Whiteman could be home to F-35

  • Published
  • By AFRC News Service
WASHINGTON --  Sixteen Air Force Reserve Command sites, including Whiteman Air Force Base, appear on the Air Force's "roadmap" for basing weapons systems in the future.

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley announced the long-term plan Jan. 16. It projects what Air Force capabilities the nation needs in the 21st century to meet threats to the nation's security.

"Our nation's competitors know that our Air Force provides America its decisive advantage," said General Moseley. "We need to prepare today for tomorrow's challenges. We need one vector to best meet the war-fighting requirements of our nation."

In keeping with remarks Lt. Gen. John Bradley, AFRC commander, made during a recent visit to Whiteman, reservists there could be flying the F-35 Lightning II.

The other Air Force Reserve locations and types of missions are:
· Andrews Air Force Base, Md. - Reservists flying unit KC-X air refueling aircraft
· Barksdale AFB, La. - Reservists flying unit F-35 fighter and Next Generation bomber aircraft
· Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz. - Reservists performing combat search and rescue missions on unit CSAR-X aircraft
· Grissom Air Reserve Base, Ind. - Reservists flying unit KC-X aircraft
· Hill AFB, Utah - Regular Air Force unit sharing F-35 fighter with an Air Force Reserve classic associate unit
· Holloman AFB, N.M. - Regular Air Force unit sharing F-22 fighter with an Air Force Reserve classic associate unit
· Homestead ARB, Fla. - Reservists sharing F-35 fighter with a Regular Air Force active associate unit
· Luke AFB, Ariz. - Regular Air Force unit sharing F-35 fighter with an Air Force Reserve classic associate unit
· MacDill AFB, Fla. - Regular Air Force unit sharing KC-X aircraft with an Air Force Reserve classic associate unit
· March ARB, Calif. - Reservists flying unit KC-X aircraft
· McConnell AFB, Kan. - Regular Air Force unit sharing KC-X aircraft with an Air Force Reserve classic associate unit
· Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas - Reservists sharing F-35 fighter with a Regular Air Force active associate unit
· Patrick AFB, Fla. - Reservists flying unit CSAR-X aircraft
· Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C. - Reservists sharing KC-X aircraft with a regular active-associate unit
· Tinker AFB, Okla. - Reservists sharing KC-X aircraft with Air National Guard air reserve component associate aircraft

As part of the Air Force's strategic planning efforts, senior leaders from the Regular Air Force, Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve gathered in early December to discuss and collaborate on the plan. The roadmap is designed to meet one of the nation's most pressing needs: recapitalization and modernization of its aging Air Force fleet.

General Moseley's roadmap outlines where future advanced weapon systems could potentially be based in the continental United States, Hawaii, Alaska and U.S. territories.

The plan calls for Air Force officials to evaluate installations that currently house legacy weapon systems forecasted for replacement by future systems.

General Moseley said the roadmap represents a more efficient and flexible force structure. Although the Air Force will have a smaller total aircraft inventory, overall Air Force capabilities will increase with each next-generation weapon system. In many instances, the potential locations will capitalize on Total Force Integration efforts, creating innovative organizational arrangements among the Regular Air Force, Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve.

Installations that meet preliminary objective requirements then will undergo thorough environmental studies in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act.
NEPA mandates environmental analyses and impact studies. These are critical factors in determining final bed-down bases in the United States as suitable locations for weapon systems.

These major studies take time. One study may involve one or more installations. Some locations may not require a review.

The findings of these environmental studies, along with the results of required fiscal and operational analyses over the next several years, will determine the final beddown plan and phasing.