Reid Worked Tirelessly To Ensure Nellis Had Infrastructure Necessary for the new Aircraft

July 21, 2011

Washington, D.C.–Today, Nevada Senator Harry Reid announced that 36 F-35 strike fighters will be based at Nellis Air Force Base beginning next year. Working with the United States Air Force, Senator Reid secured the necessary infrastructure upgrades at Nellis to allow these aircrafts to be based there. The decision to base the F-35 fighter aircrafts at Nellis will lead to an increase of 412 military personnel as well as construction of new facilities.   

“I have worked for years to bring the F-35 aircraft to Nellis Air Force Base,” said Reid. “These efforts will not only boost our national security, but improve our struggling economy by relocating more than 400 military personnel and their families to Las Vegas and creating hundreds of good paying jobs. I’m proud of the work our brave men and women do at Nellis and in combat around the world and will continue doing everything I can to support them.”

Senator Reid ensured that the base and airfield have the infrastructure improvements required to relocate the F-35 aircraft. Since 2008, he has secured the required ramp improvements, airfield operations equipment, a maintenance hangar, an aircraft engine shop, a flight instrumentation test facility and a flight simulator building for the F-35 aircraft. With these upgrades, 36 F-35 strike fighters will be based at Nellis between 2012 and 2020.