Gillibrand visits air base

(Editor’s note: The Express traveled to the Niagara Air Base for this press conference left to get gas at Gail’s and missed most of the late-starting event. It was nice to see Sen. Gillibrand actually advocate for something local as opposed to using the Falls as a backdrop the way Sen. Schumer does. I did have a nice chat with a gentleman wearing a  "Trump 2028" hat who stopped to ask why Gillibrand was here.)

By Ryan Zunner

Buffalo Toronto Public Media

Introduces bill to create new command center at Niagara Falls base

Millions of dollars in funding could be going to the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station to expand its refueling and logistics capabilities. In August, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand helped craft a Senate bill that outlined nationwide military construction spending for the coming fiscal year.

$16 million of that spending plan would create a new airfield command center at the Niagara Falls site, something Gillibrand said is vital to the future of the air reserve station.

"This new facility will provide a much needed upgrade for the 914th Air Refueling Wing, replacing multiple existing, outdated facilities with a state of the art command center on the flight line," Gillibrand said, standing just outside the front gate of the station. "This consolidation would improve command and control operations, streamline communications, decrease mission response times and improve training."

Gillibrand also supports the idea of basing U.S. Coast Guard search and rescue helicopters out of the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station. Currently, all of the Coast Guard air facilities for the Great Lakes are based out of Michigan.

The unit at Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station transitioned from flying the C-130 cargo aircraft, to KC-135 refueling planes around 2017. That move was vital for the base, which at times has been on the chopping block from the Pentagon.

"One of the best ways to secure a continued future of the Niagara Falls Air Reserve station is to ensure that its continuity received, that they continually receive funding to upgrade and expand the facilities in support of all of their missions," said Niagara County Legislator David Godfrey.

The spending plan now goes to the House of Representatives, which returned to session today, for deliberation.

Long-term, Gillibrand and other local military advocates say they want to extend the current runway at the Niagara Falls site. That's to accommodate the KC-135's, which cannot take-off fully loaded right now due to the length of the runway.