(The Republican- Jim Kinney) The Secretary of the Air Force has signed off on stationing F-35 jets at Barnes Air National Guard Base and the National Guard’s 104th Fighter Wing.
The signature of Biden appointee Frank Kendall III on a record of decision closes a yearlong environmental review and achieves a bureaucratic milestone just weeks before President-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House with a new group of Pentagon leaders.
State Sen. John C. Velis, D- Westfield, announced the signing Friday.
“I am beyond thrilled that the Secretary of the Air Force has finalized the assignment of the F-35As to the 104th Fighter Wing, ensuring that the 104th remains a critical piece of our country’s national defense strategy for decades to come,” Velis said in a statement. “This final signature is the product of the Commonwealth’s steadfast dedication to remain one of the best states in the nation for our service members and families to call home.”
Pilots and ground crews are already training. The first F-35 is expected to arrive in June 2026.
The Air Force announced plans nearly two years ago in April 2023 to base 18 of its latest-generation F-35 fighters at the 104th Fighter Wing, guaranteeing the Westfield base’s role in the nation’s air defense and in the city’s economy for decades. A single F-35 costs about $78 million.
The move also brings with it about $55 million in military-funded construction at the base including upgraded runways and taxiways. It also means Westfield will keep its air traffic controllers, an amenity that keeps Gulfstream’s maintenance facility and its employees in Westfield.