VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Local leaders are making a push to ensure the Navy locates F-35C Lightning Joint Strike Fighters at the East Coast Master Jet Base, Naval Air Station Oceana.
Manufacturer Lockheed Martin describes the F-35 as "the most lethal, survivable and connected fighter jet in the world."
Unfortunately for Oceana, Joint Strike Fighter Wing in Lemoore, California, currently oversees all Navy F-35Cs. None are based at Oceana yet.
The Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force plan to buy about 2,500 F-35s total by the mid-2040s with a projected planned life into the 2080s.
Hampton Roads officials want to make sure Oceana is in line to get F-35s to replace the aging F/A-18 E and F Super Hornets currently flown there.
House Armed Services Committee Member Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-Virginia, 2nd District) said Friday that she has recently spoken about this concern with Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro.
"He acknowledged that and agreed that the East Coast is just as relevant. And he agreed that Oceana does need to be in that conversation," she said in an interview with 13News Now.
Hampton Roads Military and Federal Facilities Alliance Executive Director Rick Dwyer says Oceana is "vital to the economic prosperity of our region," and he says ensuring the base's future viability is crucial.
"I really applaud the Virginia Beach City Council and Congresswoman Kiggans for raising this issue and for starting to look ahead for what's next for Oceana and for really sending that signal to the Navy that the community is 100 % behind this," he said.
A 2020 Navy study showed the base has an annual economic impact upon the community of approximately $2 billion.
Virginia Beach Mayor Bobby Dyer and Vice Mayor Rosemary Wilson announced their intent this week to present a resolution to the Virginia Beach City Council on July 2, to formalize their support for basing more modern aircraft at Oceana.