Florida delegation urges repairs of Air Force base damaged by Hurricane Michael

Florida’s members of Congress recently sent a letter to Defense Secretary Jim Mattis urging the government to provide funding and support for the repair of Tyndall Air Force Base that was damaged by Hurricane Michael.

Tyndall is where airmen train to fly the F-22 Raptor, and it is home base for the 325th Fighter Wing and the 601st Air Operations Center units. The base has 55 Raptors.

The base plays a crucial role in promoting the country’s national security interests, the letter said.

“As the Air Force conducts its damage assessment, we request consistent, immediate, and detailed communication of the funding and support needed to repair infrastructure, restore operations and provide for local service members, civilians and their families,” the letter said. “Working together, Tyndall will be rebuilt and return stronger than ever, allowing its tenant units to resume their missions from one of the premier AIR FORCE BASES in the world.”

Earlier this month, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) sent a letter to Heather Wilson, secretary of the Air Force, about the repair of F-22 Raptors damaged in the storm.

When the hurricane made landfall, 31 percent of the Raptors were designated Non-Mission Capable. The damage would have been lower had fewer aircraft had this designation, Rubio said.