A bipartisan contingent of California legislators led by U.S. Reps. Vince Fong (R-CA) and David Valadao (R-CA) are lobbying the U.S. Navy to base seven F-35C fighter squadrons at Naval Air Station (NAS) Lemoore in their home state.
“NAS Lemoore has the capacity to support additional aircraft, has widespread community support, is located near critical Navy ranges that can bolster its mission, and has received significant federal investments in recent years,” the lawmakers wrote in a June 15 letter sent to Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao.
NAS Lemoore, which is in both Kings and Fresno Counties, Calif., is surrounded by productive agricultural lands, which they said is conducive to high volumes of flights.
“With nearly 20,000 acres, NAS Lemoore has room to grow and is well positioned to support our nation,” according to the letter, which was also signed by members including U.S. Reps. Jim Costa (D-CA), Jay Obernolte (R-CA), Mark Amodei (R-NV), Young Kim (R-CA), and Kevin Kiley (R-CA).
The lawmakers also highlighted the federal government’s significant recent investments in NAS Lemoore as evidence of its readiness to support the F-35C mission, including in fiscal year 2026 when $55.542 million was appropriated for the Strike Fighter Center of Excellence and $17 million to design a new F-35 Maintenance Hanger.
And in recent years, almost $36.6 million was awarded for renovations to R.J. Neutra Elementary School, and $21.7 million was used to modernize Admiral Akers Elementary School, they wrote.
“These recent expenditures build on existing major investments that are already supporting the F-35C program at NAS Lemoore and serve as a foundation for future aircraft assignments,” the letter states. “NAS Lemoore is home to incredible men and women who proudly serve our nation, and there is no better place to base the Navy’s F-35Cs than NAS Lemoore.”