Fighter Wing to Stay at March, Chamber Supports Continued RPA Deployment

The 144th Fighter Wing will continue its mission at MARB, soon to be equipped with F-15 Eagle fighter jets. Inset: The MQ-9 Reaper (pictured) will soon replace the MQ-1 Predator in combat and training missions.

With greater discussion of military cuts and force downsizing in the near future, the Chamber continues to support the unit deployments and active missions at March Air Reserve Base (MARB) and the Naval Surface Warfare Center in Norco and the hundreds of millions of dollars that these facilities bring to the region.

144^th Fighter Wing

The Chamber applauded the recent decision by the Department of Defense to maintain the assignment of the California Air National Guard’s 144th Fighter Wing to Fresno Air National Guard Base and March Air Reserve Base. With the support from Senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer, the decision also moves one step closer to the successful transition to the F-15 Eagle fighter jets from the F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft that are currently stationed at both bases. The decision to keep active missions located at March ARB highlights the base’s importance to national defense in possible discussions of military cuts. The 144^th Fighter Wing responds to emergency and security calls, including international smuggling, from the Mexican border to Oregon. According to the Department of Defense, the F-15s’ radar systems are better suited to the mission.

Continued RPA Deployment

While the Department of Defense is beginning the transition of remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) from the General Atomics MQ-1 Predator to the General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper for training and combat missions, the Chamber supports the assignment of the MQ-9 Reaper to the 163^rd Reconnaissance Wing at MARB. The Department of Defense projects to continue to use the MQ-1 Predator until 2017. The equipping of the 163^rd RW with the MQ-9 Reaper will ensure that the five-year buildup of the unit’s training component as well as the funds spent for the development of training and operational facilities will not be wasted.

Under its current mission, the 163^rd RW executes combat patrol missions for deployments of the Air National Guard overseas, including recent operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The 163^rd RW has also trained over 160 Predator aircrews in the United States Air Force.