Air Force proposes adding 23 F-15s, F-16s at Nellis

  • Published
  • By Mike Estrada
  • 99th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. --  The Air Force is proposing to base 23 additional F-15 and F-16 aircraft here and to add about 520 people as a result of changes mandated by the recent base realignment and closure process.

The proposed changes are detailed in an environmental assessment that is available for public comment through Feb. 12, 2007.

The Base Realignment and Closure Environmental Assessment for Realignment of Nellis Air Force Base is available at libraries in Clark, Lincoln and Nye counties, as well as on the Web at www.nellis.af.mil/library/environment.asp. The public comment period began Jan. 12, 2007.

Under the proposed action, the 64th Aggressor Squadron would receive five F-16 aircraft and the 65th Aggressor Squadron would receive 18 F-15C aircraft. The aircraft would arrive at Nellis in fiscal years 2007, 2010 and 2011. The federal fiscal year begins October 1 and runs through the following September.

The 64th and 65th Aggressor Squadrons prepare U.S. and allied aircrews through realistic and challenging training and education. Aggressor pilots simulate foreign-made combat aircraft and use actual tactics of air forces worldwide.

Personnel would increase by 464 active duty and civilians, and 60 part-time Air Force Reserve Airmen.

To support the aircraft and additional people, construction would include 11 new and modified buildings. Construction would take place between fiscal years 2007 and 2009.

Proposed construction includes a squadron operations building, three hangars, a 375,000-square-foot parking ramp, various maintenance shops, and a building housing flight simulators.

Air Force officials noted that the environmental assessment also looks at a supplemental action that would bring another eight F-16 aircraft to the 64th Aggressor Squadron at Nellis. This supplemental proposal would add another 45 people and seven additional construction projects.

Currently, the 64th has 11 F-16s while the 65th has six F-15s. Under the BRAC realignment, the 64th would grow to 16 aircraft, less than a full squadron, while the 65th would grow to 24 aircraft. Officials said the supplemental action would bring the 64th up to full strength with 24 F-16 aircraft.

Factors studied in the document include noise, air quality, socioeconomics and infrastructure, water and soil resources, biological resources, cultural resources, and hazardous materials and waste.

Officials emphasized that the addition of 23 aircraft to Nellis would not increase environmental impacts because the proposed action would be off-set by a decrease in the number of temporary-duty aircraft at the base.

Aggressor aircraft are currently assisted by aircraft belonging to other Air Force units that are temporarily deployed to Nellis. With additional aircraft assigned to the Aggressor squadrons, officials said the temporary deployments of aircraft to assist the Aggressors would no longer be necessary.

The eight-aircraft supplemental proposal would increase the number of sorties at Nellis Air Force Base by about 1,400 annually, officials said. A sortie is one takeoff and one landing by one aircraft. Nellis averages about 43,000 sorties per year.

There are 125 aircraft permanently based at Nellis - F-15 Eagles, F-16 Fighting Falcons, A-10 Warthogs, F-22A Raptors and HH-60G Pave Hawk rescue helicopters. Under the BRAC proposal, the total number of aircraft would increase to 148. The supplemental proposal would bring the total to 156.

Comments should be mailed to 99 ABW/PA (Mike Estrada), 4430 Grissom Ave, Ste 107, Nellis AFB NV 89191.