News Release

WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. John Spratt (D-SC) has secured $31.5 million for three new projects at Shaw AFB – a dorm, a storage facility, and an aircraft apron to support a new homeland security mission.  The projects won Congressional approval today as part of the defense authorization bill.

Spratt cautioned that final approval of the funding won’t come until passage of a pending military construction appropriations bill, but that inclusion in the defense authorization bill made it “very likely” that the projects would ultimately be funded.

“These projects will greatly improve readiness at Shaw,” said Spratt.  “Shaw has needed a new dorm and equipment storage for some time, and with the aircraft apron, Shaw locks in a new homeland security mission.”

Spratt said Congress authorized $16 million to build a 144-room dormitory, $6.2 million to build a storage facility for aerospace ground equipment, and $9.3 million to build an aircraft apron – phase one of a new homeland security mission for the base.  The mission will eventually include an alert facility for coastal defense, operated jointly by Shaw and the National Guard.  Shaw already provides some coastal defense, but space is limited.

“Aircraft parking is a problem,” said Spratt.  “Aircraft used for coastal defense are dislocating primary mission F-16s.  Each carries different munitions, and putting the two together can create unnecessary hazards.”

Spratt said the new mission reflects the Pentagon’s “joint basing” concept.  “The Pentagon likes joint basing,” said Spratt, “and this mission, along with the incoming Third Army from Fort McPherson, gives Shaw good cover should base closure come around again.”

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