Sen. John Warner (R-Va.) got his wish—kind of. The BRAC commission voted not to close NAS Oceana in Warner’s state. The Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee has been lobbying to prevent its closure. However, there are strings attached. The commission said Virginia and local officials have until March 2006 to condemn and buy up property encroaching on Oceana. Failure to do so will result in the movement of Oceana’s activities to Cecil Field, Fla.
A yearslong effort to find an affordable way to turn cargo planes into strike platforms is now an official program with anticipated fielding in 2027.