WARNER ROBINS, Ga. — The State of Robins Air Force Base is good, and that's good news for all of Central Georgia.
Robins leaders shared their annual report to the community Tuesday.
We tell you about Robins big transition from JSTARS to a brand new mission.
Robins' first JSTARS plane went to the Boneyard in Arizona last month.
The Boneyard is like a giant scrapyard for the Air Force, where they store retired planes and often use them for parts.
Colonel Amy Holbeck said, "I was very fortunate to be out there and watch it as it landed for its final flight."
For 20 years, Colonel Amy Holbeck flew for JSTARS.
Holbeck said, "Really, it was an incredible reminder of just what JSTARS has brought to the fight, at least -- over and over -- for at least 20 years, and that is the wide-area surveillance that no one else offers."
In May, Air Force officials announced new, high-tech units the Advanced Battlefield Management System (ABMS) will replace JSTARS at Robins.
Holbeck said, "We're going to continue to provide that same support until the divestment is complete or the demand ceases."
Colonel Steven Shepan says it's hard to put a timeline on the switch. He says "while some of the faces will change," they still have a responsibility to "take care of their airmen."
Shepan said, "As they begin to transition to what's next to them, or they settle in for a more permanent role here in the region, they know that the support is there."
Colonel Holbeck says no one will lose their job in the 116th Air Control Wing or the Georgia Air National Guard between now and when the new mission starts.
Holbeck said, "For us, it's only our operations and maintenance personnel that will transition to the new mission. It's roughly about 650 of those 1,400 members, so the majority of those 650 will transition into the ABMS family system mission. Like I said, it's an exciting time to be in the Georgia Air National Guard as we bring on these new missions and new technologies."
Eventually, the base will be the headquarters for the Advanced Battlefield Management System. They start construction on one facility this Spring and the other in December. It will be a $140 million project on the JSTARS side of campus.
Colonel Holbeck also said more intel, cyber, and communication jobs will be open to "support artificial intelligence, machine learning and space base sensors and information, as they move toward the future."
Robins Air Force Base is also recruiting and working to streamline the hiring process. It used to take about 160 days, but they got it down to 78 days. They're hoping to get it down to 45 or less.
After the event, base leaders would not comment on any other questions. Some local leaders reported they've heard robins is playing a role in the current war in Ukraine, but base leaders would not comment on that. Other local leaders acknowledged their help in Ukraine, but they did not provide any details.
Numbers released Tuesday show Robins Air Force Base continues to grow. Even through the pandemic, their economic impact numbers increased over 2020.
The economic impact statement says Robins added $5.46 billion to the state's economy. That includes $4 billion in payroll. The base now employs just over 23,000 people. More than two thirds of those are civilians. The base also awarded more than $900 million in contracts, and a quarter of that was in Bibb and Houston counties. Base officials said Robins total impact grew over the past year by about 2 percent.