Panel approves moving Illinois fighter squadron to Fort Wayne

INDIANAPOLIS - The federal base-closing commission on Friday approved the Pentagon's plan to transfer an Illinois-based Air National Guard fighter squadron to Fort Wayne, a move fought by Illinois' governor.\nThe independent panel voted 8-1 to accept the Pentagon's recommendation to move the Springfield, Ill.-based 183rd Fighter Wing's 15 F-16 jets to the 122nd Fighter Wing station at Fort Wayne International Airport.\nFort Wayne also would gain nine F-16s based at Hulman Regional Airport in Terre Haute.\nAnother 15 F-16s already at Fort Wayne would be retired under the plan, which still must be approved by President Bush and voted on by Congress.\nFort Wayne looks to gain about 300 jobs as a result of the Air National Guard changes, city spokesman John Perlich said. The city also plans to spend about $150 million on overall improvements at the airport, he said.\nThe sweeping restructuring of the Air National Guard has proven contentious, with Illinois, Pennsylvania and other states filing federal lawsuits contending that federal law forbids the federal government from closing a state military base without the governor's consent.\nThe vote in Washington came hours after a federal judge in Pennsylvania ruled that the Pentagon lacks the authority to close an Air Guard unit in the state without the approval of that state's governor. The judge declared the plan for that unit "null and void."\nBut there was no mention of the court ruling during debate on the Fort Wayne proposal, and commission member Samuel Skinner cast the sole vote in opposition.\nIllinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich said the commission ignored "the facts and criteria it was supposed to follow" and accused it of "paying off political debts" in other states.