Op-Ed: Another View: Joint Strike Fighter belongs at NAF El Centro
Growing up in San Diego County, I saw firsthand the daily contributions service men and women made to our local communities. I have a deep appreciation for the support that military bases inherently provide to the Southern California region. These men and women are strong examples of leadership, frequently serving as role models, volunteering in the community, and engaging in civil discourse.
For nearly 20 years, I have been highly honored to represent various districts with large military presences and I am excited about the possibility of expanding our current regional infrastructure and welcoming new personnel to the area.
Later this year, the Department of the Navy will make a final decision on the homebasing of the F-35C Joint Strike Fighter on the West Coast. Our nation has a great opportunity to base the JSF at Naval Air Facility El Centro in a welcoming community with first-class facilities. During these times of tough budget choices, I urge my colleagues to consider the long-term fiscal advantages of NAF El Centro as opposed to the alternative in Lemoore.
Working with the Department of the Navy to compare the operating costs between the Lemoore and El Centro facilities confirmed my belief that El Centro would have a substantially lower operating costs, saving $128 million per year as compared to Lemoore.
While retrofitting the base at Lemoore could initially save the Navy $551 million in construction costs, these initial costs can be recouped in just over 48 months by basing the JSF at NAF El Centro, with further savings for our nation thereafter. The Navy must take these numbers into consideration when making their final decision.
How does NAF El Centro achieve these cost-effective savings for the Navy? Its proximity to San Diego and Yuma facilities, as well as other local ranges, allows for shorter flights to the Navy’s training locations. Also, El Centro offers the Navy almost year-round clear weather, which guarantees almost no training interruptions. In contrast, dense fog in the Lemoore area results in the base frequently curtailing flight operations. In fact, the Environmental Impact Statement released earlier this year states that the JSFs would still have to train at NAF El Centro due to its superior climate even if based in Lemoore. Basing the JSF at Lemoore doesn’t make operational or fiscal sense.
In addition to the long-term savings and its convenient location for the Navy, NAF El Centro offers strong community support and will have an extended positive impact on the surrounding cities and municipalities. With the new personnel, jobs, and income, as well as the increased demand for supplies and services at the base, homebasing the JSF in El Centro would bring increased economic activity to the entire region. Imperial County continues to struggle with high unemployment, which the California Employment Development Department recently reported at 22.5 percent, the highest in the state.
I firmly believe this investment is crucial to the county’s future growth. I have been working with local Imperial Valley residents, all of whom understand the value of this project. We are united in welcoming the opportunity to host this expansion.
Taken together — the savings, the convenience, the community support, the ideal weather and available facilities — NAF El Centro is by far the Department of the Navy’s most viable option to base the JSF. At a time when the American people are concerned with reducing the federal budget deficit, there are many good fiscal reasons why the Navy should homebase the Joint Strike Fighter at NAF El Centro.