Led by Senator Reverend Warnock, Bipartisan Group of Georgia Lawmakers Urge Air Force Leaders to Secure Future Missions for Robins Air Force Base

Press Release

Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) led a bipartisan group of Georgia's congressional lawmakers in calling on senior military leaders to honor the promises made to Robins Air Force Base (AFB) to secure new missions, and fully utilize the skilled military and civilian workforce located in Middle Georgia's surrounding base community. In a new letter to U.S. Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall and Chief of Staff Charles Brown, Senator Warnock, U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff (D-GA) and U.S. Representatives Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (D-GA-02) and Austin Scott (R-GA-08), requested detailed information on the new missions promised to Robins AFB to ensure the installation's vital future in our national security apparatus.

"Robins AFB has long maintained broad and bipartisan support from the Georgia delegation. The Air Force's decision eventually to retire the E-8 JSTARS platform has been accompanied by promises from both of your predecessors regarding follow on missions at the installation. We ask for your commitment to follow through on the promises made to this delegation, and we affirm our commitment to work in good faith with the Air Force to bring the new missions to Robins," the Georgia lawmakers wrote.

The Georgia lawmakers continued, "In 2018, then Secretary Wilson committed to the Georgia delegation that Robins AFB "will host [the Advanced Battle Management System] ABMS" and that "the network would include aircraft at Robins AFB with the sensors capable of collecting and transmitting information from the battlefield." We trust the Air Force will honor this commitment."

The Air Force is planning to retire the first four E-8 JSTARS aircrafts this year. The JSTARS mission has been based at Robins AFB since the early 2000s. Former Acting Secretary John Roth committed to ensuring Robins Air Force Base would not lose personnel in the transition of JSTARS. In a meeting in October with Senator Warnock, current Air Force Secretary Kendall reaffirmed his intent to maintain personnel levels at the current Active and National Guard manning assigned as part of the JSTARS mission. Additionally, Secretary Kendall has noted the key role Georgia will continue to play in the future force design of the Air Force, particularly related to Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2).

In May, Senators Warnock and Ossoff and Representative A. Scott held a news conference to highlight the new missions coming to Robins and their bipartisan work to hold the Air Force to its word.

Now, Senator Warnock is working to ensure the U.S. Air Force keeps its promises which will allow Robins AFB to continue being at the forefront of support of global missions and advanced technologies. Senator Warnock continues to push for the vitality of the future of Robins Air Force Base and has formally invited Secretary Kendall to visit Georgia's military installations to get a firsthand look at their importance.

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