Selfridge begins $152M runway extension for new fighter jets

Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel stood on a concrete strip on Wednesday to mark the start of construction on a new runway extension at Selfridge Air National Guard Base. The ceremony signaled the beginning of a $152 million project designed to expand the runway by 1,000 feet. This expansion is necessary to accommodate 21 F-15EX fighter jets and accompanying KC-46A refueling tankers.

The new aircraft are expected to arrive at the Harrison Township base in late 2028. They will replace the retiring A-10C Thunderbolt II fighter jets and KC-135 Stratotanker refueling planes. The runway work is the first phase of a larger upgrade package estimated at $1 billion when state and federal funds are combined.

Whitmer described the effort to secure the new mission as a nonpartisan victory. She said she and other politicians, including Republican state House Speaker Matt Hall, lobbied Air Force secretaries and President Donald Trump. Whitmer noted that she and Hall visited the Oval Office in April 2025. The president later visited the base in person to announce the mission that same month.

"A lot of people were ready to cut the losses and count this base out. Not us," Whitmer said. "We rolled up our sleeves and we got to work, and we wore them out in Washington DC. By working as a team, we solidified Michigan’s position at the forefront of national defense."

Maj. Gen. Paul Rogers, who attended the ceremony, said the base faced uncertainty after the Air Force announced the retirement of the older A-10s. He noted that while the A-10 retirement has been pushed back to 2030, the threat to the facility's existence was real. "I don’t know what it would’ve become but I know we would’ve been under significant pressure to downsize it or commercialize it," Rogers said.

State legislators from both parties agreed to allocate $212 million in state funding for the runway and related expenses. Hall called the May legislation "a clean spending bill with no pork." He credited state Rep. Robinson, R-Utica, with getting the House bill passed. This state commitment was required to attract nearly $800 billion in federal dollars for the project.

The economic impact of the base extends beyond the facility itself. Whitmer stated that 5,000 people work at the base daily, generating $30 million in annual wages. Officials said the base accounts for $850 million in economic activity and 30,000 jobs across Michigan. Hackel said the mission is vital for Macomb County’s growth in the defense industry sector.

Construction crews will extend the runway to the north because residential areas block expansion to the south. This creates a safety zone for the new jets. A separate $38 million project to reroute Rosso Highway (M-59) is already underway. That work involves a curve and a roundabout on mostly vacant land in Chesterfield Township to keep traffic off the active airfield.

Rogers said the existing hangars for the A-10s and KC-135s will be razed and replaced. Four new buildings will be constructed, and six other structures will be renovated. He said the construction will add jobs to the local economy over the next several years. "They’re going to feel it in the local community," Rogers said. "It’s a reason to celebrate."

State Rep. Alicia St. Germaine, R-Harrison Township, said the base is central to the identity of Macomb County. She noted that residents hear the flights daily. "Fighter jets are the sound of freedom," St. Germaine said.