BurlCo Military Base Gets New Life With Refueling Plane Upgrade
by KYW's David Madden
WRIGHTSTOWN, NJ (CBS) -- Good news for Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, which will be home to the latest in midair refueling tankers.
The Air Force will house two dozen KC-46A tankers at the Burlington County facility. An additional 24 aircraft will be based at Travis Air Force Base in California.
They'll replace existing refueling aircraft, according to New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez.
"I think the Air Force has recognized the base's strategic value," Menendez told KYW Newsradio. "It expressed confidence in its ability to be part of America's national security strategy that will be a strategy for decades to come."
Air Force officials say it'll take about three years to complete the transition.
Menendez also suggests the decision is a good economic message for the county and the state.
"The joint base is the second largest employer in the state and it supports over 40,000 jobs and nearly $7 billion in annual economic activity." Menendez said.
Perhaps more to the point, local officials suggest they can relax a little the next time the Pentagon comes out with a list of proposed base closures.
