Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson to get squadrons from around the country

Ryan Randazzo, Arizona Republic
·3 min read

The Air Force is planning to move several squadrons from around the country to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson over the next five years to replace the three A-10 squadrons the base is losing.

The changes will transform Davis-Monthan into the 492nd Special Operations Wing and expand the existing search and rescue team there now.

Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., and Rep. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., are members of the Armed Services committees and helped shape the plans. They issued a joint statement on the announcement Wednesday along with Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, I-Ariz., and Rep. Juan Ciscomani, R-Ariz., whose district includes the base.

“With its year-round flying weather, extensive training range space, and proximity to other military bases, southern Arizona is a natural choice to establish this Special Operations Wing in the Southwest," the four members of Congress said in their joint statement.

"These flying missions are critical to our military’s ability to outcompete our adversaries, and this decision is a positive step towards bringing them to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base that will enable the Air Force to proceed with the next set of site reviews to prepare the base for this transition. We’ll continue working alongside the Tucson community to secure the long-term future of DM.”

Officials said earlier this year that the changes will mean phasing out about 1,000 people at the base and replacing them with about the same number, though working in different roles on different aircraft.

Over the next five years, the plans call for retiring 78 A-10s and bringing the following to Davis-Monthan:

  • The 492nd Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field, Florida.

  • One OA-1K Armed Overwatch squadron from Hurlburt Field.

  • An MC-130J Commando II squadron from Cannon AFB in New Mexico.

  • A new MC-130J squadron to activate at Davis-Monthan.

  • The 21st Special Tactics Squadron from Pope Army Airfield, North Carolina.

  • The 22nd Special Tactics Squadron from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington.

  • The 492nd Theater Air Operations Squadron will activate at Duke Field, Fla. and transfer to Davis-Monthan.

  • The 34th Weapons Squadron and the 88th Test and Evaluation Squadron from Nellis AFB, Nevada, including five HH-60W Jolly Green II helicopters.

The plans are a long time coming and have been a concern for the state's delegation for years. In 2014, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., helped rescue the A-10 from elimination, along with Rep. Ron Barber, D-Ariz., whose district included the base. McCain was for years a senior member or chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

There was a similar effort to defund the plane in 2016, when Rep. Martha McSally, R-Ariz., represented the region.

McSally, an Air Force pilot who flew the A-10, forced the Pentagon to analyze what systems could replace the A-10 before it could actually do so, a move intended to highlight the relative cost-effectiveness of the A-10 and buy time for it.

Davis-Monthan employs about 11,000 airmen and each year contributes about $2.6 billion to the Tucson-area economy, according to the Air Force.

Reach reporter Ryan Randazzo at ryan.randazzo@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-4331. Follow him on Twitter @UtilityReporter.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: A-10s at Davis-Monthan to be replaced by squadrons from around US