Longstanding Partnership Between Abilene and Dyess Benefits the Next Generation of American Air Dominance

Representative Jodey Arrington (TX-19)  was joined by Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense Representative Ken Calvert (CA-42), military officials, and Abilene city leaders to provide an update on Dyess Air Force Base priorities and discuss the longstanding partnership between Dyess and the City of Abilene, which was marked by the signing of an Intergovernmental Support Agreement (IGSA). 

“No community has received greater national recognition for supporting their Air Force base and airmen than the people of Abilene. I commend Mayor Anthony Williams and Dyess Base Commander Col. Kramer and Vice Commander Col. Kippie for continuing to find ways to strengthen this critical partnership between the City and the base,” said Rep. Arrington. “I want to also thank my colleague and friend, Representative Ken Calvert, for honoring us with his presence today. As the next Chairman of the Defense Appropriations Committee, Ken is a leader in shaping defense policy and military funding, and he has a mutual interest in Dyess getting the support necessary to host the next generation of American air dominance.”  

“Dyess Air Force Base plays a critical strategic role in America’s air defense. It was great to get a firsthand look at the base along with Rep. Arrington, who has been a real champion for Dyess Air Force Base in Congress,” said Rep. Calvert. “As the top Republican on the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, I’ve worked with Rep. Arrington to ensure the resources are in place to ensure the transition to the next generation bomber is a smooth and successful one.”  

“We appreciate our outstanding community partners for their continued support,” said Col. Kevin Kippie, 7th Bomb Wing Vice Commander. “This agreement shows just how dedicated the City of Abilene is to improving not only the base, but also the lives of our Airmen and families.”

“The Intergovernmental Support Agreement strengthens our partnership with Dyess Air Force Base and is a tangible example of Abilene’s continued support for Dyess,” said Mayor Anthony Williams. “Our entire community benefits from this outstanding partnership and the wonderful work of the Military Affairs Committee in coordinating it.”  

Background on Dyess Priorities

Rep. Arrington secured several priorities for Dyess Air Force Base in the Fiscal Year 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) including:

• $22 million for B-1 hypersonic integration.

• $3.3 billion for the B-21 bomber.

• Provision to prevent B-1 retirements for an additional three years (until 2026).

Background on Intergovernmental Support Agreement 

The IGSA signed today at City Hall is an agreement between Dyess Air Force Base and the City of Abilene that reaffirms their established partnership. This agreement will be pivotal in allowing the city to make bids on critical maintenance and infrastructure improvements on base.

Rep. Arrington’s Full Remarks as Drafted

I want to start by thanking the Mayor of Abilene, Anthony Williams, and Dyess Base Commander, Col. Joe Kramer,  for this important partnership between the City of Abilene and Dyess Air Force Base. I also want to thank my friend and colleague, Rep. Ken Calvert, for being here.

As the Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, Rep. Calvert is a leader in shaping defense policy for the Committee and managing Congress’ power of the purse. Ken plays a vital role in ensuring the B-1 and other legacy aircraft systems stay online and effective until we can transition to the next generation of American air superiority.

This Intergovernmental Support Agreement between Abilene and Dyess will be a game changer in allowing the city to make bids for critical maintenance and infrastructure improvements on base. 

The City of Abilene and Dyess already have an incredible track record of accomplishment. 

Last year, the City of Abilene and Dyess were recognized for their extraordinary service to our country including winning the Barksdale Trophy at the Air Force’s Bi-annual Global Strike Challenge Awards Ceremony. Dyess Airmen also won four competitions in the Global Strike Challenge including best B-1B squadron, best bomb, best bomber maintenance, and best bomb wing.

I’m proud to represent Dyess for several reasons. Dyess Air Force Base is the largest B-1 bomber base in the country. Within 24 hours, the B-1 can hit any target anywhere in the world. Since 2001, the B-1 has played a major role overseas (over 12,000 missions), including in Afghanistan and Iraq. The Air Force chose Dyess as a B-21 base, including the weapons training school for the B-21 and operational test and evaluation for the B-21.

I was proud to secure several Dyess priorities in the FY 2023 NDAA including $22 million for B-1 hypersonic integration, $3.3 billion for the B-21 bomber, and a provision to prevent B-1 retirements for an additional three years (2026).

We need to keep the B-1 lethal and effective to ensure our reduced bomber fleet can meet the needs of our national defense until the B-21 is operational. To have a seamless transition to the next generation bomber we need to do the following: hypersonic weapons capability for the remaining B-1s, expanded carriage, and hardpoint pylon development. 

Our adversaries are moving ahead with the development of hypersonic weapons, and the Pentagon must devote the resources to respond to these threats. Testing Hypersonic Weapons on the B-1 will serve as a powerful deterrent against China, Russia, and other adversaries who are also testing these lethal weapons. 

The B-21 will ensure our military can continue to project American air power and deterrence across the globe. We must work to ensure the Air Force stays on time and on target with the progress of the B-21, and we must find any way to expedite getting the B-21 online and operational.

We must continue to project American air power across the globe and deter our adversaries to remain the freest and strongest nation in the world.