F-15EX at Selfridge – Runway Realignment, KC-46 Beddown and What Congress Must Fund

F-15EX at Selfridge – Runway Realignment, KC-46 Beddown and What Congress Must Fund

Published:

September 2, 2025

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Updated:

September 2, 2025

Aircraft

Clara Nguyen

U.S. Air National Guard photo by 1st Lt. Elise Wahlstrom

Michigan’s Selfridge Air National Guard Base will receive 21 F-15EX Eagle II fighters. Deliveries begin in fiscal 2028. The move keeps a fighter mission at the 127th Wing once the A-10 retires. The timeline runs tight and the base still lacks several pieces of infrastructure for a modern fighter squadron. A local congressman pressed the Air Force this month to lock in a funding plan and schedule.

President Donald Trump announced the Selfridge basing decision on April 29 during a visit with state leaders and Pentagon officials. The call keeps the 107th Fighter Squadron in the fighter business and aligns with a broader plan to recapitalize Guard units with newer aircraft. Defense officials at the event, including the Secretary of Defense, cast the move as both a strategic and industrial signal.

Rep. John James who represents the district that includes Selfridge sent a letter on August 6 to the Secretary of the Air Force. He asked for a detailed plan to fund a runway “extension” and related upgrades he says are needed to host the F-15EX fleet before the A-10 divests at the end of FY26. He also offered to help secure resources. Defense officials declined public comment on the correspondence. His letter fixes the clock: jets in FY28, A-10 out by FY26, construction in between.

Michigan leaders promised state support and highlighted the base’s economic footprint. They also point to earlier wins: Selfridge remains the preferred location for a dozen KC-46A Pegasus tankers, with arrivals slated to begin in 2029 after environmental actions conclude. The second mission brings its own infrastructure needs, which must line up with fighter work to avoid rework and delays.

F-15EX basing decision and 2028 delivery timeline at Selfridge

Trump’s April stop at Selfridge set the target: about 21 Boeing F-15EX jets will replace the A-10s, with deliveries starting in FY28. The White House moved after months of pressure from Michigan leaders in both parties. Local reports and Guard releases carried the same point from Washington and Lansing-the mission stays in Michigan, but shifting from an A-10 attack unit to a twin-engine air-to-air/multirole fleet needs new facilities and training.

The Air National Guard already flies the F-15EX with operational units in Oregon, and Air Force program leaders brought an EX to Selfridge in June for familiarization. Those steps help pilots and maintainers move across, yet the beddown hinges on civil engineering and munitions support sized for the EX’s weight, footprint, and weapons loads.

Selfridge airmen keep the A-10s mission-ready while they prep for conversion. “We’ll be ready for it,” a propulsion technician said this month, citing an internal estimate that the first EX jets arrive “sometime in 2028.” The window matches the presidential announcement and Guard statements.

Runway realignment, hangars, and weapons storage

Selfridge’s main runway sits perpendicular to neighborhoods near the Clinton River. Local planners want operations moved farther from homes and the protected zone south of the runway cleared. A funding request for FY26 counts about 65 residences inside the clear area today, a safety risk the project aims to eliminate.

Runway work carries an estimated $124 million price tag. Rep. John James has pushed to secure $90 million from federal sources and cover the rest with state and local funds. State media and budget notes echo that split, and staff on Capitol Hill describe a design that adjusts the strip and improves “clear air” for departures.

Hangars come next. The F-15EX is larger than the A-10, so the base will need new or expanded facilities to house jets, spares, AGE and weapons. Officials also mention upgraded instrumentation and training devices. Michigan’s adjutant general, Maj. Gen. Paul Rogers, has floated a broader figure – $500 million or more over a decade-once you add the fighter beddown, tanker projects, and supporting utilities. That scale matches other Guard fields that swapped legacy jets for heavier types.

Weapons storage and security upgrades should track with the fighter syllabus. Analysts familiar with ANG beddowns point to hardened storage, compliant perimeter lighting, and access control as early-stage tasks that avoid later schedule crunches. The Air Force finished a wide ANG EIS for fighter basing last winter and site-specific assessments at Selfridge will still guide construction sequencing and mitigations.

Funding paths in FY26

In July and August Senate appropriators advanced lines to accelerate F-15EX site preparation at Selfridge and fund airfield pieces like a new taxiway. Michigan’s senators have advertised $10 million for runway work and another $10 million tied to EX activation tasks in their chamber’s FY26 text. Those are additive to broader Guard MILCON totals in the bill.

The House’s companion MILCON-VA measure, as drafted, doesn’t specify Selfridge earmarks. That sets up negotiations in conference and leaves state leaders working on parallel tracks – authorizations, appropriations, and community funding-to keep milestones from slipping. Industry sources say planners want firm dollars in place before heavy construction season next year.

Air Force FY26 budget exhibits list small “mandatory” reconciliation funds that include Restoration and Modernization repairs at Selfridge. The line is modest and doesn’t substitute for MILCON, but it can handle near-term fixes while design work progresses. State leaders have highlighted prior and proposed budgets that set aside tens of millions for Selfridge improvements and mission attraction.

James’s office has asked for $90 million in federal support for the runway and wants the rest covered locally. The request aligns with project documents sent to appropriators and published as part of community funding requests. Defense officials confirm the runway is the pacing item – without it the rest of the sequencing loses coherence.

Tankers, retirements, and training demands

Twelve KC-46A tankers remain slated for Selfridge. Environmental analysis and design work continue, with deliveries starting in 2029. The tanker timeline collides with fighter construction in apron space, hydrant fueling and shared shops. Phased schedules cut those conflicts and help the base absorb both missions with less disruption.

Senate messaging seeks to slow or bar A-10 retirements for another year, while other planning assumes an on-time exit in FY26. The 127th Wing kept its A-10s flying as the runway saw periodic repairs. Last summer the wing moved tankers to other airports and later brought them back. That experience will help the unit handle construction-driven relocations during the EX transition.

Training and manning shift with the airframe. Maintainers used to TF34 engines will convert to F110s, and weapons troops will manage a different mix of air-to-air missiles and racks. “It will be a different philosophy,” a propulsion technician said, “but we’ll be ready.” The bet only holds if classrooms, trainers and spares arrive on time.

What must happen between now and the first jet

The runway project anchors the plan and pairs with clear-zone work south of the strip. Hangar packages and fuel systems follow in sequence. Munitions storage and security projects run alongside. The Air Force’s Site Activation Task Force has already flagged projects that Senate language could accelerate. The pinch points here are timing and cash flow.

Milestones now on the board:

Finalize runway design and clear-zone acquisition. Lock the federal-state split for the $124 million airfield package.

Award early-start site prep and utilities that don’t conflict with flying ops. Line up taxiway and apron work against the tanker plan.

Set hangar and corrosion-control requirements sized for the F-15EX. Match delivery schedules to FY28–FY29 aircraft arrivals.

Finish any remaining environmental documentation tied to project-level impacts under the Guard’s fighter beddown record of decision.
One more stream sits outside traditional MILCON. Budget exhibits point to small, flexible O&M funds for restoration and modernization that can buy down risk while the big bills clear Congress. State appropriations in prior budgets, and a proposed $26 million for upgrades this year, can backstop if federal timing slips. A senior state official says the goal is to avoid gaps between design, award and mobilization so contractors stay on site through winter windows.

Politics around basing eased after the April announcement, but delivery still hinges on permits, easements and lead times for specialized gear. Supply chains for aircraft shelters, high-mast lighting, and hydrant fueling remain long. Early orders and clear phases keep tankers and fighters from colliding on the ramp in 2029. Industry sources say vendors will prioritize bases with definitive awards and site access.

F-15EX performance, mission fit, and what changes on day one

The EX adds range, payload, and twin-engine backup to a region tied into NORAD and Great Lakes patrol routes. Crews can fly homeland-defense sorties, run air-to-air training with visiting units, and work alongside the tanker fleet that will share the base. For a wing steeped in A-10 CAS, the rhythm changes-longer sorties, different weapons, heavier focus on air-to-air upkeep. Guard units that already converted call the maintenance shift significant but manageable with the right training and tools.

The EX’s air-to-air load, including AMRAAMs, requires hardened storage and different inspection bays than the A-10’s usual mix. Security forces, civil engineers, and munitions crews move onto the critical path with contractors. Recent F-22 visits and other transients showed Selfridge can absorb high-end fighters for short stretches. The real test is sustaining that tempo year-round with home-station jets.

Site officials already manage surge ops during runway work or deployments. Last year, KC-135s flew from Detroit Metro and Sawyer while Selfridge repaired pavement. Those dispersals gave the wing a live rehearsal for the construction windows ahead. KC-46A replacement brings modern systems and different maintenance profiles, so backshops need new layouts and more training slots.

The base can meet the FY28 window if the runway contract awards this fiscal year, hangar designs freeze by spring, and at least two early-works packages start before the thaw. If those dates slip, deliveries force either temporary basing elsewhere or limited ops on arrival – both costly options the state and Air Force want to avoid.

The cast around Selfridge has changed since January. The Air Force’s new civilian leader, Troy E. Meink, won confirmation in May and has toured installations to review construction priorities. Pentagon leaders have pressed for visible progress on basing tied to presidential directives. Top cover helps, but the decisive moves still sit in contracting shops and at county boards approving easements.

Macomb County leaders track jobs and procurement schedules with equal focus. The state points to earlier investments-hangar work that started in 2023 and millions more since – to argue Michigan will carry its share if the federal side meets it halfway. The partnership now has a hard date: the first F-15EX rolling into a Selfridge shelter in 2028.

REFERENCE SOURCES

https://www.127wg.ang.af.mil/Media/Articles/Article/3903825/runway-repairs-deployment-relocate-selfridge-jets/

https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/trump-announces-new-boeing-f-15ex-jets-national-guard-base-michigan-2025-04-29/

https://www.ang.af.mil/Media/Article-Display/Article/4177212/future-of-aviation-emerging-at-selfridge/

https://www.127wg.ang.af.mil/Media/Articles/Article/4177040/future-of-aviation-emerging-at-selfridge/

https://james.house.gov/uploadedfiles/letter_to_secretary_of_the_air_force_8.25.pdf

https://james.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1258

https://www.saffm.hq.af.mil/Portals/84/documents/FY26/FY26%20Air%20National%20Guard%20Operation%20and%20Maintenance%20Vol%20I.pdf

https://www.127wg.ang.af.mil/Media/Articles/Article/3645105/update-selfridge-ang-base-selected-as-next-location-for-kc-46a-pegasus/

https://www.airforcetimes.com/news/your-air-force/2024/01/12/selfridge-air-national-guard-base-picked-to-host-kc-46-squadron/

https://www.ngaus.org/newsroom/air-force-picks-guard-base-new-tankers

https://www.michigannewssource.com/2025/05/selfridge-eyes-federal-funds-to-clear-path-for-fighters/

https://breakingdefense.com/2025/08/selfridge-is-getting-new-fighter-jets-will-the-base-be-ready/

https://www.congress.gov/member/john-james/J000307

https://www.angf15ex-f35a-eis.com/

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/01/07/2025-00069/notice-of-record-of-decision-for-the-environmental-impact-statement-air-national-guard-f-15ex-eagle

https://www.peters.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/subcommittee_on_military_construction_veterans_affairs_and_related_agencies.pdf

https://www.ngaus.org/newsroom/trump-f-35exs-replace-10s-michigan

https://www.ngb.mil/Portals/31/Documents/PersonalStaff/LegislativeLiaison/FY26/NGB-LL%20Summary%20of%20FY26%20SAC-MILCON.pdf

https://www.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/4184545/senate-confirms-meink-to-be-nations-27th-air-force-secretary/

https://www.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/4267439/meink-wraps-indo-pacific-visit-emphasizes-alliances-integrated-readiness/

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