Lansing, Michigan – A $152 million construction project at Selfridge Air National Guard Base is about more than pouring concrete and extending a runway. It is about making sure one of Michigan’s most important military installations has a place in the next generation of American air defense.
And the stakes go well beyond the base itself. With an estimated $850 million economic impact and 30,000 jobs supported statewide, Selfridge has become a major part of Michigan’s military economy. Now, a long-awaited investment is moving from plans on paper to construction.
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer joined federal, state and local officials, military leaders and community representatives for a groundbreaking ceremony marking the beginning of a $152 million runway improvement project at Selfridge Air National Guard Base.
The bipartisan investment, funded earlier in 2026, will realign and expand the existing runway to prepare the installation for two major aircraft missions: the F-15EX Eagle II fighter and the KC-46 Pegasus aerial refueling tanker.
Both aircraft represent significant changes for the Michigan National Guard’s 127th Wing, which currently operates A-10 Thunderbolt II fighters and KC-135 Stratotankers.
The transition is expected to take place over the next five to seven years, making infrastructure improvements an essential part of preparing the base for its new responsibilities.
“Selfridge is essential to our national defense, our economy, and the communities that surround it,” Whitmer said.
“This groundbreaking marks another important step in preparing the base for its next generation of missions. I’m proud to have worked with leaders at every level to support the men and women who serve, strengthen Michigan’s role in our nation’s defense, and secure Selfridge’s future. Let’s continue working together to solve big problems and keep Selfridge strong.”
The runway construction follows years of efforts to secure replacement aircraft as the Air Force moves away from the aging A-10 fleet.
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A major breakthrough came in January 2024, when federal officials announced the decision to station KC-46A tankers at Selfridge. Another followed on April 29, 2025, when President Donald Trump visited the installation and announced its future F-15EX fighter mission.
Those decisions gave Selfridge a clearer future. The latest investment is intended to provide the physical infrastructure needed to support it.
U.S. Army Major General Paul D. Rogers, Michigan’s adjutant general and director of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, described the groundbreaking as an important investment in military readiness.
“Through strong partnerships among state, federal and local leaders, we are advancing the critical infrastructure needed to support the F-15EX Eagle II and KC-46 Pegasus missions and ensure Selfridge remains a vital part of our nation’s defense,” Rogers said.
The runway is not the only construction effort connected to the transition.
Plans also include relocating and rebuilding part of William P. Rosso Highway between Interstate 94 and Jefferson Avenue. That project involves realigning the roadway, improving drainage and making other modifications associated with the base’s future operational needs.
The broader preparations build on earlier state investments, including a $28 million fighter maintenance hangar project launched in 2023 and additional infrastructure funding approved in subsequent budgets.
Selfridge currently supports more than 5,000 National Guard and Reserve personnel and hosts military units from every U.S. armed service except the Space Force. Customs and Border Protection also conducts homeland security operations there.
Its importance extends into Michigan’s larger defense industry, which contributes an estimated $30 billion to the state economy and supports approximately 166,000 jobs.
For the 127th Wing, which has more than 1,400 Airmen, the coming years will bring substantial changes in aircraft, infrastructure and mission capabilities.
The $152 million runway project marks a concrete step toward that transition, connecting years of political advocacy and military planning with the construction needed to keep Selfridge operating as a major defense installation for decades to come.