FLORIDA LAWMAKERS BLOCK MOVE TO EDWARDS LOCAL BASE WON'T GET RELOCATED FLIGHT-TEST WING.

Byline: JIM SKEEN Staff Writer

EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE -- Florida lawmakers squashed a proposal to move portions of a flight test wing from their state to Edwards Air Force Base.

Language in the recently approved 2007 defense appropriations bill prohibited funds from being used to transfer test and evaluation programs from Eglin Air Force Base. The move by Rep. Jeff Miller, D-Fla.; Rep. Allen Boyd, D-Fla.; Sen. Mel Martinez, R-Fla.; and Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., blocks a proposal to send portions of the 46th Test Wing -- which involved about 700 military personnel -- to Edwards.

``This language makes it crystal-clear that Congress does not want the Air Force Test and Evaluation Mission to be compromised,'' Miller said. ``This is a Northwest Florida issue, but it is also a national security issue. Once we educated other members of Congress to this fact, it became easier to get the language in the bill.''

The exact text of the language included in the conference report reads:

``None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available in this Act may be used to transfer from Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, to any other location, or otherwise to divest from that base, any test and evaluation facility or test and evaluation activity that as of the beginning of fiscal year 2007 is located or conducted at that base.''

A proposal to move portions of the test wing never was officially adopted, but rather was one of several options being looked at by Air Force Materiel Command to save as much as $580 million. After leaks to the news media, the Air Force acknowledged the proposal was under consideration, prompting Florida civic leaders to rally against the idea.

Whatever plan Air Force Materiel Command officials ultimately opt for will require Pentagon approval before being forwarded to the White House for inclusion in the proposed 2008 budget. The plan would then be subject to congressional review and approval.

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 operates a climatic laboratory in which aircraft can be tested in a variety of simulated weather conditions. The unit has roughly 3,500 personnel, with about 960 of that total being military service members.

james.skeen@dailynews

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