Utah Senators Orrin Hatch and Mike Lee and Rep. Rob Bishop (UT-01) announced Tuesday the Air Force has agreed to their request to keep its plans to move a key component to Ogden Air Logistics Center, located at Hill Air Force Base in northern Utah. As a result of the effort by the three Utah officials, F-22 engineers and procurement officials will be coming to Hill.
The Air Force had been in discussions about changing its Air Depot Maintenance Strategy. Specifically, the service was considering not moving many of the program managers, which include engineers and procurement officials,В for the F-22 Raptor to Hill, as had previously been planned.
In response, Hatch, Lee, and Bishop led an effort to write to the Air Force’s Leadership in May and argued the service should adhere to the initial Depot Maintenance Strategy, since this was the best way for the service to save money in the long run.
“I appreciate the Air Force understands the concerns I and others had, and has agreed to stick with the original plan to bring these jobs to Utah,’ Hatch said. “For more than 70 years, the personnel at Hill have been leading the way in ensuring that the greatest fighting force the world has ever known has the tools and resources they need to keep America free. This decision significantly increases the savings and efficiencies created by the Depot Maintenance Strategy, while also creating jobs. It’s a win-win.”
“I am pleased with the Air Force’s consideration of our request and decision to adhere to the strategy that was previously outlined,” Lee said. “It is more efficient, better for the Utah economy, and will produce greater savings for the military in the long-term.В I look forward to continuing to work with the Air Force on these issues in a way that is both fiscally responsible and protects our national security.”
“I am pleased that the Air Force has committed to adhere to long-standing Air Force policy by co-locating the F-22 program office with the maintenance functions at Hill AFB,” Bishop said. “However, I remain alarmed that the Air Force may be on the verge of recommending some very significant reorganizational decisions regarding the future management of other weapon systems which, if true, will set the clock back on best management practices learned over the past three decades.
“I, along with Senators Hatch and Lee will be monitoring the situation and working with other Congressional and military leaders to ensure that the Air Force continues to adhere to long-standing and proven Air Force policy with regard to the need to continue to co-locate the acquisition and sustainment of major weapons systems. This will ensure the utmost efficiency of our resources from both a technical and financial standpoint.”