Barksdale underscores global‑strike role, reports $1.12 billion annual economic impact and backs expanded no‑drone zone
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Summary
Barksdale Air Force Base leaders told the committee the base’s global‑strike mission remains critical, reported a $1.12 billion annual economic impact and outlined runway, weapons‑generation and energy resilience projects. They also expressed support for legislation to expand a no‑drone zone around the base (Senate Bill 9).
A senior Barksdale Air Force Base official described Barksdale to the Military and Veteran Affairs Committee as “what I would describe as an absolute national treasure,” and said the base’s global‑strike role produces statewide economic benefits and wide community ties.
Why it matters: Barksdale houses long‑range bomber assets and nuclear deterrence capabilities that the witness described as strategically unique. The base reported 16,199 personnel, 47 B‑52 aircraft, and a $1.12 billion annual economic impact to the region. The commander told lawmakers the installation’s operations, community outreach and planned infrastructure work have direct local economic effects and national security implications.
In his presentation, the commander (identified in testimony as the Barksdale commander) said Barksdale’s missions support United States Strategic Command and Air Force Global Strike Command and include regular overseas deployments, NATO exercises and long‑range CONUS‑to‑CONUS missions. He said the base has about 7,000,000 square feet of indoor space and roughly 2,600,000 square yards of apron and estimated the Second Bomb Wing contributed roughly $330 million in purchases and expenditures last year.
On personnel and economic impact, the commander reported 16,199 personnel and said the base’s yearly economic effect on the region rose to $1,120,000,000. He told the committee the base’s public events — notably a two‑day air show that drew about 230,000 visitors — generated direct and total economic effects the base estimated at $5 million and $10 million, respectively, and produced large STEM outreach numbers.
Infrastructure and projects: The commander reported multiple ongoing and planned construction efforts. A weapons‑generation facility run by the National Airborne Field Engineering Center (NAFEC) is ahead of schedule. The base is seeking funding to repair its alert facility and is advocating for a joint global strike operations center (JGSOC / STA/YOC) and corrosion control facility. He said full‑depth runway repairs for each runway end are planned as an approximately $80 million project expected to begin soliciting bids in mid‑August.
Energy resilience also featured: the commander said base electrical feeders and on‑base power distribution are aging and that an executive order directs installations to pursue energy independence and microgrid capability for mission assurance. He said Barksdale currently lacks on‑base generation redundancy for critical mission functions.
Community partnerships and safety: The commander highlighted partnerships with Lake Charles and Chennault Regional Airport as alternate runways and training support, noting that diversions place several hundred thousand dollars into local economies (“When we land those jets there, those four jets, put about $600,000 into the Lake Charles economy,” he said). He credited the Shreveport‑Bossier Military Affairs Council and local health systems for medical and workforce collaborations and described the base’s BOOT program to help transitioning service members find local employment.
Drone safety and legislation: The commander discussed proposed legislation to expand the base’s no‑drone perimeter (Senate Bill 9 on the floor that day). He said software enforcement in expanded no‑drone zones will block standard consumer drones; any drone seen in the expanded zone would likely have had its software overridden and therefore be treated as a possible nefarious intrusion. He said the bill would support joint detection and defeat efforts with local law enforcement and prosecution of offenders; waivers through FAA processes would remain available for authorized flights.
The presentation closed with questions from legislators about foreign ownership of nearby land, FAA waiver processes and community signage for airshow closures. Craig Giglio, president of the Shreveport‑Bossier Military Affairs Council, and lawmakers praised the base’s outreach and economic impact.
