Officials announce candidate list for basing of MQ-1/9 ground control stations

  • Published
WASHINGTON (AFNS) --  Air Force officials released their basing criteria and candidate list April 23 for the basing of the MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper ground control stations.

The list of candidate bases was approved by the secretary and chief of staff of the Air Force and includes: Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D.; Langley AFB, Va.; Mountain Home AFB, Idaho; and Whiteman AFB, Mo.

The basing criteria considered factors such as mission requirements, communications infrastructure, reserve component recruiting, facilities, support capacity, timing and cost.

"The Air Force uses a deliberate, repeatable and transparent process to address the basing of these ground control stations," said Kathleen Ferguson, Air Force deputy assistant secretary for installations. "These criteria will help to ensure that key aspects for basing have been considered."

Officials from Air Combat Command, the lead major command, applied the basing criteria and developed this candidate list of potential basing locations.

With the release of the candidate bases, the formal environmental impact analysis process will begin, allowing communities around each candidate base to participate and provide input.

Once the environmental impact analysis processes are complete, Air Force officials will announce the final basing decisions for ground control stations. This announcement is anticipated to occur in June 2010.