AFRC studying locations for F-35A Lightning II aircraft basing

  • Published
  • By Bo Joyner

Air Force Reserve Command officials are currently evaluating four possible locations for future basing of the F-35A Lightning II aircraft.

The Air Force has identified Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base, Texas, as the preferred alternative and Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona; Homestead Air Reserve Base, Florida; and Whiteman AFB, Missouri; as reasonable alternatives for placing 24 F-35A aircraft and two backup aircraft.

If selected, the F-35As would replace the 24 F-16s currently assigned at Homestead or Fort Worth or the 24 A-10s assigned at Davis-Monthan or Whiteman.

The Air Force has evaluated all four alternative, along with a no-action alternative, and created a draft Environmental Impact Statement concerning the F-35A beddown. The draft Environmental Impact Statement is currently available at libraries near each of the four installations and available for download at the this website.

Public hearings are scheduled for each location in the coming weeks. The public is invited to attend and provide input on the AFRC F-35A Operational Beddown EIS. The schedule for the public hearings is:

March 3, 2020 – Homestead ARB: Miami Dade College – Homestead Campus, Bldg. F, Room F222/F223, 500 College Terrace, Homestead, Florida.

March 5, 2020 – NAS Fort Worth JRB: Brewer High School Auditorium, 1025 W. Loop 820 N., Fort Worth, Texas.
 
March 10, 2020 – Davis-Monthan AFB: Tucson Convention Center, 260 South Church Ave., Tucson, Arizona.

March 12, 2020 – Whiteman AFB: Knob Noster High School, 504 South Washington, Knob Noster, Missouri.


The public hearing venues will open at 5 p.m. At approximately 5:30 p.m., the hearing will be called to order, followed by an Air Force presentation. Formal oral comments will start at approximately 6:15 p.m. The hearing will conclude at 8 p.m.

Comments on the draft Environmental Impact Statement can be submitted electronically here, orally or in writing at the public hearings, or by providing written comments to the address below. As a convenience for those sending comments by mail, a comment form is available on the website to expedite submissions.

Although comments will be accepted throughout the draft Environmental Impact Statement review period, to ensure consideration in the final Environmental Impact Statement, public input should be submitted by March 31, 2020.

To submit comments or obtain further information, send communication as follows:

Via e-mail.

By mail to:

AFCEC/CZN

ATTN: Mr. Hamid Kamalpour

2261 Hughes Avenue, Suite 155

JBSA Lackland Air Force Base, Texas 78236-9853.


By courier (UPS, FedEx. Etc…) to:

AFCEC/CZN

ATTN: Mr. Hamid Kamalpour

3515 S. General McMullen Drive, Suite 155

San Antonio, Texas 78226-1710.