WARREN, Mich. – After a failed push to get F-35 planes at Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Macomb County, they could be headed there.
While speaking at Dana Incorporated in Warren on Thursday, President Donald Trump said his administration is strongly considering putting the planes at the Michigan National Guard base.
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“I know everybody here in Michigan supports our great armed forces as much as any place, Michigan,” Trump said. “And that’s why we’re giving strong consideration to deploying some of our mighty F-35s to Selfridge Air National Guard Base."
Macomb County has been trying to get F-35s to the base for years. A campaign was launched in 2017, but the federal government decided to send the planes to Alabama and Wisconsin. Now, it appears the planes could be moved from Wisconsin to Michigan.
Public Works Commissioner Candice S. Miller released a statement regarding potential deployment of the planes to the base:
“It makes the most sense to base these aircraft at Selfridge Air National Guard Base. The Airmen of the 127th Wing have proven they have the critically important skills – tested and proven in battle – to support this new aircraft. The Michigan Air National Guard has the necessary facilities, at Selfridge, in Alpena and at their air-to-ground range at Camp Grayling to allow for the addition of the F-35 to Michigan to happen quickly and at a low cost to the Air Force. In Michigan, We Stand Ready to accept this new assignment.”
“Selfridge has been an important part of our nation’s defense infrastructure from more than a century and it has always enjoyed the patriotic support of its neighbors in Macomb County. We look forward to hearing a new sound of freedom at our base in the F-35.”