Yuma named home to Joint Strike Fighters
US Marine Corps News
12/20/2010
By Gunnery Sgt. Bill Lisbon, Marine Corps Air Station Yuma
MARINE CORPS AIR STATION YUMA, Ariz. -- The first of Yuma's future fleet of F-35B Joint Strike Fighters is scheduled to arrive in May 2012 now that the decision to base approximately 20 percent of the Corps' combat jets here over the next decade was made.
The Department of the Navy signed a basing decision Dec. 9 naming the air station as the home of 88 of the short takeoff and vertical landing jets, opening the door for massive construction and renovation of infrastructure projects across the air station.
"It will continue the legacy into the future of Marine aviation here in Yuma and hopefully keep this air station as an integral part of this community," said Col. Mark Werth, the air station's commanding officer.
When the transition is complete, the new aircraft will make up five operational squadrons of 16 aircraft each and one operational test and evaluation squadron of eight aircraft. These squadrons will replace 56 AV-8B Harriers in Yuma's four existing squadrons.
However, only 10 jets are planned to arrive by the end of 2012 in order to meet the goal of having one squadron at initial operational capability, said Maj. Fred Woodfin with the air station's JSF site activation task force.
This squadron, Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 332, which used to be an F/A-18 squadron based in Beaufort, S.C., is set to stand up here in 2011 in order to prepare for arrival of the planes, said Woodfin.
The F-35Bs bound for Yuma are already on the assembly line at Lockheed Martin's factory in Fort Worth, Texas, said Woodfin, and those are scheduled to arrive on time.
In order for Yuma to receive the jets, several large construction projects are "shovel ready" to begin, but groundbreaking is on hold until the defense budget for fiscal year 2011 is approved, said Woodfin.
On Friday, Congress is expected to extend until mid-February the current continuing resolution, which allows the federal government to continue baseline operations until the final budget is approved.
Unless a special provision is made in the latest continuing resolution, awarding Yuma's JSF-related construction contracts cannot be made until the final budget is signed.
"We're still on an aggressive timeline to make the 2012 IOC," said Woodfin.
Among the projects in a holding pattern is the construction on two new hangars south of hangar 95 and west of Ramada Field and a new flight simulator facility.
With such an expected increase in use of the base's infrastructure coupled with much higher communications requirements for the JSF, complete replacement of many of the station's utilities, such as power and water, will also affect personnel here in 2011.
The basing decision reflects two years of environmental review to responsibly balance the F-35B operational requirements with environmental impacts.
The biggest environmental impacts are increased noise and traffic around the air station. By the time the F-35B basing is complete, approximately 3,800 people off-base will be newly affected by average noise level of 65 to 80 decibels. However, schools and residences within the 65 decibel or higher noise contour, which has been used by the city and county of Yuma for zoning since 1978, were allowed to operate despite zoning ordinances.
Traffic along Avenue 3E will increase due to construction and additional personnel. However, the construction of a new south gate will help to draw much of the traffic away from the main gate.
According to the plan and its anticipated effects, Yuma should expect a 15 percent increase in airfield operations and a 17 percent increase in airspace and range use.
With the new planes, an additional 425 military personnel and 38 civilians would be needed. More than 1,200 accompanying family members would be added to the local population.
In 2012, the second JSF squadron - VMFA-212 - is expected to stand up in Yuma, with delivery of its planes in 2013, said Woodfin.
After that, three of the four Marine attack squadrons currently in Yuma will be designated as Marine fighter attack squadrons and transition from AV-8B Harriers to the F-35B. The fourth, and yet-to-be determined, Harrier squadron would move from Yuma to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, said Woodfin.
MCAS Miramar was selected to receive 96 aircraft for six operational squadrons, while on the East Coast, MCAS Cherry Point in North Carolina will receive 128 aircraft for eight operational squadrons and MCAS Beaufort in South Carolina will receive 88 aircraft for three operational squadrons and two fleet replacement, or training, squadrons.
The purpose of the basing decision is "to efficiently and effectively maintain combat capability and mission readiness as the Marine Corps faces increased deployments across a spectrum of conflicts and a corresponding increased difficulty in maintaining an aging aircraft inventory," stated the decision signed by Roger M. Natsuhara, principal deputy assistant secretary of the Navy for energy, installations and environment.
Derived from a common design, developed together and using the same sustainment infrastructure worldwide, three F-35 variants will replace at least 13 types of aircraft for 11 nations initially, according to Lockheed Martin.
Compared to the Marine Corps' current tactical fixed-wing squadrons, the JSF can carry more ordnance with greater range than the F/A-18 Hornet, operate from austere environments like the AV-8B Harrier, and possess electronic warfare technology and capability like the EA-6B Prowler, according to Headquarters Marine Corps.
The Air Force will receive the F-35A variant, which will provide conventional takeoff and landing capabilities. The Navy will receive the F-35C, designed for carrier launches and duty at sea.
The complete record of decision can be downloaded at http://www.usmcjsfwest.com.
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