thedrifter
02-04-09, 07:44 AM
F-35B Coming to Beaufort
By Tuquyen Mach
Reporter
Published: February 3, 2009
The future of military aviation is coming to the Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort. The F-35B fighter jet is set to replace the air station’s existing aircraft.
On Tuesday night, the public was invited to find out more about the plans and express their comments and concerns about the impact of the new planes.
Dozens of people crowded into the Holiday Inn to find out more about the aircraft and plans for Beaufort. The replacement of the old aircraft at MCAS Beaufort is supposed to take place over the next 10 years or so. This is part of the Department of Defense’s Joint Strike Fighter Program, which involves aircraft for the Marine Corps, Navy, and Air Force.
“It’s going to be the most technologically advanced, multi-role fighter in the world, and we think it’s going to be a great addition to Beaufort County,“ says Major James Jarvis, Director of Public Affairs for the Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort.
The F-35B is specially built for the Marine Corps and will be based in Beaufort and Cherry Point, North Carolina.
“We have 10 operational squadrons as well as 1 reserve squadron that we need to base, as well as 2 pilot training squadrons, so at one of those installations will be a pilot training center, and of course it’s our hope it’s here in South Carolina,“ says Jarvis.
Mayor Billy Keyserling says this could be a big opportunity for the Lowcountry. “It gives our Marines the opportunity to have the best equipment, and certainly brings, hopefully will bring some technical jobs to the area,“ says Keyserling.
Patrick Kelly works for Habersham, a Beaufort housing development, and came to make his company’s concerns known. “All of our residents are aware of the noise when they purchase or rent a property in the development, and there have been very few complaints of the noise, so we wanted to see what kind of impact this jet would have,“ says Kelly.
Alice Howard with MCAS Beaufort says those answers will come with time. “During the process of the environmental impact statement, we’ll be analyzing the noise of the new aircraft, and that’ll be part of the 2 year process,“ says Howard.
The deadline to submit comments is February 16. You can log onto http://www.usmcJSFeast.com or submit your comments to USMC F-35B Coast Basing EIS, P.O. Box 56488, Jacksonville, FL 32241-6488.
Video
http://www.wsav.com/sav/news/local/lowcountry/article/f-35b_coming_to_beaufort/9180/
Ellie
By Tuquyen Mach
Reporter
Published: February 3, 2009
The future of military aviation is coming to the Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort. The F-35B fighter jet is set to replace the air station’s existing aircraft.
On Tuesday night, the public was invited to find out more about the plans and express their comments and concerns about the impact of the new planes.
Dozens of people crowded into the Holiday Inn to find out more about the aircraft and plans for Beaufort. The replacement of the old aircraft at MCAS Beaufort is supposed to take place over the next 10 years or so. This is part of the Department of Defense’s Joint Strike Fighter Program, which involves aircraft for the Marine Corps, Navy, and Air Force.
“It’s going to be the most technologically advanced, multi-role fighter in the world, and we think it’s going to be a great addition to Beaufort County,“ says Major James Jarvis, Director of Public Affairs for the Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort.
The F-35B is specially built for the Marine Corps and will be based in Beaufort and Cherry Point, North Carolina.
“We have 10 operational squadrons as well as 1 reserve squadron that we need to base, as well as 2 pilot training squadrons, so at one of those installations will be a pilot training center, and of course it’s our hope it’s here in South Carolina,“ says Jarvis.
Mayor Billy Keyserling says this could be a big opportunity for the Lowcountry. “It gives our Marines the opportunity to have the best equipment, and certainly brings, hopefully will bring some technical jobs to the area,“ says Keyserling.
Patrick Kelly works for Habersham, a Beaufort housing development, and came to make his company’s concerns known. “All of our residents are aware of the noise when they purchase or rent a property in the development, and there have been very few complaints of the noise, so we wanted to see what kind of impact this jet would have,“ says Kelly.
Alice Howard with MCAS Beaufort says those answers will come with time. “During the process of the environmental impact statement, we’ll be analyzing the noise of the new aircraft, and that’ll be part of the 2 year process,“ says Howard.
The deadline to submit comments is February 16. You can log onto http://www.usmcJSFeast.com or submit your comments to USMC F-35B Coast Basing EIS, P.O. Box 56488, Jacksonville, FL 32241-6488.
Video
http://www.wsav.com/sav/news/local/lowcountry/article/f-35b_coming_to_beaufort/9180/
Ellie