By Gretchen Parsons, KTVB
Full Article - KTVB.com
BOISE - The possibility of an F-35 squadron based at Gowen Field has been an ongoing push from Idaho's top lawmakers.
Boise Mayor Dave Bieter and Gov. Butch Otter sat down with officials in Washington, D.C. Wednesday to further discuss the possibility.
Boise's Gowen Field is in the running with four other locations to house a fleet of F-35s.
Of those places, Boise is the only city where political leaders have made the trip to Washington to further campaign for a squadron.
“They were very specific, you guys were the only ones taking the time and effort to meet with us and talk about these issues, so that was a very good sign and we will continue to follow that up,” said Bieter.
Bieter says almost every single official he met with was familiar with Idaho.
“That can be part of the battle, that we are talking to folks in other parts of the country, do they even know where we are? Have they been here? Do they know what it is like here?” said Bieter.
But there are still a lot of unknowns of, if and when, the new jets might come to Idaho.
“The best news is at the highest levels of the Air Force and the guard, we were assured that Gowen Field will have a fighting mission for years to come, and they have never really said that as specifically as they had said that this time,” said Bieter.
Bieter expects to hear more specifics about the F-35 campaign this summer or fall.
Full Article - KTVB.com
BOISE - The possibility of an F-35 squadron based at Gowen Field has been an ongoing push from Idaho's top lawmakers.
Boise Mayor Dave Bieter and Gov. Butch Otter sat down with officials in Washington, D.C. Wednesday to further discuss the possibility.
Boise's Gowen Field is in the running with four other locations to house a fleet of F-35s.
Of those places, Boise is the only city where political leaders have made the trip to Washington to further campaign for a squadron.
“They were very specific, you guys were the only ones taking the time and effort to meet with us and talk about these issues, so that was a very good sign and we will continue to follow that up,” said Bieter.
Bieter says almost every single official he met with was familiar with Idaho.
“That can be part of the battle, that we are talking to folks in other parts of the country, do they even know where we are? Have they been here? Do they know what it is like here?” said Bieter.
But there are still a lot of unknowns of, if and when, the new jets might come to Idaho.
“The best news is at the highest levels of the Air Force and the guard, we were assured that Gowen Field will have a fighting mission for years to come, and they have never really said that as specifically as they had said that this time,” said Bieter.
Bieter expects to hear more specifics about the F-35 campaign this summer or fall.
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