LANSING, Mich. — Michigan Aerospace and Defense Caucus Co-Chair Michael Webber, R-Rochester Hills, released the following statement celebrating President Donald Trump’s announcement that a brand-new 21-aircraft F-15EX Eagle II fighter mission will replace the aging A-10 Thunderbolt II squadron at Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Macomb County:
“I was overwhelmed to see President Trump announce that a new F-15EX fighter jet mission will replace the current Selfridge mission of the A-10s. This fighter mission will help keep hundreds of jobs and millions of dollars in economic development here in Michigan for decades to come.
“The bipartisan legislative Michigan Aerospace and Defense Caucus has worked tirelessly behind the scenes over the past two and a half years to achieve this outcome. I want to thank President Donald Trump, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, our congressional delegation, and our men and women in uniform for working together to get this new fighter mission at Selfridge. It is a win for the people of Michigan and our national security.”
Selfridge, which marks its 108th anniversary this year, supports an estimated 5,000 jobs and $800 million in annual economic impact for the state. The 21 new aircraft are expected to begin arriving at the base in fiscal year 2028 to complement the KC-46 squadron the Air Force announced last year and replace the A-10s that will be retired starting in 2026.
