Eielson F-16 Move Defunded, Prohibited in Defense Appropriations Subcommittee
Murkowski Lauds Colleagues for Including Language to “Maintain and Retain” Tactical and Geographic Advantages
WASHINGTON, DC — Senator Lisa Murkowski today thanked her Defense Appropriations Subcommittee colleagues for including language to prohibit the use of FY2014 funds to implement the transfer of the F-16 Aggressor Squadron, a move she requested in an April letter to the Subcommittee Chair and Ranking Republican and subsequently reinforced in a mid-July letter.
As a member of the Senate Defense Appropriations subcommitee, Murkowski took the chance to once again lay out the wrongheaded proposal to move the aircraft, while reiterating her appreciation for the inclusion of the language that both she and Senator Begich sought. She bolstered the case by pointing out yesterday’s news that Eielson is being seriously considered for an F-35 squadron, saying “if it’s so ideal for the F-35s, what is the rationale for the transfer of the F-16s?”
(Subcommittee markup not televised; click above image for audio of Murkowski’s remarks)
Text of Murkowski’s remarks:
I want to thank you for your help in including Section 8097, this is a measure within the bill that prohibits the Air Force from expending Fiscal Year 2014 funds to relocate an F-16 squadron Eielson Air Force Base near Fairbanks, Alaska.
This is language that I requested be included, and Senator Begich had also requested it be included.
Back in 2012 the Air Force came out with a proposal – they said they wanted to “warm base” Eielson. That’s really an oxymoron since you simply cannot warm base something in a cold place, and any of you that have been to Eielson know that the airmen’s motto is ‘Ready to Go at Fifty Below’ and they mean it.
But this whole notion that we would be able to save money by warm basing Eielson was something that was attempted in 2005 by the BRAC Commission. It didn’t work then and we have suggested that it’s not going to yield cost savings again.
The Air Force has begun a re-evaluation of Eielson’s value. Again, you look not just at the strategic location of Eielson and what it has to offer our Air Force and all of our services in the Pacific, but you have long runways, incredible training space, room for fighters and contingency dorm space. Everything is sitting there perfect.
It was just yesterday that the Pacific Commander of the Air Force, General Carlisle, mentioned at a defense writers breakfast that Eielson is a top pick for the first operational squadron of the F-35s in the Pacific. So it causes you to question if it’s so ideal for the F-35s, what is the rationale for the transfer of the F-16s?
So there’s a lot of good news for Eielson on this front, but the Air Force continues down its path.
They have been actively engaged in a NEPA process with the goal of being able to move forward with a warm base Eielson beginning in 2014.
There were hearings recently in Alaska on a Draft EIS to do just that.
So, what Section 8097 does is it maintains the status quo enabling the Air Force to take a fresh look at Eielson and I think that is absolutely in our nation’s national security and consistent with our strategic tilt to the Pacific.
I appreciate the work you have done with us to ensure that we’re going to maintain and retain our great strategic defense locations around the globe.
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