WASHINGTON, D.C. — A gap between the possible loss of F-16s and the arrival newer planes to be serviced could jeopardize jobs and future missions at Hill Air Force Base, according to U.S. Sen. Bob Bennett, R-Utah.

“It’s a little bit fluid as to the impact on Hill AFB,” he said, speaking to the Clipper and other media from across the state Friday morning.

“One concern is the phase-out of the F-16s that have been flying there” and maintained there, the Republican senator said. “They (F-16s) won’t be completely gone, but then comes the impact – what are they going to be replaced with?

“We’re still hoping to get the F-35. That’s easy to say, that we’ll get the F-35s, so no harm, no fault. But the question is in the timing” of the replacements, he emphasized.

“If the F-16s are phased out very quickly, and the F-35s are delayed a long time, then a gap opens up,” Bennett said.

“There will be no work at Hill (related to that), so the workforce gets reduced. Then when the F-35s show up, maybe the Air Force will say Hill doesn’t have the capability to do this, and the workload could end up somewhere else,” he said.

The gap between the closure on the F-16 and arrival of the F-35 needs to be made “as small as possible,” Bennett said, “so we can keep the workforce in place – so that there is no question that Hill is the logical place to put the F-35.”

Bennett has been joined by the rest of Utah’s Congressional delegation in expressing concerns about the impact of reductions in F-16s, the arrival of F-35s, and the existing F-22 aircraft.

A proposed draw-down of 250 “Legacy” aircraft, including the F-16s, F-15s, and others across the country, starting with federal Fiscal Year 2010 in October, has raised the biggest concern for Utah’s federal delegation.

Any such losses could seriously weaken the aircraft arsenal for the 419th and 388th Fighter Wings at Hill AFB, and might mean the reduction of squadrons from three to two, officials have said.

Such aircraft losses could mean 500 or more job cuts at the base, as well, officials have warned.

Concerns for such proposed cuts have also been on the radar screens of local officials, who realize the tremendous impact the base has on the area’s economy and well-being.

Steve Petersen, Rep. Rob Bishop’s defense issues expert, raised concerns even beyond the present in a previous Clipper interview from Washington, D.C.

“What’s going to happen 10-15 years from now” if cuts or delays in aircraft production are approved? he asked.

Not only could that hurt Hill Air Force Base and other federal installations and defense contract workloads, but it could also give an edge to other countries, such as China and Russia, Petersen said.

“It’s actually very disturbing that (Secretary of Defense Robert) Gates paints such a rosy picture, that he’s willing to defer our fighters and our technology,” Petersen emphasized.

tbusselberg@davisclipper.com