Air base gets $54 million

Advocates for the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station are welcoming a pre-holiday gift from the federal government: $54 million dollars.

Earlier this week, U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Chuck Schumer announced $54 million dollars in funds will go to the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station.

The funds are included under the National Defense Authorization Act for 2026 and will go towards the Combined Operations Airfield Facility. Niagara Military Affairs Council Chairman and Retired Chief Master Sergeant Michael Zimmerman says the airbase is critical for the operation of military aircraft in our region.

“We're the only tanker facility in that area, so we can help refuel other aircraft transiting and going to other locations," Zimmerman said. "And it's long been a very strategic location for us."

The base is also the largest employer in Niagara County, providing jobs to 3,000 people.

Gillibrand called the funding a “win for service members, New Yorkers and all Americans.” Senator Schumer says the funding is essential for the base to fulfill its mission going forward, as “it needs a new facility to centralize its command & control operations and improve communication across squadrons.”

"It's not uncommon for, like I said, people to not realize that the base is here," Zimmerman added. "They pass by it every day, probably, and don't even realize it's there. But it's very important to our national defense, and we're very proud to have it in our backyard.”