State Rep. Alicia St. Germaine today announced plans to secure $152 million in state funding to build two new runways at Selfridge Air National Guard Base, a critical step toward protecting thousands of local jobs and meeting the 2028 deadline for the new fighter mission.

St. Germaine introduced the funding as an amendment to a supplemental appropriations bill sponsored by Rep. Ron Robinson.

“Selfridge is a major economic engine for Macomb County and a vital part of Michigan’s defense network,” said St. Germaine, R-Harrison Township. “We worked with President Trump to secure a new fighter mission, and now it’s time for Michigan to step up and do our part. If we want those F-15EX fighter jets here by 2028, we need to move quickly and build the infrastructure to support them.”

To meet the 2028 deadline agreed to by federal and state leaders, Michigan must fund and complete critical runway construction on an accelerated schedule. State officials have emphasized that relying solely on the federal government would risk delays that could jeopardize the mission.

St. Germaine has consistently prioritized strengthening Selfridge. She worked with Gov. Whitmer to secure $10 million in the FY24 budget and $15 million in the FY25 budget for capital improvements at the base, including runway reconfiguration and construction of a nearly 42,000-square-foot hangar and maintenance facility. House Republicans also worked with the governor to include an additional $26 million in one-time funding for FY26.

“This has been a team effort every step of the way,” St. Germaine said. “Speaker Hall has been relentless in his conversations with President Trump and the Air Force. The governor helped secure early investment. Our federal partners delivered the mission. Now we must finish the job.”

Selfridge supports approximately 5,000 jobs and is home to about 4,000 military families across all branches of service. The base also anchors a defense corridor that generates roughly $1 billion in economic impact for Macomb County.

St. Germaine said community support has been overwhelming.

“Those jets fly over our houses. They’re loud. And we say, from District 62, ‘Bring it on,’” St. Germaine said.

House leadership has indicated the supplemental is expected to move quickly to stay on schedule with the established 2028 timeline.

“If we’re going to meet the 2028 goal, we need to act now,” St. Germaine said. “Thousands of families and small businesses depend on Selfridge. We are stepping up to protect those jobs and defend the local economy that relies on this base. This investment in Selfridge will deliver returns for generations to come while protecting the freedoms we cherish.”