FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 16, 2007
CONTACT: Geoff Embler or Matt Mackowiak
Sen. Hutchison Sets Stage to Bring National Aviation Training Center to Ellington AFB
Files Amendment to Study Housing DMA-NTC at Ellington Field
WASHINGTON -- U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) today filed an amendment to the Fiscal Year (FY) 2008 Department of Defense (DOD) Authorization bill requiring a feasibility study be completed by March 31, 2008 for establishing a Domestic Military Aviation National Training Center (DMA-NTC) at Ellington AFB.
“Today, there is no central training site for National Guard military pilots to receive training for drug reconnaissance and disaster recovery missions that are conducted throughout the country,” said Sen. Hutchison. “I believe we can bring the assets, technical experts, instructors, and the pilots to Ellington and improve training and performance, while we strengthen our ability to respond to threats and crises nationwide.”
Before such a facility can be built, the DOD has to conduct a feasibility study, which would audit the proposed location for its personnel, existing capacity, assets, deficiencies, and then estimate the cost for construction.
The amendment would require a report from the Secretary of Defense to Congress on the feasibility of “utilizing existing infrastructure or installing new infrastructure at Ellington Field, to house a DMA-NTC for current and future operational reconnaissance and surveillance missions of the National Guard that support local, State, and Federal law enforcement agencies.”
Specifically, the feasibility report will:
· Examine the current and past requirements of RC-26 aircraft in support of local, State, and Federal law enforcement and determine the number of aircraft required to provide such support for each State that borders Canada, Mexico, or the Gulf of Mexico
· Determine the number of military and civilian personnel required to run an RC-26 domestic training center meeting the requirements
· Determine the cost of locating such a training center at Ellington Field for the purpose of pre-empting and responding to national security threats and disasters
All Adjutant Generals from states that boarder Canada, Mexico and the Gulf of Mexico will be consulted by the Secretary of Defense during the findings of the report.
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