(Daily Hampshire Gazette – James Pentland) The Air Force has chosen Massachusetts Air National Guard’s 104th Fighter Wing in Westfield to host a new squadron of F-35A Lightning II fighter jets.
The decision means the unit will retire its 18 aging F-15C and D-model aircraft in favor of stationing the Air Force’s latest and most-capable fifth-generation fighter at Barnes Air National Guard Base, beginning in 2026.
A final decision will be made after environmental impact analyses are completed sometime next year.
Gov. Maura Healey said the action would create new jobs and spur economic development.
“This is a testament to Massachusetts’ strong support for our military, our economic competitiveness, our unmatched education system and our bright future,” Healey said in a statement.
She praised the state’s congressional delegation and the Massachusetts National Guard for their efforts.
“This is a just a good fit,” Air Force Maj. Gen. Gary W. Keefe, adjutant general of Massachusetts, said in a release. “The 104th has years of experience with the fighter mission at home and abroad, the community is used to fighter operations and provides tremendous support, and the base is perfectly located for defense of the homeland.”
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The Department of Defense considered several contenders from across the country for the new fighter force. State Sen. John Velis, D-Westfield, said legislation enacted last year that he authored, known as the SPEED Act, helped Massachusetts meet some of the criteria DOD was looking for.
The SPEED Act expedites the professional licensing process for military spouses, allows for advanced and virtual enrollment for military children to resolve disruptions in education, and expands benefits and recognitions provided to service members and military families in Massachusetts.
“From day one the Department of Defense made it explicitly clear to us that they were looking at how states cared for military families in making this decision, and the SPEED Act ensured that we met and exceeded those criteria,” Velis said in a statement.
With the introduction of the new fighter jets, personnel at Barnes would increase by approximately 80 people, according to the Massachusetts National Guard, including 15 officers and 65 enlisted military members.
The Guard said the base and Westfield-Barnes Regional Airport already offer much of the infrastructure needed to accommodate the F-35A. Any construction would begin after final approval by the Secretary of the Air Force, expected in the summer of 2024.