New Military Missions at Kelly Field Would Grow Our Economy

Roland Mower -- Express-News In 2017 Kelly Field turns 100 years old. Originally a military airfield its legacy lives on as a facility that is shared between Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland and Port San Antonio. Thanks to this military and civilian joint use this important platform operated by the Air Force continues as a dynamic engine for economic and job growth. On the Port San Antonio side over the course of two decades the civilian aspect of Kelly has enabled it to become home to marquee names in aerospace. These firms and thousands of employees provide important maintenance support for both military and increasingly commercial aircraft. The military component of Kelly Field hosts the Texas Air National Guards 149th Fighter Wing and the Air Force Reserves 433rd Airlift Wing. Both include pilot training missions and fulfill essential roles in supporting defense missions. Whats more the port has big plans to grow activity at Kelly Field. This summer we partnered with the city to turn nearly 200 acres next to the airfield into shovel-ready sites for new large hangars workshops and future jobs. With extensive activity today and ambitious plans to further leverage Kelly Field to the benefit of the community our organization was pleased to learn that the 149th Fighter Wing is being considered for additional formal training units or FTUs to support F-16 aircraft. The secretary of the Air Force is reviewing locations nationwide including Kelly to place over 40 aircraft within additional FTUs. A single unit represents about 350 new jobs with potentially more as it expands. Additional missions would also support ongoing efforts to modernize the largest runway in South Texas in turn spurring even more jobs. We should all applaud our congressional delegations ongoing advocacy to bring this expanded mission here. Other area leaders are also making the case that the Alamo City is the ideal place for these new units both strategically and economically. A key argument they make is the unparalleled record of training excellence in Military City U.S.A. San Antonio has a 70-plus-year history of training excellence in fighter aviation including the most experienced F-16 pilot training program in the nation the very type of mission under consideration. In fact since launching its existing unit in 1998 the Texas Air National Guard has excelled in every operational readiness inspection. The fact that six additional F-16 aircraft are on their way to Kelly Field now as an organic expansion of the existing FTU is further testament to Air Force leaders confidence in the 149th. Furthermore Kelly provides quick access to uncongested airspace that creates an environment for maximum training opportunities bolstered by the fact that we enjoy some of the best flying weather in the U.S. 320 days a year on average. And of particular importance to taxpayers a new unit at Kelly Field would be up and running quickly. Personnel can readily use existing facilities saving millions that would be required elsewhere for new construction. In addition to available ramp space and hangars existing facilities are being proposed to meet long-term office classroom storage and other needs. Port San Antonios success today in redeveloping the former Kelly AFB is the direct result of the civil aviation activity that began 20 years ago at Kelly Field. Thanks to the momentum that started with our aerospace customers two decades ago our 1900-acre campus has grown as an important center for other industries including manufacturing cybersecurity and logistics employing thousands more with more to come. As we look to the century ahead attracting new activities to an airfield as large and operationally diverse as Kelly Field will be an important driver of not only the ports economic development mission but of San Antonios economic future writ large. Roland Mower is president and CEO of Port San Antonio.