Air Force considers NM base for F-35s

Posted at: 10/29/2009 8:41 PM
By: The Associated Press

HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. (AP) - New Mexico's congressional delegation says Holloman Air Force Base is being considered as a possible home for the F-35 strike fighter.

The Air Force informed the delegation Thursday it will conduct environmental impact analyses on three bases, with one ultimately selected to house an F-35 training mission. The others are Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., and Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.

The Pentagon is expected to buy 1,700 of the aircraft through 2020.

For years, Holloman was home to the nation's only stealth fighter wing. However, the Bush administration phased out the aging stealth F-117.

The base outside Alamogordo, N.M., currently is home to F-22 Raptors and this year was selected to house two types of unmanned aerial vehicles, the MQ-1 and MQ-9.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Print Story