Oct. 2 – Report: 122nd Fighter Wing has $113M economic impact on state
Airman 1st Class Halley Clark
An A-10C Thunderbolt II aircraft assigned to the 122nd Fighter Wing performs aerial maneuvers during the “Final ATTACK!” event July 8 at the 122nd Fighter Wing in Fort Wayne. The event celebrated the history of the use of the A-10C, which has been replaced with the F-16 at the base south of Fort Wayne.
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FORT WAYNE — A recent report by Purdue University Fort Wayne’s Community Research Institute found the Indiana Air National Guard’s 122nd Fighter Wing has a $113 million economic impact on the state of Indiana. The report, requested by Greater Fort Wayne Inc., measures the impacts of the air base within the economy of Allen County, Indiana’s 3rd Congressional District, and Indiana as a whole.
Within Allen County, the local spending of the 122nd is an estimated $63.5 million, and $94.1 million across the 10 northeastern counties of Indiana’s 3rd Congressional District. This spending includes operational expenditures such as employee payroll and benefits, utilities and maintenance, food, lodging and education, according to the Oct. 2 announcement.
“With a mix of full-time and part-time personnel, the economic reach of the 122nd is centered in Fort Wayne but extends across Northeast Indiana and the entire state,” Rachel Blakeman, director of the Purdue University Fort Wayne Community Research Institute, said in the announcement. “While the community may be familiar with the military readiness component, especially with the switch over to the F-16s this month, the 122nd Fighter Wing’s operations at Fort Wayne International Airport should not be overlooked as a driver of economic activity locally, in the 3rd Congressional District and statewide. It is worth noting the economic impact of the 122nd Fighter Wing is likely much larger and dynamic than what the available data represents.”
According to the report, the 122nd supports over 1,100 jobs annually throughout the state of Indiana. In Allen County alone, the air base supports an estimated 672 employees – 60% of the total statewide jobs supported by the base.
“All too often, the Indiana National Guard and the Indiana Air National Guard are only looked at as a part-time employer,” John Urbahns, president and CEO of Greater Fort Wayne Inc., said in the announcement. “The 122nd Fighter Wing with 423 full-time military and civilian employees and 727 part-time military employees is a major employer in our community. It is important for the community to understand the role of the 122nd Fighter Wing as an economic driver in Indiana. While the wing prepares to receive new aircraft, the F-16 Fighting Falcon in the coming months, to maintain our national defense assets. The transition is also important to maintain their role as a major contributor to our local economy.”
The 122nd Fighter Wing dates as far back as 1942, originally the 358th Fighter Group. The transition to the F-16 continues not only military readiness, but also the economic benefits of the 122nd Fighter Wing in our community.
The 122nd, known as the Blacksnakes, previously had the F-16 jets before transitioning to A-10s.
U.S. Rep. Jim Banks, R-3rd, worked for years to bring the F-16 Fighter back to Fort Wayne and prepare the wing for a bright future. In December 2022, Congress passed the National Defense Authorization Act to officially fund the conversion from the base’s 21 A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft, paving the way for F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft to come to Fort Wayne and eventually help the 122nd Fighter Wing compete for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.
While the A-10 is a ground-attack aircraft, the F-16 is capable of air-to-air combat and air-to-surface attacks.
The 122nd has deployed on many combat zone assignments, including Afghanistan, Iraq, Oman, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Qatar.
See the impact report attached to this story.