Wright-Patterson AFB to host F-35 support organization
NewsDecember 07, 2018
WASHINGTON. U.S. Air Force officials selected Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (AFB), Ohio, as the preferred location for the F-35 Lightning II Hybrid Product Support Integrator (HPSI) organization which supports the entire F-35 enterprise to include joint and international partners.
The F-35 HPSI's primary role is to integrate support across the supply chain, maintenance, sustainment engineering, logistics information technology, and training disciplines. It delivers global support for fielded F-35s while preparing for future force expansion, Air Force officials state.
Air Force officials said Robins AFB, Georgia, was named as a reasonable alternative.
The current F-35 HPSI organization was established in 2016 in Crystal City, Virginia, at the F-35 Joint Program Office. HPSI supports a global fleet of more than 340 aircraft and when it moves to its new location will be led by the Air Force with a workforce from the Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, international partners and industry. The organization will be directly accountable to the product support manager within the F-35 Joint Program Office.
"Wright-Patterson Air Force Base has the trained acquisition professionals with the right fighter aircraft experience to run this organization for DoD’s [Department of Defense] Joint Program Office," says Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson. "We expect this experience to help us drive down F-35 sustainment costs as we build a more lethal and ready Air Force."
The Air Force will now conduct the requisite environmental analysis. The final basing decision will be made by the secretary of the Air Force after the analysis is complete.
