Push to Bring F-35 Fighter Jets to Atlantic County Gains Momentum

EGG HARBOR TWP. - A renewed effort to bring the Air Force's F-35 fighter jet to the 177th Fighter Wing is gaining momentum in Atlantic County, as local officials line up behind the proposal and federal plans move forward for a major new maintenance facility at the Egg Harbor Township base.

The Egg Harbor Township Committee is expected to consider a resolution supporting the effort, following similar action by other local governments.

Longport adopted a resolution Aug. 19 urging the U.S. Air Force to base F-35 fighter jets at the 177th Fighter Wing at Atlantic City International Airport.

The push could have major long-term implications for both the military installation and Atlantic County's economy.

The 177th currently flies the F-16C Fighting Falcon. The wing's 119th Fighter Squadron operates Block 30 F-16s and remains an operational combat unit capable of supporting Air Force missions worldwide.

But as the Air Force gradually modernizes its fighter fleet, South Jersey leaders have been pushing for years to make Atlantic City the home of a next-generation aircraft.

The F-35A Lightning II is the Air Force's fifth-generation stealth fighter and is replacing older aircraft at a number of active-duty and Air National Guard installations around the country.

Atlantic City's 177th Fighter Wing has not been selected for the F-35.

However, a major federal construction project could significantly improve its ability to compete for a future fighter mission.

U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew announced in September 2025 that the House version of the fiscal 2026 National Defense Authorization Act included authorization for $61 million toward construction of a new maintenance hangar at the 177th.

Van Drew said at the time that the facility would allow the wing to accommodate next-generation aircraft, including either the F-35 or the newer F-15EX Eagle II.

"The 177th Fighter Wing is one of the most important assets we have in South Jersey and across the nation," Van Drew said when announcing the authorization.

He said the new hangar would position the wing to host the next generation of fighter aircraft and strengthen its long-term readiness.

Van Drew's original community project funding request sought $68 million for the maintenance hangar project.

The Atlantic County Economic Alliance's 2025 annual report also lists $68 million for the project under the fiscal 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, while noting that congressional authorization is only one step in the federal funding process. Actual appropriations and construction would still have to proceed through subsequent federal budget actions.

That distinction is important: funding for infrastructure that could support the F-35 does not mean the Air Force has decided to assign the aircraft to Atlantic City.

The 177th remains officially an F-16 unit.

According to the wing, it has operated at Atlantic City International Airport since 1958. Its current mission aircraft is the single-seat F-16C Fighting Falcon.

The base is also far more than a collection of fighter jets.

Air Force military construction documents list more than 1,100 authorized Guard positions associated with units at the Atlantic City installation. The documents also show 18 authorized F-16 aircraft, with 21 aircraft listed as actually assigned at the time of the report.

The 177th has played a major homeland-defense role since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and has supported operations including Noble Eagle, Southern Watch, Northern Watch, Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.

Its location is one of the central arguments supporters use in making the case for the F-35.

The base sits between two of the country's most important metropolitan and government centers — New York City and Washington, D.C. — and is adjacent to a growing cluster of aviation and aerospace facilities at Atlantic City International Airport.

Those facilities include the FAA's William J. Hughes Technical Center and the National Aerospace Research & Technology Park.

The Greater Atlantic City Chamber has long argued that those assets create a unique combination of military, aviation research and technological capabilities.

The chamber has said that bringing the F-35 to Atlantic County could also increase full-time employment at the base and generate additional economic activity throughout the region.

The economic significance of the 177th itself is substantial.

A New Jersey Military Installation Growth and Development Task Force report previously estimated that the wing contributed about $109.6 million annually to New Jersey's economy and supported nearly 3,000 direct and indirect jobs. That analysis is more than a decade old, however, and should not be viewed as a current economic-impact estimate.

The campaign to bring the F-35 to Atlantic City is not new.

The Greater Atlantic City Chamber publicly backed the effort in 2019 as the Air Force evaluated Air National Guard installations for the aircraft.

What is different now is the combination of new infrastructure planning and renewed municipal support.

Longport's Aug. 19 resolution specifically calls for "landing the F-35 in NJ" and urges the Air Force to base the fighter at the 177th Fighter Wing.

Egg Harbor Township, which is home to the installation, is now considering joining that effort.

Even if the local resolutions pass unanimously, the ultimate decision rests with the U.S. Air Force and Department of Defense.

Selection of a new fighter mission typically involves military requirements, available aircraft, infrastructure, environmental reviews, strategic needs and federal budget decisions.

For Atlantic County, though, the stakes are significant.

Securing a next-generation fighter could help protect the long-term future of one of South Jersey's most important military installations while bringing additional federal investment and potentially new jobs to the region.

For now, the Jersey Devils will continue flying their F-16s.

But Atlantic County leaders are making it increasingly clear which aircraft they hope will eventually replace them: the F-35.