US Air Force to Spend $1 Billion Upgrading Selfridge Base
The US Air Force will spend up to $1 billion to modernize Michigan's Selfridge Air National Guard Base for 21 new F-15EX Eagle II fighters and KC-46A
The US Air Force is committing nearly $1 billion to rebuild Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Michigan to host just 21 new F-15EX Eagle II fighter jets. This massive investment shows the enormous infrastructure costs tied to modernizing the nation's air fleet.
Selfridge Base Transition from A-10 to F-15EX
Selfridge Air National Guard Base, home to the 127th Wing of the Michigan Air National Guard, is phasing out its A-10 Thunderbolt II attack aircraft. The Fiscal 2026 budget allows for 59 A-10 retirements, leaving 103. The subsequent Fiscal 2027 request seeks to retire 49 more, keeping only 54 in service for a few more years. In 2025, it was announced that Selfridge's A-10s would be replaced by 21 modern F-15EXs, with the first jets expected to arrive in 2028. The Air Force's overall F-15EX procurement target appears to have nearly doubled to 267 examples in Fiscal 2027 plans.
Federal and State Funding for a "Super Base"
Michigan officials have welcomed the investment. In May 2026, the Detroit Regional Chamber applauded the state's unanimous passage of a $152 million spending bill for a new runway at Selfridge. The chamber stated that sustained infrastructure upgrades are projected to cost around $1 billion over five to seven years and that the base has "immense potential" to become a "super base." The report notes that in 2025, state leaders requested a new fighter mission from the federal government, which then committed to the 21 F-15EX aircraft for Michigan.
Funding for the overhaul comes from both federal and state sources. The breakdown is as follows:
| Funding Source | Amount | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| US Federal Government | $792 million to $1 billion | Hangars, maintenance facilities, KC-46 infrastructure, airfield upgrades, support buildings |
| State of Michigan | $152 million | Runway and taxiway improvements |
| State of Michigan (additional) | $162 million | Runway improvements |
| State of Michigan (additional) | $24 million | Taxiway Bravo |
| State of Michigan (additional) | $28 million | Taxiway Alpha |
New KC-46A Tanker Squadron Arrives in 2029
The transformation extends beyond fighters. Selfridge is also set to host a squadron of 12 new KC-46A Pegasus refueling tankers, with the first expected to arrive starting in 2029. A significant portion of the federal funds, around $280 million, is specifically for KC-46 infrastructure, including a dual-bay hangar complex and training facilities. In January 2024, the Air Force reported that these KC-46As would replace the aging A-10s and KC-135 Stratotankers at the base, with divestment of those older aircraft beginning in 2026 and 2027, respectively.
Infrastructure and Training Drive High Hidden Costs
The high cost at Selfridge is driven by both aging infrastructure and the specific needs of new aircraft. Approximately $190 million of federal funds is earmarked for an eight-bay maintenance complex specifically for the F-15EX, which works out to around $9 million per jet. The source notes that training pilots and weapon systems officers for the new two-seater F-15EX, while not publicly disclosed, typically costs many millions of dollars and represents another significant element of the overall program cost. This illustrates why comparing only the fly-away cost of fighter jets is misleading, as add-ons, munitions, infrastructure, and maintenance represent far greater expenses over time.
Broader Air Force Infrastructure Spending Surges
The Selfridge project is part of a much larger surge in US Air Force infrastructure spending. The Department of the Air Force is requesting $26.75 billion for military construction and facilities in Fiscal 2027, more than double the $13.06 billion enacted for Fiscal 2026. This funding supports new programs like the B-21 bomber and F-47 fighter, nuclear modernization, and Space Force growth. Other airbases with expensive upgrade programs include Nellis Air Force Base (over $1.6 billion) and Ellsworth Air Force Base (around $1.3 to 1.5 billion). Around $800 million is also being spent to revive airfields on Tinian island as backups for Andersen Air Force Base in Guam.
Despite Michigan's substantial contribution to Selfridge, a Space Force project in the state is even larger. A federal Fiscal 2027 budget item includes about $192.5 million for a Space Force facility, which a congressman noted is the largest military construction appropriation in Michigan. The Space Force's overall budget request has grown from $15.4 billion in Fiscal 2021 to $71.1 billion in Fiscal 2027.
