The future of Davis-Monthan Air Force Base - Arizona Daily Star
Congress continues to stand in the way of the Air Force’s plan to retire the A-10 — the main flying mission based at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base. But at the same time, the Air Force has begun training on the plane’s intended replacement, the F-35. Tucson, so far, has been passed over as a base for the new fighter jet. The Air Force also says it has excess real estate and wants Congress to endorse a process — possibly starting in 2017 — that would lead to base realignments and closures. Against this backdrop, Arizona Daily Star reporters Sarah Garrecht Gassen and David Wichner have examined the future of Davis-Monthan. What do the community and local governments need to do to ensure that the Air Force sees long-term value in D-M. What are D-M’s assets and how might they fit into new or expanded missions. Not far from the main runway at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, rows of A-10 Thunderbolt II ground-attack jets sit in the sun, likely never to fly again. The Air Force wants to scrap the A-10 within four years and instead use F-16 and F-15 fighters — and eventually, the multipurpose F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. Its plan has stalled in Congress, but the Air Force keeps pushing. Source: tucson.com
