Camp Ravenna as Interceptor Deployment Site?
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio -- U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, D-13 Ohio, announced today the Camp Ravenna Joint Military Training Center in Ravenna is one of five sites being considered by the Department of Defense and the Missile Defense Agency as an interceptor deployment site, a ground-based system designed to intercept ballistic missiles.
The Missile Defense Agency will gather additional information about the site, including an on-site visit, before deciding which sites will advance to the next round of consideration, Ryan said. Sites that are selected for further consideration will undergo environmental studies which will take an additional 18-24 months.
“This would be a great opportunity for Camp Ravenna and the state of Ohio to benefit from Department of Defense investments, leading to increased employment in both the construction phase and sustaining operational employment,” said Ryan in a statement released by his office. “While no final decision will be made for some time, I am pleased that we are one of the sites being considered.”
The office of U.S. Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, also released a prepared statement. “With the threat from North Korea, and the increasing threat from Iran, improving our missile defense is critical," Portman said. "Ohio is in a strategic geographic position for these missile defense capabilities and it’s great to see the Defense Department recognize the role Ravenna could fill. In addition to the important national security mission, such a site would bring economic development and jobs to the region. I plan to stay in close contact with the Defense Department as they move forward with their assessment.
The 2013 National Defense Authorization Act requires a siting study and Environmental Impact Statement. Other sites being considered include Camp Ethan Allen Training site in Vermont, NAS Portsmouth SERE Training Area in Maine, Fort Custer CTC in Michigan, and Fort Drum in New York.
Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
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