Peters Statement on F-35 Mission Following Conversation with Air Force Secretary

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today spoke with U.S. Air Force Secretary Barbara Barrett on bringing the F-35 mission to Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Harrison Township. The conversation follows numerous discussions during the basing process that Peters has had with the Air Force on the F-35, including a meeting with the Secretary in Peters’ office earlier this month. Following today’s conversation – which was additionally joined by Air Force Assistant Secretary John Henderson – Peters released the following statement:

“This morning I spoke with Air Force Secretary Barrett and Assistant Secretary Henderson on progress towards bringing the F-35 mission to Selfridge. I again stressed that the base is ideal to host the F-35 mission.

“We discussed the current status of the F-35 basing process, including that Selfridge is currently undergoing an environmental review along with the preferred bases as a possible host. I will continue working with the Secretary on this issue and pressing the Air Force and President Trump to follow through on bringing the F-35 to Selfridge.”

Last November, Peters led a bipartisan letter to Secretary Barrett urging her to select Selfridge as one of the locations to host the next F-35A operational base. The letter came as local opposition to the mission grew in Madison, Wisconsin – one of the Air Force’s two designated “preferred” locations. Selfridge was designated as a reasonable alternative and is undergoing the same environmental impact review as the preferred alternatives. Senator Peters previously drilled at Selfridge during his service in the U.S. Navy Reserve.

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