VALDOSTA, Ga. -- U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff announced major progress in efforts to bring a squadron of F-35 aircraft to Valdosta's Moody Air Force Base following a meeting with Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin.
Ossoff (D-Ga.) and Allvin visited three Georgia bases -- Moody, Robins and Dobbins -- alongside military leadership and service members Tuesday in support of securing more resources and newer aircraft.
"It is a big deal to have the Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force in Georgia," Ossoff said during a press conference at Moody. "For him to clear a full day of his schedule, given everything that's going on in the world, speaks to the essential role that Georgia plays, and this installation plays, in our national security."
The Air Force tapped Moody AFB last June as the next home for the F-35 Lightning II, a fifth-generation stealth combat aircraft that Ossoff called the "premier air combat platform." After also meeting with Moody's leadership last August, he said Tuesday's meeting proved highly productive in identifying next steps for bringing the model to the base before the end of the decade.
The F-35 is produced by Georgia's own Lockheed Martin, a key player in the national security field.
In order to house F-35s, Moody must install upgraded facilities on site. Ten other bases already operate the model, as the Air Force moves from legacy systems to new systems, phasing out the A-10 "Warthog" model designed for close air support.
Critics of the program say F-35s lack low-level attack capacities. The F-35 program has also faced technology delays and rising cost estimates. The Department of Defense is currently pursuing a $16.5 billion modernization effort for new hardware and software upgrades -- the total program is on track to cost more than $2 trillion over several decades.
Ossoff emphasized that the F-35 and A-10 serve different tactical needs.
The A-10 "has been part of the backbone of the Air Force since the Cold War, but the reality is that the air defense threats that our Air Force will face moving forward put the A-10 at risk, and so the Air Force has to innovate," Ossoff said. "It has to develop stealthier and more versatile aircraft to serve some of those tactical requirements."
Ossoff has also worked to improve military facilities, housing and health services. He delivered over $1 million last fiscal year for Moody's security forces squadron and helped pass bipartisan legislation authorizing $50 million toward Robins' new battle management combined operations complex.
Valdosta Mayor Scott James Matheson and Moody Support Committee co-founder Lucy Greene thanked the senator for his interest in Moody, especially given the site's economic impact of over $500 million annually.
The Southern Georgia base employs approximately 5,000 military and civilian personnel, according to a Defense Department website. Dobbins, an Air Reserve Base, employs 2,500 people while Robins has 22,000 there.
"The airmen, the service members and the Department of Defense, civilians and contractors who work here at Moody Air Force Base are 100% committed to our national security -- they've given their careers to it," Ossoff said.
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