Did you know that FE Warren Air Force Base is alert 24/7?
Why? Because they manage 150+ missiles in various missile fields around the greater Cheyenne region. These missiles were first commissioned in the 1960s, and are just now being upgraded. Northrop Grumman will be upgrading the system and construction is projected to begin in 2023 in Laramie County. The upgrades are an estimated $90 billion and will span all three missile bases over the next few decades. Cheyenne is estimated to receive around $20 billion of this but a guaranteed $5 billion for community investments.
What does that mean for us? It means we will have population growth. More houses, school capacity, and services will be needed throughout the region. We are happy to hear recently that the US Air Force selected FE Warren as the first to receive the upgrades. This is terrific news because the current economic climate is unpredictable. The sooner we are in the timeline to receive the upgrades, the fewer chances the military will run out of funds for our base’s upgrades. It puts our military base and community in a safe place fiscally. The military is a vital part of our economy, and by receiving this update, we can make sure the missile and mission last another 50 years protecting our Nation’s citizens.
Why do we care? We have been a part of the Wyoming Wranglers program advocating for this military installation upgrade in Washington D.C., for nearly 10 years. We invested in this because we knew the importance of ensuring a strong military presence in our community to sustain a healthy economy. Laramie County is an amazing place to live and there is so much growth yet to come. We did not want to only see it happen but wanted to be instrumental in the affairs to make it a reality. We are thrilled that the military upgrades are occurring because it has taken many years, strategic partnerships, and great leadership by our elected officials to make it come this far.
What are the next steps? Housing is going to remain a challenge for our community and is especially going to be tough when we will have more individuals moving to the area for the upgrade of the weapons system. The good news is we have two more years to prepare and this gives us time to further improve our housing offerings.
