Overview
- Local and congressional officials announced that Whiteman Air Force Base has been identified as the sole candidate to host a proposed Air Force Reserve F-15E Strike Eagle mission that would bring 24 F-15Es to replace the 442nd Fighter Wing’s A-10s.
- The proposal, announced by Rep. Mark Alford’s office, projects aircraft arrivals in fiscal year 2031 if the plan receives final Air Force approval.
- The 442nd’s A-10 fleet will remain combat-ready at Whiteman through 2030, providing an operational bridge while any transition is planned and executed.
- Rep. Alford and local leaders framed the designation as protecting the wing and saving civilian and military jobs, but the change still requires formal basing decisions, environmental reviews, funding and a multiyear implementation process.
- Whiteman is a key local employer that hosted B-2 bombers and reported more than $1 billion in economic impact in 2025, and the new proposal follows more than four years of local advocacy to secure the wing’s future.