Read more: State, Local, U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, South Carolina, Air Bases, Shaw Air Force Base, F 35, Next Generation Combat Jet
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham says two South Carolina air bases are still in the running to house the Air Force's next-generation combat jet.
The South Carolina Republican says Shaw Air Force Base near Sumter and McEntire Joint National Guard Base outside Columbia are among 11 bases that could get the first group of F-35 Joint Strike
Fighter jets.
The Air Force is in the early stages of shifting to the F-35, an all-purpose combat workhorse that will form the backbone of U.S. air power over the next several decades. The F-35s will replace F-16s, which are based at Shaw and McEntire, as well as several other aircraft.
Environmental impact studies and site assessments must take place before final basing decisions are made, which may take several years.
