Montana State Sen. Edward Buttrey (R) said the Air Force’s plan to shift F-15s currently assigned to the Montana Air National to Fresno, Calif., squanders resources and leaves the state without a flying mission. That’s why he wants the Air Force to reconsider the move. “The infrastructure is in place, we have great Hays [military operations area] to fly in. . . . It’s not the time, or place, to move these” assets, said Buttrey, reported Great Falls’ KRTV News. Buttrey asserted that it would cost between $250 million and $500 million “of new infrastructure and wasted infrastructure” to transfer the 120th Fighter Wing’s mission at Great Falls to Fresno, and could cost the state as many as 1,000 jobs and $70 million in federal funds. The Air Force is slated to complete the environmental impact assessment of the move to Fresno in July.
President Donald Trump signed legislation reopening the federal government late Nov. 12, ending the longest shutdown in U.S. history. The move sets the stage for tens of thousands of defense civilians to return to work and guarantees troops will be paid in a few days’ time.
