Senator Reverend Warnock, joined by Georgia lawmakers Senator Ossoff, Congressman Bishop, and Congressman A. Scott, called on Air Force leadership to provide details of the implementation plan for new missions promised to Robins AFB

In a new letter to Secretary Kendall and General Brown, the lawmakers also requested assurances that the new missions will fully account for the personnel currently supporting the JSTARS mission

In May 2021, the Air Force announced four new missions to Robins AFB following the phasing out of the long-operational and critical JSTARS platform

Senator Reverend Warnock met with Air Force Secretary Kendall in October 2021 where he pressed him on the incoming missions and Georgia’s critical role in the modernized force

Senator Reverend Warnock, Lawmakers: “Robins AFB has long maintained broad and bipartisan support from the Georgia delegation. The Air Force’s decision eventually to retire the E-8 JSTARS platform has been accompanied by promises from both of your predecessors regarding follow on missions at the installation. We ask for your commitment to follow through on the promises made to this delegation, and we affirm our commitment to work in good faith with the Air Force to bring the new missions to Robins”

Read more from WMAZ: “Georgia’s US Senators, Congressmen ask Air Force to ‘honor promises’ on Robins’ future”

Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) led a bipartisan group of Georgia’s congressional lawmakers in calling on senior military leaders to honor the promises made to Robins Air Force Base (AFB) to secure new missions, and fully utilize the skilled military and civilian workforce located in Middle Georgia’s surrounding base community. In a new letter to U.S. Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall and Chief of Staff Charles Brown, Senator Warnock, U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff (D-GA) and U.S. Representatives Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (D-GA-02) and Austin Scott (R-GA-08), requested detailed information on the new missions promised to Robins AFB to ensure the installation’s vital future in our national security apparatus.

“Robins AFB has long maintained broad and bipartisan support from the Georgia delegation. The Air Force’s decision eventually to retire the E-8 JSTARS platform has been accompanied by promises from both of your predecessors regarding follow on missions at the installation. We ask for your commitment to follow through on the promises made to this delegation, and we affirm our commitment to work in good faith with the Air Force to bring the new missions to Robins,” the Georgia lawmakers wrote. 

The Georgia lawmakers continued, “In 2018, then Secretary Wilson committed to the Georgia delegation that Robins AFB “will host [the Advanced Battle Management System] ABMS” and that “the network would include aircraft at Robins AFB with the sensors capable of collecting and transmitting information from the battlefield.” We trust the Air Force will honor this commitment.”

The Air Force is planning to retire the first four E-8 JSTARS aircrafts this year. The JSTARS mission has been based at Robins AFB since the early 2000s. Former Acting Secretary John Roth committed to ensuring Robins Air Force Base would not lose personnel in the transition of JSTARS. In a meeting in October with Senator Warnock, current Air Force Secretary Kendall reaffirmed his intent to maintain personnel levels at the current Active and National Guard manning assigned as part of the JSTARS mission. Additionally, Secretary Kendall has noted the key role Georgia will continue to play in the future force design of the Air Force, particularly related to Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2).

In May, Senators Warnock and Ossoff and Representative A. Scott held a news conference to highlight the new missions coming to Robins and their bipartisan work to hold the Air Force to its word.

Now, Senator Warnock is working to ensure the U.S. Air Force keeps its promises which will allow Robins AFB to continue being at the forefront of support of global missions and advanced technologies. Senator Warnock continues to push for the vitality of the future of Robins Air Force Base and has formally invited Secretary Kendall to visit Georgia’s military installations to get a firsthand look at their importance.

READ the full letter HERE or below:

February 2, 2022

Dear Secretary Kendall and General Brown,

The Georgia delegation thanks you for your service to our nation and for your commitment to ensure Robins Air Force Base (AFB) remains a pillar of our national defense. Robins has an incredible civilian workforce and an active, Reserve and Guard talent pool that remain essential to the future of the Air Force.

Robins AFB has long maintained broad and bipartisan support from the Georgia delegation. The Air Force’s decision eventually to retire the E-8 JSTARS platform has been accompanied by promises from both of your predecessors regarding follow on missions at the installation. We ask for your commitment to follow through on the promises made to this delegation, and we affirm our commitment to work in good faith with the Air Force to bring the new missions to Robins. 

In 2018, then Secretary Wilson committed to the Georgia delegation that Robins AFB “will host [the Advanced Battle Management System] ABMS” and that “the network would include aircraft at Robins AFB with the sensors capable of collecting and transmitting information from the battlefield.” We trust the Air Force will honor this commitment.

The Air Force announced four new missions for Robins AFB in May 2021. This is a promising first-step. We now request the detailed implementation plan for these new missions and documentation to confirm the new missions will fully account for the personnel currently supporting the JSTARS mission. Additionally, we currently understand that the Battle Management Control Squadron (Kingpin) and E-11 missions, while important, may not be long-term, enduring missions for the Air Force. Therefore, along with working with your staff on understanding the detailed implementation plans for the incoming missions, we ask for your assurance that you will continue to work with the delegation to ensure Robins AFB retains its vital role in the Air Force’s future and retains Active-Duty and Air National Guard Wing-level units.

Finally, we would like to understand how the Air Force’s plan to establish a software wing could be part of the future for Robins AFB, as we believe that this mission fits well with the Air Force’s current plan and skills and capabilities present in Middle Georgia. 

To ensure we maintain full visibility the current Air Force plan of action, we request the following information:

• Details of any expected personnel gaps between the current JSTARS mission and incoming missions.
• Draft manning/personnel document(s) demonstrating the use of all current Active Duty and Georgia Air National Guard personnel in incoming missions.
• Projected timeline/lifespan of the E-11 BACN mission.
• Commitment that Robins AFB will be the host of ABMS and description of the projected ABMS-associated systems, detailing which have flying platforms.

We look forward to working with the Department of the Air Force as you continue to develop these plans and determine the details of the missions that fulfill the promises made to the Georgia delegation and Robins AFB. Thank you in advance for your attention to this important matter and timely response.

Sincerely,

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