“This information confirms a situation that was expected since the investment was substantially reduced and there was a change in the strategy carried out by the U.S. administration regarding what was projected for the development of the new US military aircrafts,” stated the Regional Secretary for the Presidency, André Bradford, on Monday in response to the statement issued by the Ministry of Defence. The Government official also added that the training ground for the new F25 and F35 fighters, in the context of “budget restrictions and reduction in the force structure of the USAFE,” will not be “continued in the current terms.”
The response from the Ministry of Defence follows a question posed by a member of the Assembly of the Republic and confirms the statements previously made by André Bradford at the end of a meeting of the General Policy Commission of the Azorean Parliament, held last July, during which he was heard on a petition against the use of the Azorean airspace as a training ground.  At the occasion, the Regional Secretary stated that “it is premature to talk about the airspace to be used as a training ground for U.S. high-end fighters as the United States have suspended the construction of these aircrafts.”
With regard to the aforementioned petition, the Regional Secretary of the Presidency stressed that “it does not make sense to discuss whether or not the Azores will be used as a training ground for the F-22 and F-35 fighters,” when their construction is suspended by decision of the North American administration, adding that the priorities for the military investments undertaken by the current U.S. President, Barack Obama, are different from the George W. Bush administration.
As he said last July, André Bradford reiterates that “the Government of the Azores has always defended and continue to defend that the Lajes Air Base should widen its functions and be available for other utilities in order to assure the U.S. presence.” For the Regional Secretary this “is good for the Portuguese citizens working on that military base as well as for the local economy.” In this context, André Bradford confirmed the “defence of other functions and utilities for the Lajes Air Base, as long as the impact on the environment and safety of the population living nearby that military infrastructure is safeguarded.”