STATEMENT BY SENATOR McCAIN REGARDING THE ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE DEPARTMENT OF AIR FORCE

Applauds the Air Force for Stationing the F-35 Lightning II at Luke Air Force Base

July 29, 2010

Washington, D.C. ­– U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ) today made the following statement regarding the Department of Air Force selection of Luke Air Force Base as their preferred base for stationing of the F-35 Lightning II (Joint Strike Fighter) and the decision not to select the 162nd Fighter Wing at Tucson International Airport (IAP):

“I am pleased with the selection by the Department of the Air Force of Luke Air Force Base (AFB) to be the preferred alternative for the home of pilot training of three F-35 Lightning II (Joint Strike Fighter) squadrons. While I had hoped to welcome the F-35 Lightning
II (Joint Strike Fighter) to both Luke AFB and Tucson International Air Port (IAP), I understand the decision by the Department of the Air Force to defer consideration of assigning the F-35 to the 162nd Fighter Wing at Tucson IAP until a future time given the base’s critical current mission of training foreign pilots in the F-16.

“The Air Force has recognized that the unparalleled capabilities inherent to Arizona – from the Barry M. Goldwater Range, to great flying weather, and strong support from state and local governments and communities, serve to provide the best environment and the finest quality of life for our military personnel training in the Air Force’s next generation fighter. In return, Luke AFB offers the West Valley and the State of Arizona a strong economic engine contributing more than 8,000 jobs and $2.17 billion annually to the state’s economy.

“This decision today recognizes the extensive support and proactive land management by local city, county and state governments over the past years to sustain military operations at Luke AFB. I am proud of the cooperation we have fostered in Arizona to bring this outstanding opportunity to the West Valley and will continue efforts in the future to maintain this long-term, mutually beneficial relationship. I would also like to congratulate and thank the Fighter County Partnership and the West Valley Partners for their continued support of Luke AFB.

“While this is an important day for the future of Luke AFB, we are not finished. I will continue to work on behalf of all citizens in Arizona to ensure the Air Force conducts a fair, transparent and comprehensive environmental impact analysis over the next 12 months to address legitimate concerns with the operation of this aircraft. This analysis is absolutely critical for the support of the Air Force at Luke AFB over the long-term.

“We also cannot overlook that the Tucson community has received great news over the past six months with decisions by the nations of Singapore and Holland to move their F-16 pilot training to Tucson.
Given the critical nature of support for the foreign military sales program and training support for our allies, I am confident that the F-35 will be stationed at Tucson IAP at some point in the future. Until then, training of F-16 foreign pilots remains a robust and vital mission for many years to come, and Tucson IAP will continue as the base of choice for our foreign allies who purchase F-16 aircraft, due to the unparalleled range capabilities and the strong support of the Tucson community.

“In the meantime, I will continue to work with the Department of the Air Force, the Air National Guard, and representatives of the community as well as the Tucson Airport Authority to ensure we position the base for future favorable consideration.”