A request has been made to conduct a Congressional field hearing in Fort Smith related to U.S. defense budget cuts that would change the mission of the 188th Fighter Wing, according to U.S. Rep. Steve Womack, R-Rogers.
Womack teased Saturday night (April 14) during his comments at the Sebastian County Lincoln Day Dinner that the field hearing could land in Fort Smith in the near future.
“We have a big fight on our hands (to save the 188th) … And that fight is far from over,” Womack told the about 300 in the crowd.
Broad cuts in U.S. defense spending include the removal of the 20 A-10 Thunderbolt fighter plans from the 188th Fighter Wing in Fort Smith. The loss of the fighter mission is scheduled to be replaced with the unmanned Predator drone. The drones and intelligence specialists needed to analyze drone-driven data would not be based in Fort Smith.
