Texas lawmakers seemingly are not at all dismayed that Sheppard Air Force Base was not singled out in the Air Force’s recent basing roadmap for future systems like the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. The Wichita Falls Times Record reports that the Texas Congressional delegation have talked with USAF about adding a JSF maintenance training mission to Sheppard, currently home to maintenance, avionics, propulsion, fuels, and other aircraft technical training. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R) told the newspaper: “I have personally talked with General [Michael] Moseley [Chief of Staff] twice in the last year regarding Sheppard as the logical facility for JSF maintenance training. I believe he is favorably disposed because of the many strengths of Sheppard and its experience, as well as the need to keep it strong.” And, Rep. Mac Thornberry (R) explained that the Texas base already includes maintenance training for the F-22 in its stable, “but that doesn’t mean we base F-22s at Sheppard.”
The use of a military counter-drone laser on the southwest border this week—which prompted the Federal Aviation Administration to abruptly close the airspace over El Paso, Texas—will be a “case study” on the complex web of authorities needed to employ such weapons near civilian areas and the consequences of agencies…
