{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.dgraham.senate.gov/press-releases/graham-biggs-lead-south-carolina-delegation-in-pushing-air-force-to-select-mcentire-as-home-base-for-f-35a", "Graham, Biggs Lead South Carolina Delegation in Pushing Air Force to Select McEntire as Home Base for F-35A", "2026-09-22", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "Senate", "SC", "Darline Graham", "G000608", "www.dgraham.senate.gov", "darlinegraham", "https://www.dgraham.senate.gov/media/press-releases/", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 The entire South Carolina congressional delegation is urging the Department of the Air Force to make McEntire Joint National Guard Base the home of the F-35A. The Air Force is considering future \u201cbasing\u201d locations for the F-35A. U.S. Senator Darline Graham (R-South Carolina) and U.S. Representative Sheri Biggs (R-South Carolina) led the effort and were joined by U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-South Carolina) and U.S. Representatives Joe Wilson (R-South Carolina), Nancy Mace (R-South Carolina), Ralph Norman (R-South Carolina), James Clyburn (D-South Carolina), Russell Fry (R-South Carolina) and William Timmons (R-South Carolina).\n\nThe delegation wrote to Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink and expressed their strong support for the F-35A to be based out of McEntire Joint National Guard Base. They argued that South Carolina Air National Guard leadership has worked in lockstep with South Carolina state and federal leadership to deliberately position McEntire Joint National Guard Base to support the F-35\u2019s mission. Furthermore, the 169th Fighter Wing, which is based out of McEntire Joint National Guard Base, was selected for immediate deployment in support of Operation Epic Fury because of its proven combat capability and readiness.\n\n\u201cMcEntire Joint National Guard Base is uniquely equipped to house the F-35A and that is no accident. The South Carolina Air National Guard leadership has worked in concert with our state\u2019s leadership at all levels to ensure McEntire is ready to receive the F-35A. In addition, the 169th Fighter Wing has proven itself, excelling in both quality of personnel and mission completion. I\u2019m proud to lead the South Carolina delegation along with Representative Sheri Biggs to urge Secretary Meink to send F-35s to South Carolina,\u201d said Senator Darline Graham.\n\n\u201cI am proud to lead this letter with Senator Graham to showcase why South Carolina is best fit for the F-35 mission. McEntire Joint National Guard Base has spent decades building purpose driven infrastructure and a top-rated airspace. As a member of the Air National Guard, I know that this, coupled with our strong personnel readiness and proven combat record, makes South Carolina\u2019s base uniquely ready to meet this moment,\u201d said Representative Sheri Biggs.\n\n\u201cThe South Carolina Air National Guard\u2019s 169th Fighter Wing is a national model for excellence and readiness. After a decade of strategic preparation, the 169th Fighter Wing has the infrastructure and personnel to welcome F-35s. Add in a state and community that have unwavering support for our military, and you\u2019ve got a match made in heaven,\u201d said Senator Tim Scott. \u201cIt would be in the best interest of our nation to have a base of such high caliber serve as home to some of the United States\u2019 most critical military assets.\u201d\n\n\u201cServing at the forefront of our homeland defense and in operations, such as Operation Epic Fury, the 169th Fighter Wing has proven time and time again their experience and capability while flying legacy F-16s. The F-35 would emphasize McEntire Joint National Guard Base\u2019s abilities and increase their versatility,\u201d said Rep. Joe Wilson.\n\n\u201cSouth Carolina has long been a cornerstone of America\u2019s national defense. We joined our colleagues in urging the Air Force to bring the F-35 to McEntire Joint National Guard Base because South Carolina has earned this mission. The 169th Fighter Wing has spent decades proving it\u2019s among the best in the nation, and McEntire is ready to lead the next generation of air dominance. Bringing the F-35 to McEntire would strengthen America\u2019s military, equip our warfighters with the world\u2019s most advanced fighter aircraft, and secure our state\u2019s role as a cornerstone of America\u2019s defense for decades to come,\u201d said Congresswoman Nancy Mace.\n\n\u201cSouth Carolina has always answered the call when our nation needs us, and the Swamp Foxes embody that proud tradition. Bringing the F-35 to McEntire would strengthen our national defense, support our Airmen and their families, and carry that legacy forward. McEntire is ready for the next generation of American airpower, and I\u2019m proud to stand with our delegation in making that case,\u201d said Congressman Ralph Norman.\n\n\u201cI am proud to represent McEntire Joint National Guard Base in the House of Representatives, and I am pleased to join members of our state\u2019s delegation in urging for the selection of the South Carolina Air National Guard\u2019s 169th Fighter Wing as a home to the F-35A fighter jet,\u201d said Congressman James E. Clyburn. \u201cSouth Carolina\u2019s military installations play a pivotal role in safeguarding our nation and supporting our national defense and servicemembers. I know that this proud tradition would contribute to a strong foundation to support the next generation of aircraft.\u201d\n\n\u201cNo facility in the country is better equipped or more operationally ready to host the F-35A than McEntire Joint National Guard Base,\u201d said Rep. Russell Fry. \u201cThe 169th Fighter Wing has the proven combat record, world-class infrastructure, and strong community support needed to lead the future of our fighter force. Selecting McEntire for the F-35A is an obvious choice to deliver the absolute highest return on investment for our Air Force and national defense.\u201d\n\n\u201cAmerican airpower demands the very best, and South Carolina is ready to deliver. McEntire and the 169th Fighter Wing have the infrastructure, experience, and combat-ready force to execute the F-35 mission from day one. It is time to bring the world\u2019s most advanced fighter aircraft to South Carolina. The F-35 belongs at McEntire,\u201d said Congressman William Timmons.\n\nFull text of the letter is HERE and below.\n\nThe Honorable Troy Meink Secretary of the Air Force 1670 Air Force Pentagon Washington, DC 20330-1670\n\nDear Secretary Meink,\n\nAs Members of the South Carolina Congressional Delegation, we write to express our strong support for selecting the South Carolina Air National Guard\u2019s 169th Fighter Wing (FW) as an F-35A basing location in the upcoming Ops 16 & 17 decision process. The 169th FW has repeatedly demonstrated the operational excellence, combat readiness, and strategic value required in the future fighter force.\n\nAs you consider future basing locations for the F-35A, a key criterion should be infrastructure to support such a decision. For more than a decade, South Carolina Air National Guard (SCANG) leadership deliberately positioned McEntire Joint National Guard Base for the F-35 mission. McEntire\u2019s stand-alone military airfield and mature support infrastructure were recently lauded by the National Guard Bureau (NGB) as the \u201cposter for NGB\u201d and \u201cdecades ahead\u201d of most bases. Additionally, the quantity, quality, and size of local training ranges and airspaces have been rated by Air Combat Command as a top national priority and asset for fighter training. These features, combined with strong community support, allow the SCANG to provide the most cost-effective and operationally ready location for F-35s.\n\nWhile the 169th Fighter Wing is a strong candidate due to infrastructure capabilities, it also excels in personnel and mission tasking. The 169th FW was selected for immediate deployment in support of Operation Epic Fury because of its proven combat capability and readiness. Flying legacy F-16s, the \u201cSwamp Foxes\u201d were the first U.S. fighter aircraft to enter Iranian airspace on the opening day of combat operations and have remained at the forefront of the mission while generating the highest number of combat hours per aircraft in the deployed F-16 fleet. This combat performance validates decades of top-notch inspection results and documented Maintenance accomplishments. Upgrading 169th FW aircraft to F-35s will maintain this culture, critical experience, and skill pool in the U.S. Air Force. Additionally, the SCANG has for many years been manned above 100% and has been objectively identified in a military doctrinal report as the nation\u2019s top candidate for mission expansion due to South Carolina\u2019s population growth and the highest propensity to serve in the nation.\n\nThe infrastructure and personnel at the 169th FW are F-35 ready today. This is the result of a decade of deliberate preparation, as the Governor, congressional delegation, and state leadership have worked in lockstep to position the SCANG for this exact moment. The U.S. Air Force should place the F-35A where it will generate the greatest immediate return on investment, and no organization has demonstrated that return more convincingly than the 169th FW.\n\nThe 169th FW represents a rare convergence of ready infrastructure, proven combat performance, and unwavering state support. Selecting McEntire Joint National Guard Base as an F-35A basing location is the logical next step. We respectfully urge the Department to recognize this readiness and select the 169th Fighter Wing in the Ops 16 & 17 basing decision.\n\nThank you for your bold and decisive leadership of our Air Force. South Carolina stands ready to support you.", 1, "2026-09-24T10:30:22Z", "2026-09-24T10:31:42Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.dgraham.senate.gov/press-releases/graham-biggs-lead-south-carolina-delegation-in-pushing-air-force-to-select-mcentire-as-home-base-for-f-35a"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.7697080727666616, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}