Navy Publishes Notice of Intent to Prepare West Coast JSF Homebasing EIS

The first F-35C Lightning II carrier variant, the U.S. Navy's first stealth fighter, arrived at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md. on Saturday, Nov. 6 at 2:37 p.m. EST. The aircraft, piloted by David "Doc" Nelson, departed Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base at 11:31 a.m. EST and achieved successful air refuels at a maximum load of 19,800 pounds during the flight. At Patuxent River, the F-35C will conduct air-to-air refueling and performance testing. (U.S. Navy photo courtesy of Lockheed Martin/Released)

NORFOLK (NNS) -- A notice of intent will be published in the Federal Register Jan. 28 announcing the Navy's intent to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) that will evaluate the potential environmental effects associated with basing the F-35C Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) aircraft on the West Coast of the United States.

Under this proposal, a total of seven active-duty F/A-18C Hornet squadrons and one fleet replacement squadron (FRS), a total of 100 aircraft, will progressively transition from the F/A-18C Hornet aircraft to the more advanced F-35C JSF beginning in 2015.

This transition will occur as a one-for-one replacement.

During the initial planning process to identify suitable home base locations for the F-35C, the Navy evaluated 134 Department of Defense installations against the operational and facilities requirements necessary to support the homebasing of the F-35C. The preliminary screening process identified two potentially suitable West Coast home basing locations: Naval Air Station (NAS) Lemoore, located in Kings County, Calif., and Naval Air Facility (NAF) El Centro, located in Imperial County, Calif.

In order to maximize efficiency of support facilities, simulation devices and on-site support personnel, the Navy intends to base all its West Coast F-35C aircraft at one location. Accordingly, initial alternatives to be considered in the U.S. Navy F-35C West Coast EIS are basing seven F-35C fleet squadrons and one F-35C FRS at either NAS Lemoore or NAF El Centro. Additionally, a no action alternative will be evaluated at each of the potential homebase locations to provide a baseline for comparison and analysis of the environmental consequences associated with the basing alternatives.

The Navy is initiating the scoping process to identify community concerns and local issues that will be addressed in the EIS. As part of the EIS public participation process, the Navy plans to hold scoping meetings in February 2011 to obtain public input on the scope of the EIS.

Scoping meetings will be held on the following days, at the following locations:

1. Feb. 15 at the Southwest High School, 2001 Ocotillo Drive, El Centro, Calif., 92243 (located in Imperial County, Calif.)

2. Feb. 17 at Lemoore Senior Center – Gene Stebbins Building, 789 S Lemoore Avenue (S 18th Avenue), Lemoore, Calif. (located in Kings County, Calif.)

Each meeting will occur from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. The meetings will be conducted using an open house format with informational displays and materials available for public review. The primary purpose of scoping is to provide the public an opportunity to submit comments on environmental concerns that should be addressed in the U.S. Navy F-35C West Coast homebasing EIS. Although many details regarding this basing effort can only be determined after thorough analysis, Navy staff will be present at these open houses to answer general questions on the homebasing action and the EIS process.

Comments may be submitted electronically at the project website, www.navyf35cwestcoasteis.com, or through the mail by sending them to:

U.S. Navy F-35C West Coast Homebasing EIS Project Manager; Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, Attn: Code EV21.AK, 1220 Pacific Highway, Bldg. 1, San Diego, Calif., 92132.

Military to Base High tech Jets in AZ/CA/NC/SC

According to an Associated Press report from a Colombia Herald newspaper article online , the military plans to put 400 of the Marine Corps' new vertical take-off F-35B fighter jets at four installations in North and South Carolina, California and Arizona.

Navy documents released Thursday by U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham's office say that up to 128 of the stealthy futuristic jets will be based in Cherry Point, N.C., and 88 aircraft and a training unit will go to Beaufort, S.C. Some 96 jets will be based at Miramar, Calif., and 88 will go to Yuma, Ariz.

You can read the entire copyrighted article online at
http://www.heraldonline.com/2010/12/09/2679632/military-plans-to-send-jets-to.html

Air Force Announces Candidate Basing Locations for Lima Aircraft

The Air Force announced today that Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N. J., and Travis Air Force Base, Calif., are candidate basing locations for Light Mobility Aircraft (LiMA).

These locations are candidates to beddown a single squadron consisting of 12 aircraft and approximately 100 personnel. The LiMA mission supports building partnerships and training in appropriate environments.

"The selection of this candidate list is the result of a deliberate, measured and defendable process, said Kathleen Ferguson, deputy assistant secretary of the Air Force for installations.

The list of candidate bases was selected using previously announced basing criteria.

Site surveys will be conducted and the formal environmental impact analysis process will begin, allowing communities around each candidate base to participate and provide input into the environmental analysis.

Based on the results of these efforts, officials expect to announce the preferred alternative in February 2011. Once the formal National Environmental Policy Act process is complete and the fiscal 2011 authorizations and appropriations are passed for LiMA acquisition, the Air Force will make a final determination on basing.

Air Force officials announce C-27J aircraft basing proposal

WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- Air Force officials announced Oct. 13 that Great Falls International Airport, Mont., is the preferred alternative to be the seventh operational location for bedding down four C-27J Spartan aircraft.

Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley and Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. Norton Schwartz announced in July two candidate bases that included Boise Air Terminal Air Guard Station, Idaho, and Great Falls International Airport. Site survey teams evaluated the two candidate sites for feasibility, timing, cost and planning purposes to meet initial operational capability requirements.

The C-27J is a twin turboprop engine aircraft designed to meet the Air Force requirement for a rugged, medium size airland transport. The C-27J gives U.S. military troops a unique, short-take-off-and-landing capability, providing access to airstrips otherwise unreachable by fixed-wing aircraft.

The first six operational bases announced in July 2008 were Martin State AGS, Baltimore, Md.; W.K. Kellogg Airport, Battle Creek, Mich.; Bradley International Airport AGS, Bradley, Conn.; Hector Field AGS, Fargo, N.D.; Mansfield Lahm Regional Airport, Mansfield, Ohio; and Key Field AGS, Meridian, Miss.

The final basing decision for the seventh operational base is pending completion of environmental impact analysis, expected by May 2011. A final announcement is expected in June 2011 with aircraft delivery expected in mid-2014.

Air Force officials release preferred aircraft basing alternatives

WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- Air Force officials released several announcements regarding five different aircraft July 29.

Michael Donley, the Secretary of the Air Force and Gen. Norton Schwartz, the chief of staff of the Air Force, approved C-27J operations and training candidate bases and announced the transition of Holloman Air Force Base, N.M., to the F-16 Fighting Falcon training mission.

Air Force officials also announced the preferred alternatives for operational and training F-35 Lightning bases, announced Beale Air Force Base, Calif., as the preferred alternative basing option for the MC-12 Liberty and determined the most effective basing for the F-22 Raptor.

Training candidates for the C-27J Spartan are Key Field Air Guard Station, Miss., and Mansfield Lahm Regional Airport, Ohio. Operations candidates are Boise Air Terminal AGS, Idaho, and Great Falls International Airport, Mont.

Air Force officials will conduct site surveys at the candidate locations and initiate the environmental impact analysis process in preparation for a final selection.

Air Force officials determined that Holloman AFB has the capacity to accept two F-16 training squadrons and offers the ability to synergize training activities with MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper training occurring on the same base.

Transitioning Holloman AFB to F-16 training stabilizes an enduring training mission and capitalizes on the existing airspace and range complex.

Implementation of this action is subject to completion of appropriate environmental analysis.

Teams surveyed candidate bases for F-35 operational and training bases for feasibility, timing, cost and planning purposes to meet initial operational capability timelines and the preferred alternative locations for operations are Hill AFB, Utah, and Burlington Air Guard Station, Vt. The preferred alternative location for training is Luke AFB, Ariz.

"This is not a final basing decision," said Kathleen Ferguson, the deputy assistant secretary for installations. "The preferred alternatives with other reasonable alternatives will continue to be evaluated in the Environmental Impact Analysis Process."

Secretary Donley previously announced five operations candidate bases Oct. 29, 2009. They included Hill AFB; Mountain Home AFB, Idaho; Shaw AFB/McEntire Joint National Guard Base, S.C.; Burlington Air Guard Station, Vt.; and Jacksonville AGS, Fla. The secretary also announced training base candidates Oct. 29, 2009. They included Boise AGS, Idaho; Eglin AFB, Fla.; Holloman AFB, N.M.; Luke AFB, Ariz.; and Tucson AGS, Ariz.

The current scope of this basing action includes 250 to 300 F-35 aircraft.

Beale AFB, Calif., was announced as the preferred alternative basing option for the MC-12. Secretary Donley previously approved six candidate bases, including Altus AFB, Okla.; Beale AFB, Calif.; Key Field Air National Guard Base, Miss.; Langley AFB, Va.; Robins AFB, Ga.; and Whiteman AFB, Mo.

"Beale (AFB) is the preferred alternative for basing the MC-12W aircraft, given its access to training opportunities, synergy with existing intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance flying missions, and collocation with the Distributed Ground Station mission," Ms. Ferguson said.

Secretary Donley and General Schwartz determined the most effective basing for the F-22. This requires redistributing aircraft from one F-22 squadron to units at four F-22 bases. A second squadron will be relocated to an existing F-22 base.

The affected bases are Holloman AFB, N.M., where one squadron will be deactivated. That squadron's F-22s will be redistributed to other F-22 units. The remaining squadron will relocate to Tyndall AFB, Fla.

Elmendorf AFB, Alaska, will receive six additional aircraft; Langley AFB, Va., will receive six additional aircraft; and Nellis AFB, Nev., will receive two additional aircraft.

"This plan maximizes combat aircraft and squadrons available for contingencies," Ms. Ferguson said. "By consolidating aircraft at existing bases, F-22 operational flexibility is enhanced."