46TH TEST WING MAY BE MOVED TO EDWARDS AFB AIR FORCE LOOKING TO TRIM PERSONNEL AT FLORIDA BASE.

Byline: JIM SKEEN Staff Writer

EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE -- The Air Force is considering relocating an aircraft test wing from a base in Florida to Edwards Air Force Base as part of an effort to trim the service's overall number of personnel.

The 46th Test Wing, a 3,400-member unit from Eglin Air Force Base, is being eyed for a move west. If the Air Force were to make that move, an undisclosed number of positions would be slashed before the transfer.

The proposal is one of many being considered by the Air Force as it looks to trim 40,000 people over the next five years. The savings in personnel costs would go toward new aircraft and equipment.

``It's true that a proposal to realign the 46th Test Wing to Edwards Air Force Base, California, is one of many options being considered as the Air Force must execute its mission more efficiently on an increasingly tighter budget,'' said John Norgren, spokesman for Eglin's Air Armament Center. ``Realigning the 46th Test Wing is only one of many options being looked at by the Air Force and no realignment decisions have been made.''

It is possible the Air Force could make realignment decisions in August after the Air Force submits its budget for fiscal year 2008, Norgren said.

It is Air Force policy not to discuss possible unit realignments until final decisions are made and announced by Air Force officials. At that time, Air Force officials will provide specific details regarding how a realignment action will impact an affected unit, base or mission, Norgren said.

Air Force officials called any reports of the transfer of the unit as speculative and ``pre-decisional.''

Col. Brent Baker, commander of Edwards' 95th Air Base Wing, said he could not discuss any of the scenarios being looked at by the Air Force. Baker said he anticipates that the Air Force would be making decisions sometime later this month or in August.

The 46th Test Wing performs test and evaluation work on air-launched systems and uses A-10, F-15 and F-16 aircraft. The unit also has a climatic laboratory in which aircraft can be tested in a variety of simulated weather conditions.

Eglin advocates are gearing up to oppose the transfer, should the Air Force opt for that move. In a letter to Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, Florida Sens. Bill Nelson and Mel Martinez and Reps. Jeff Miller and Allen Boyd called for the Pentagon to stop the implementation of any Air Force cuts until Congress could review them.

``We believe their (the Air Force's) approach will significantly degrade our nation's ability to support our men and women in harm's way today and adversely impact our nation's readiness in the future,'' the Florida lawmakers wrote.

Antelope Valley aerospace advocates argue that consolidating test and evaluation missions in the U.S. Southwest makes sense given the capability of bases such as Edwards and the China Lake Naval Warfare Center at Ridgecrest. These bases are already geared toward test and evaluation work, have access to large areas of restricted airspace, and have good weather.

``We've been advocating this for years,'' said Bob Johnstone, executive director of the Edwards Community Alliance.

james.skeen(at)dailynews.com

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