The U.S. House and Senate have passed appropriations bills that include numerous Alaska military construction projects. A release from Representative Don Young’s office lists projects slated for 5 sites, including over $213 million at Eielson Air Force Base related to the planned basing of F-35 fighter jets. The F-35 projects include aircraft hangars, as well as field training, munitions storage, and missile maintenance facilities.
Alaska ground based missile defense system funding in the bill includes $155 million for a Long Range Discrimination Radar at Clear Air Station, and $20 million for a new fire station at Clear. There’s also $9.5 million for electrical system upgrades at the Ft. Greely missile defense base.
Construction of a $47 million unmanned aerial vehicle hangar Ft. Wainwright is also in the U.S. House approved appropriations bill. The hangar is for the post’s new Grey Eagle intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance unit.
The bill also includes over $29 million to upgrade and expand an AWACSÂ aircraft hanger at Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson in Anchorage, and nearly $5 million for a new fuel offload facility at JBER.
Dan Bross is a reporter at KUAC in Fairbanks.
