Conservatives Against Tyranny

4/6/23. Two members of Arkansas’ congressional delegation visited Singapore this week in a show of support for the recent selection of Fort Smith’s Ebbing Air National Guard Base to host the Foreign Military Sales program. Daniel McFadin, nwaonline.com

U.S. Rep. Steve Womack and U.S. Sen. John Boozman made the trip almost a month after the selection of Ebbing, which will eventually host General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcons from Singapore’s air force.

In addition to the relocation of an F-16 squadron, Ebbing will also be a used to train foreign pilots in F-35 jets.

Foreign Military Sales is a security assistance program authorized by the Arms Export Control Act. The act allows the U.S. to sell defense equipment, conduct training and provide services to a foreign country when the president deems doing so will strengthen U.S. national security and promote world peace.

Ebbing was selected in 2021 as the preferred location for a pilot training center for Singapore and other countries participating in the program. The proposal was to accommodate up to 24 foreign F-35 aircraft and move 12 F-16s from the Singapore air force, currently with the 425th Fighter Squadron at Luke Air Force Base, Ariz.

According to a press release, during their visit to the Asian country Womack, R-Rogers, and Boozman, R-Rogers, met with the Republic of Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and government leaders in trade and national security, and the chief of the Singaporean air force. They also visited U.S. military personnel deployed to the area.

“I was glad to travel to Singapore with Senator Boozman to deepen our strategic partnership and discuss ways to deter increasing threats from our adversaries,” Womack said in a statement. “We got to shake the hands of our allies and thank them for trusting Fort Smith to be the home of the Foreign Military Sales mission that will bring F-35 fighter planes and Singapore’s F-16 squadron to Ebbing Air National Guard Base. I look forward to welcoming the new U.S. Air Force personnel to the River Valley and continuing dialogue with our friends abroad.”

In his own statement, Boozman said the goal of the visit was “to ensure our partners feel welcome in our state and trust we will support their military personnel’s needs. Developing and strengthening this relationship is critical to ensuring global security. Arkansas welcomes the opportunity to give our allies the training and tools necessary to defend themselves and our shared interests while strengthening Ebbing Air National Guard Base’s role in our national defense and Indo-Pacific relations.”

The selection of Ebbing was announced on March 15.

During the announcement, Lt. Col. Drew “Gus” Nas, who is tasked with getting the training center at Ebbing operational, said the earliest any foreign pilots would arrive at Ebbing would be 2024.

Before any pilots from Singapore arrive, it’s expected that Polish pilots would be the first users of the training center. Poland is purchasing 32 F-35 Lightning II aircraft from Lockheed Martin.

The elements of the Singaporean air force will have a long-term presence at the base, while pilots and planes from other countries will be there on a temporary basis of about two years.

3/15/23. Fort Smith officially set to host military pilot training at Ebbing Air National Guard Base. Jose Carranza, 5newsonline.com.

There was excitement across the River Valley as Fort Smith landed a foreign military sales pilot training program after nearly two years of work.

Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders,U.S. Senators John Boozman and Tom Cotton and Congressman Steve Womack applauded the U.S. Air Force’s selection of Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Fort Smith as the home of the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) mission that will bring F-35 fighter planes and a Republic of Singapore F-16 squadron to the installation.

Tim Allen, the chamber of commerce president and CEO ways the center will not only bring hundreds of families and jobs to the area but interest from companies from the military sector.

“Today’s Record of Decision makes clear and cement Arkansas’ important role in training, equipping, and supplying our friends across the globe. This also means bringing jobs and economic prosperity to the state. I look forward to welcoming the new U.S. Air Force personnel who will be moving to our state and am excited for all our international partners to discover the meaning of Arkansas hospitality,” said Gov. Sarah Sanders in a release. 

Fort Smith Mayor George B McGill said that “when you hear those aircraft flying overhead— it’s the sound of freedom, but it’s also the sound of an engine for Fort Smith and the region.”

In 2021, Fort Smith was selected as the long-term training center supporting F-16 and F-35 fighter planes purchased by Singapore, Switzerland and other countries.

Since then, members of the delegation have worked Singapore leaders and allies who have an interest in enhancing their air power with the F-35 in addition to recently securing $28 million to support the F-35 FMS program.

The U.S. Government approved the sale of up to 12 F-35 Joint Strike Fighter jets to Singapore through an FMS program in early 2020. Singapore requested to co-locate its Arizona-based F-16 training detachment with its future F-35 training site. With the Arizona base reaching its hosting capacity in the coming years, the U.S. Air Force identified other locations for potential relocation sites. 

“This is a gamechanger for Fort Smith and our state that will enhance economic development and opportunity in the region and strengthen Arkansas’s role in defending our national security. The Arkansas Congressional Delegation has worked tirelessly along with state and community leaders to demonstrate to the Air Force what we all knew – Fort Smith is the best location for this mission,” said U.S. Senator John Boozman.

Air Force officials toured four other sites across the U.S. before making their decision. Over the last year, legislatures from Arkansas have promoted Fort Smith as a capable place for military training and readiness. 

State leaders have delivered critical funding in support of an expanded runway while community leaders have invested in the project through the welcome of foreign dignitaries and hosting public comment events.

In 2022, those public hearing meetings were hosted to give people an idea of what work will be done on the base. Some of those plans included constructing simulator training facilities, renovating existing buildings and additions to runways.

The military pilot training could possibly have an economic impact on the region as high as $1 billion a year.

Lt. Col. Drew Gus Nash, Commander of the 33rd Fighter Wing Detachment said that they are “expecting flying operations to start anywhere from September 2024 through September 2025.”

Sanders, Boozman, Cotton, Womack Applaud Selection of Fort Smith for F-35 Fighter Planes, Singapore Air Force Squadron. Arkansas press release.

Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, U.S. Senators John Boozman and Tom Cotton and Congressman Steve Womack applauded the U.S. Air Force’s selection of Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Fort Smith as the home of the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) mission that will bring F-35 fighter planes and a Republic of Singapore F-16 squadron to the installation. 
 
“Today’s Record of Decision makes clear and cements Arkansas’ important role in training, equipping, and supplying our friends across the globe. This also means bringing jobs and economic prosperity to the state. I look forward to welcoming the new U.S. Air Force personnel who will be moving to our state and am excited for all our international partners to discover the meaning of Arkansas hospitality. The Arkansas Congressional Delegation and the Fort Smith community were instrumental in securing this major new mission for Ebbing Air National Guard Base – they have my deepest gratitude for their hard work,” Sanders said.
 
“I’m pleased that the Air Force has selected Fort Smith as the location for this training mission, another positive step in bringing a manned flying mission back to Arkansas. I will continue to work with the Air Force, our congressional delegation, and Governor Sanders to bring the sound of freedom back to the River Valley,” Cotton said.
 
“Today’s Record of Decision makes official what Arkansans have known since the start of this process—Fort Smith is the premier location for F-35 FMS training and Singapore’s F-16 mission. Fort Smith’s central location, existing infrastructure, and airspace were essential differentiators but the people of Fort Smith and their desire to support national defense were truly the deciding factor. I’m proud the Air Force has made this final decision and look forward to hearing the ‘Sound of Freedom’ soon in the River Valley,” Womack said.