Air Force: 188th To Lose A-10 Mission

Gray, overcast days are tough on the Fort Smith regional economy.

The weather was nasty when Whirlpool announced it would close its Fort Smith plant, and the weather was equally dreary on Friday (Feb. 3) when it was learned the 188th Fighter Wing is likely to lose its 20 A-10s as part of deep cuts to the U.S. defense budget.

The Air Force “re-missioning” plan released Friday calls for the 188th Fighter Wing in Fort Smith to lose its 20 A-10 aircraft, with the unit to convert to operating the unmanned Predator aircraft.

Moving the A-10’s out of Fort Smith is expected in fiscal year 2013. The unit employs about 350 full-time personnel, with about 1,000 on the base once a month for training.

Brig. Gen. Travis Balch, chief of staff for the Arkansas Air National Guard, held a press conference at the 188th base Friday afternoon. He opened his remarks with a message that the planned change in mission could have a long-term benefit for the 188th and Fort Smith.

“The very fact that we have a mission here in Fort Smith is something to be excited about,” Balch told the gathered media, noting that all 50 states are losing something under the Air Force plan.

The Air Force plan could be altered by Congress. Balch said Friday’s announcement by the Air Force “is just the beginning of the process.”

Members of Arkansas’ Congressional delegation want more information on the decision. They’ve asked for hearings to learn more about the Air Force force restructuring plan.

“We are writing to leaders of the Senate and House Armed Services Committees asking for immediate hearings on these decisions and asking the Secretary of the Air Force for greater transparency regarding the methods used to make these determinations,” U.S. Sen. John Boozman, R-Ark., said in a statement.

Balch said the advanced version of the unmanned Predator represents an “emerging mission” in the Air Force that could be based in Fort Smith “for a long time.” The advanced version of the Predator is a long-endurance, high-flying platform often known as a “hunter/killer” for its ability to track and eliminate high-ranking members of terrorist organizations around the globe.

“With that (new mission) comes a lot of excitement and a lot of unknowns,” Balch said.

The biggest unknown is the potential loss of jobs. The A-10 mission employs about 350 full-time, with about 1,000 during a drill weekend. But a majority of those jobs are geared around supporting the aircraft. The predator, according to Balch, is not likely to be based at Fort Smith — especially without changes in Federal Aviation Administration rules dealing with unmanned aircraft flying in commercial (civilian) airspace. Only the pilots who remotely fly the aircraft and technicians necessary for equipment support would be at the base.

Balch said personnel figures will not be available until early March.

However, Balch said Major Gen. William Wofford, the adjutant general of the Arkansas National Guard, is “committed to the force structure” in Fort Smith and would possibly “move other units” to the 188th base if the personnel “footprint” becomes smaller with the Predator mission.

Balch also said Guard leaders in Arkansas will continue to fight for the A-10 mission. If the A-10 mission is retained, Guard leaders will look at bringing an F-35 mission to the base to follow the planned 2020 retirement of the A-10. If the A-10 mission is lost and the 188th base is transitioned to handle an unmanned aircraft mission, Arkansas Guard leaders will re-evaluate the F-35 strategy, Balch said.

It was first announced Nov. 22 that the 188th Fighter Wing based at the Fort Smith Regional Airport may be one of the many military cuts possibly to result from Congressional failure to reach a deficit-cutting agreement.

“The force reductions proposed in the Air Force FY13 budget request were developed in response to new DoD strategic guidance, informed by reduced funding, and shaped by analysis to ensure that the Total Force will continue to fulfill the Air Force’s surge requirements and meet continuing rotational demand,” noted the detailed Air Force report. “We will ensure that the Reserve Component remains engaged and relevant as the Active Component maintains the recruiting, training, and operational seasoning base required to sustain the Total Force into the future.”

Concern about the 188th’s future comes four years after the unit converted from the F-16 fighter jet to the A-10 ground support aircraft. Conversion to the A-10 was the product of a last minute reversal of a decision to close the 188th. During May 2005, the Base Realignment and Closure Commission was faced with 834 closings or realignment recommendations from the Department of Defense.

To read comments from Arkansas’ Congressional delegation and the complete press release from the Arkansas National Guard, click here.

Michael Tilley with The City Wire is the author of this report. He can be reached by e-mail at [email protected].