Senator Schmitt Calls on DoD to Preserve the 442nd Fighter Wing at Whiteman Air Force Base
WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Eric Schmitt (R-MO), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, sent a letter to Department of Defense (DoD) Secretary Pete Hegseth urging him to recapitalize the fighter mission at the 442nd Fighter Wing at Whiteman Air Force Base amid the Air Force’s plan to retire the A-10 fighter aircraft fleet. The 442nd Fighter Wing is one of the most highly decorated, most-combat-deployed Fighter Wings in the Reserve Component, with decades of combat experience and a proven record of cost-effective operations.
The letter stated: “As an Air Force Reserve Command wing, it has performed critical missions in support of counter terrorism operations in the CENTCOM Area of Responsibility and has been integrated into the Tier 1 Special Operations world more than any other Air Force aviation unit. Currently, the Air Force’s fiscal year 2026 budget calls for the full retirement of all A-10 fighter aircraft. I support the need for modernization, but I reject the premise that we must sacrifice the most experienced personnel, like those at the 442nd, to invest in new capabilities when Congress has been clear that it is willing to be a reliable partner in those investments. The Biden Administration’s disastrous “Divest to Invest” strategy put the 442nd, along with numerous other units, in existential jeopardy by failing to provide an investment strategy, while accelerating divestment. For over five years, the personnel in the unit have been waiting to hear of a replacement and are now starting to pursue commercial careers. However, if a commitment is announced before they return from their current and tenth combat deployment, we can reverse this course and preserve the 442nd.”
The letter continued: “To that end, I would like to propose potential stopgap courses of action (COA) that can be executed before the A-10 is fully divested and aimed at maintaining the 442nd Fighter Wing. One such proposal includes the temporary transfer of F-15E Strike Eagles to Whiteman AFB from the Active Component, as the Air Force re-distributes F-15Es previously stationed in the United Kingdom as that base receives new F-35s. Another COA transfers available F-16 C/D Block 42 training aircraft from Holloman AFB. These options will ensure a swift transition and capitalize on the experience of the 442nd, leading to the fastest path to readiness. Both options also leverage existing investments made in the F-15EX program and from foreign military sales of the F-16 Block 70/72 for our Air Force, should foreign customers pivot to other platforms.”
The letter concluded: “I firmly believe in the sustainability and long-term value of the 442nd Fighter Wing, which contributes to advancing the administration’s strategic objectives. As you consider these ideas or any other internal proposals regarding the 442nd, I welcome the opportunity to discuss this matter with you further at your earliest convenience.”
Read the full letter HERE.
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