SPOKANE—Fairchild Air Force Base survived a round of base closures back in 2005, but another round of closures is expected in a few years.
Officials say landing a new generation of aerial refueling tankers in Spokane County could help secure the future of the base.
Fairchild Air Force Base will be competing with at least 3 other Air force bases to land the new tanker.
Officials say the years of the KC 135 are numbered as the aerial tanker has served the United States Air force since the mid 1950s. In two years, Boeing’s plant in Everett, Washington is expected to begin building the next generation refueling tanker called the KC 46. When the new tanker begins operating, Fairchild Air Force Base supporters want the jet to touchdown in Spokane first.
Greg Bever leads a committee of Greater Spokane Incorporated called Forward Fairchild. He says it was established in 2003 when Fairchild faced a base closure process. But Bever joined state Senators on Monday to kick off a statewide initiative to ensure Fairchild becomes home to the tankers.
Senators say the Pentagon will start creating a criteria list in March that will be used to select the base for the KC 46.
Bever says Fairchild has a lot going for it, including a new runway that is nearly 3 miles long, hundreds of acres of space to house the tanker, more than $225 million dollars invested in modernization since the mid 1990s and much community support.
In addition to those assets, Bever says he believes landing the tanker could ensure Fairchild remains open far into the future as another round of possible base closures comes around.
The Senators say they expect the Pentagon could make a decision within one year.
