photo: Lockheed Martin
To save money, the U.S. military decided to stake its future on one fighter jet for all military branches: the F-35. It's fast, it's versatile and it's loud: at least twice as loud as the F-16, which now flies over Tucson daily. It's louder even than the F-18, four of which boomed over Tucson in early February and inspired a deluge of noise complaints. That's all according to data from environmental impact statements completed by the Air Force at bases around the country.
Noise estimates are notoriously hard to pin down because sound does not move linearly and it varies with environmental conditions: buildings, weather, speed, height.
Tucson's specifics are soon to be measured.
Tucson International Airport, home of the Air National Guard's 162nd Fighter Wing, is a major F-16 training location and is one of several candidates for the F-35, which Lockheed Martin Co. is selling for about $200 million each. Multiple deployment locations are likely, though exact numbers are unclear as the number of planes being placed is changing with the price.
The Air Force will hold two meetings in Tucson in early March to help determine the scope of the study used to decide whether the city gets the jet, Air National Guard spokesman Maj. Gabriel Johnson said. A decision is expected early next year.
Supporters of bringing the F-35 to Tucson laud the potential arrival as a boon to the economy, a virtual guarantee that the city can keep the estimated $280 million of economic impact the Air National Guard provides each year. The most visible backers have been the DM-50, a military booster group; southern Arizona's elected representatives, including Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and Mayor Bob Walkup; and the Tucson Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce.
Critics include a retired Air Force colonel, a former TIA air traffic controller and neighborhood activists. They say the jets are just too loud, deteriorating the quality of life of too many Tucsonans, heightening anxiety and upping blood pressure, and reducing already depressed home values.
Both camps are organizing.
"I think Tucsonans need to have this information," said Anne Gomez, who put together a panel in February to discuss noise, air traffic and political issues related to the F-35. However, Bill Valenzuela, former chairman of the Tucson Airport Authority and member of the DM-50, said he knows all he needs to know: If the jet is important to the military, basing it in Tucson is OK with him. He summarizes critics' argument like this: "Everybody's a patriot, but not in my backyard."
Critics' website can be found at TucsonForward.com, supporters' website can be found at TucsonF35.com.
