwealth's bases survive or possibly expand through BRAC.
Patrick coupled the announcement with a visit to Westfield's Advance Manufacturing, a maker of precision aircraft parts and another component of the state's aviation industry.
The $16 million resurfacing of the 9,000-foot Barnes runway was paid for with civilian aviation money from the Federal Aviation Administration, military money through the Pentagon and state and local funding, said Brian P. Barnes, airport manager.
Other investments in Barnes include the expansion of Gulfstream Corp. private-jet maintenance facility and planned expansions of aviation services company Rectrix.
Patrick drew attention to how public and private, civilian and military are all working together.
"Those lines are blurring," Patrick said. "As they should."
There will be competition with other bases fighting to stay open.
"But they might not be doing the collaboration that we are doing," he said.
Westfield cuts ribbon for Barnes Air National Guard Base runway project
Gov. Deval L. Patrick and U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal used the occasion Friday of a ribbon-cutting at Westfield-Barnes Regional Airport and Barnes Air National Guard base to tout the state's readiness for an expected round of Pentagon cutbacks.
The state is also finalizing a $177 million military base bond that could fund further improvements in and around the bases, said state Rep. Harold P. Naughton, D-Clinton, chairman of the Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security. No other state has this comprehensive an effort involving every base in a state, he said
"We need to keep these bases vital and relevant," Naughton said.
Westfield Mayor Daniel Knapik said money from the bond might be used to build a more secure entrance gate for Barnes Air National Guard Base along Southampton Road.
The stakes are high for Massachusetts. Statewide, the bases represent $14 billion in economic activity and 15,000 military and military-related jobs, Neal said. Barnes alone represents 2,000 jobs and $112 million in impact taking the military and civilian sides into account.
"It's tremendous for the city of Westfield," Knapik said. "This is a great day."
The old runway was breaking up under the stress from the F-15 fighter jets flown by the 104th Fighter Wing.
"I can tell you it is a little unnerving to sit there waiting to take off and see a chunk of macadam fly past you," said Col. James Keefe, commander of the 104th.
That's changed now that the long runway is mostly concrete. The project, which concluded in November, also included lighting and air navigation equipment.
"We can take any fighter there is," Keefe said, including the long-awaited F-35 Joint Strike fighter in that list.
His unit, which shares the base with Army National Guard helicopters and state police aviation, is a model National Guard outfit. It's efficient, responsible for air security up and down the East Coast and shares runways with civilian aviation which saves money.
Neal said Westover and Barnes have grown in the past few years, citing expanded housing and a new tower in Chicopee.
The new tower especially helps foster commercial aviation at Westover, Neal said. More commercial activity helps make the case for more collaborations like the runway at Barnes.
He expressed confidence that both Barnes and Westover can remain open despite their proximity.
"Different missions, obviously," he said.
Westover's Air Reserve mission is moving people and materials, he said. Much larger than Barnes, it's also home to other military units.
Westover alone pumped $225 million into the area's economy in the most recent fiscal year. The base has 3,813 employees.
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