Please HELP save Niagara Falls Air Base

[Sen. John Blutarsky]

BRAC is looking to close the Willow Grove AFB in Philadelphia as well, the facilities are very similar, basically cargo plane traffic, not much strategic importance. The difference is that, while jobs would be lost, a huge tract of undeveloped land would be opened up. There's actually debate over whther the residents want it closed ot not.

 

I have conflict with the Niagara Falls base though, it's really hard to see it's strategic importance right now, threats we face aren't going to include an air force anytime soon, yes the power grid is vitally important, but how does a C-130 help guard it? Truck bombs are a much larger threat to the grid than Cessnas and two highways run over dams in our area, both right on the border and both vulnerable to a truck that runs the customs gate, the crossings don't have crashproof gates. Opening an Army National Guard base in that location makes more sense strategically. We can have men on the ground, ready to deploy in any border issues, they could place a small fleet of attack helicopters there to patrol the power grid, dams, not to mention the Upper and Lower Niagara, looking for illegal activity.

 

The way I see it the only way to save that location (which seems to be the objective) is to repurpose it. In Willow Grove, the land can be better used by the public, in Niagara Falls it probably will lie dormant

[NFARS_Member]

BRAC is looking to close the Willow Grove AFB in Philadelphia as well, the facilities are very similar, basically cargo plane traffic, not much strategic importance.  The difference is that, while jobs would be lost, a huge tract of undeveloped land would be opened up.  There's actually debate over whther the residents want it closed ot not.

 

I have conflict with the Niagara Falls base though, it's really hard to see it's strategic importance right now, threats we face aren't going to include an air force anytime soon, yes the power grid is vitally important, but how does a C-130 help guard it?  Truck bombs are a much larger threat to the grid than Cessnas and two highways run over dams in our area, both right on the border and both vulnerable to a truck that runs the customs gate, the crossings don't have crashproof gates.  Opening an Army National Guard base in that location makes more sense strategically.  We can have men on the ground, ready to deploy in any border issues, they could place a small fleet of attack helicopters there to patrol the power grid, dams, not to mention the Upper and Lower Niagara, looking for illegal activity.

 

The way I see it the only way to save that location (which seems to be the objective) is to repurpose it.  In Willow Grove, the land can be better used by the public, in Niagara Falls it probably will lie dormant

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Yes, maybe we could use the base for the army national guard. But in reality it is an air base. What would become of the air field. They do not need that many helicopters. So here we are back to the original problem, excess capacity.

 

I do agree that a guard unit should be based at niagara along with the units already there. C-130's could be used for rapid deployment of guard troops throughout the New York/Canadian border as well as troops from Fort Drum. Also understand that even though it is an air force installation, there are units at the base that have been combat trained and are highly qualified with various weapons and tactics.

 

Niagara ARS is a perfect example of what the Total Force Concept could be. My recommendation is to keep Niagara ARS open. Integrate the Total Force concept.

Support Missions already assigned to the units as well as develop new missions to enhance homeland security.