Two Valley military bases being considered for new fighter jets

Two Valley military bases are being considered for new fighter jets.

Fresno and Lemoore are the only two west coast bases on the list of four.

The National Guard Bureau wants to add a squadron of F-15EX jets at two of three bases plus a squadron of F-35A jets at one of four bases.

The bases being considered include Fresno's 144th Fighter Wing, Naval Air Station Lemoore, Barnes Air National Guard Base in Westfield, Massachusetts, and the NAS Joint Reserve Base in Belle Chasse, Louisiana.

Lemoore is only a candidate for the F-35A not the F-15EX.

The new planes would replace the F-15C/D which pilots from Fresno's 144th fly.

Those jets would be retired due to their age and maintenance costs. One hundred additional crew members would be needed for the F-15EX and 80 additional team members for the F-35A.

A public meeting will be held Tuesday evening in Fresno at the Piccadilly Inn-Airport, 5115 E. McKinley from 5-7 P.M.

On Wednesday evening a public meeting will take place in Lemoore at L.T.A. Portuguese Hall, 470 Champion St. from 5-7 P.M.

If you can't attend either meeting a virtual meeting will be held Thursday, Aug. 25 from 5:30-6:30 P.M. to discuss Fresno and Lemoore as locations. Instructions to join the virtual meeting can be found, here.