VIDEO: Senator Peters Secures Commitment from Air Force Secretary for Future Funding to Support Basing of F-15EX Fighters at Selfridge
WASHINGTON, DC – During a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) secured a commitment from Air Force Secretary Troy E. Meink that future Air Force funding will be used to support the recapitalization of Selfridge’s retiring A-10 mission with the 21 new F-15EX fighter jets that were recently announced for the base. Peters emphasized the importance of robust Air Force funding to base the F-15EXs – a next generation fighter aircraft that will help ensure the long-term future of Selfridge.
“I’m certainly proud, as all Michiganders are, of Selfridge’s exceptional 108-year legacy defending our nation, and with this announcement I am certain this legacy will continue for decades to come,” Senator Peters said during the hearing.
When pressed by Peters to commit to supporting the recapitalization of Selfridge’s A-10s with the incoming F-15EX fighters, Secretary Meink said, “Based on the President’s decision, the Air Force is putting a plan together to execute the placement of the F-15EXs at Selfridge.”
Building on a $28 million investment he secured to construct a new aircraft hangar at Selfridge, Peters went on to acknowledge that additional infrastructure improvements are necessary to support the F-15EXs, as well as the KC-46A tanker mission Peters announced in January 2024. Peters reiterated his willingness to work with the Air Force to carry out these improvements in a timely manner.
To watch the full video of Senator Peters’ questioning, click here.
Peters has made securing the long-term stability of Selfridge Air National Guard Base a top priority. Prior to last month’s F-15EX basing announcement, Peters sent a letter urging the Air Force to base a new fighter mission at Selfridge. Peters also led the Michigan delegation in meeting with and urging top Defense Department officials to replace Selfridge’s A-10 mission with a new, long-term fighter mission. Peters secured language in the most recent national defense bill encouraging the Air Force to plan for replacement of the 25 Air National Guard fighter aircraft squadrons across the country with advanced fighter aircraft – including the A-10 squadron based at Selfridge. Peters has also leveraged his position on the Senate Appropriations Committee to push for the funding needed to procure additional F-15EX fighter jets in the Fiscal Year 2025 Defense Appropriations Act, which passed committee in August 2024. In 2023, Peters urged the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee to include funding for a F-15EX Fighter Mission at Selfridge.
In addition to securing a new fighter mission, in January 2024, Peters announced that the U.S. Air Force selected Selfridge to host a new squadron of twelve KC-46A refueling tankers. This announcement came shortly after Peters led a bipartisan, bicameral group of Michigan delegation members in urging then-U.S. Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall to select Selfridge for a new squadron of these next-generation tankers, which will be deployed by the U.S. Air Force for the next 50 years.
###