SPRINGFIELD — The U.S. Air Force is eliminating the long-standing jet engine repair mission at the Illinois Air National Guard’s 183rd Wing at Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport, a move that will affect 192 positions as the military shifts away from maintaining older aircraft.
The Air National Guard Readiness Center informed the Illinois National Guard earlier this year that the 183rd Wing must divest its Centralized Repair Facility mission, which maintains and repairs engines for F-15 and F-16 fighter aircraft and U-2 surveillance planes. The divestiture is expected to be completed by April 1, 2027.
The decision reflects broader changes in the Air Force’s fleet.
“Those are aging aircraft models, and there are becoming fewer and fewer in the Air Force’s inventory,” a retired Air Force officer familiar with the situation told Illinois Times. “So, there is less demand for the services the 183rd provides.”
The officer asked not to be identified.
While the current mission is ending, the officer said the 183rd Wing could pursue a new role repairing engines for newer aircraft, including F-22 and F-35 fighters.
“Of course, the issue is whether they have the expertise to repair those aircraft,” he said.
He noted that even if the unit develops the necessary capabilities, demand for that work may be limited because the Air Force operates fewer F-22s and F-35s than earlier generations of fighter aircraft.
“The newer models are more expensive,” he said. “There simply aren’t as many of them in the Air Force inventory, so there is less demand for maintenance and repair.”
Illinois National Guard officials emphasized that the transition does not necessarily mean affected personnel will leave military service.
“Our primary focus during this transition is supporting our highly skilled Airmen and ensuring the Springfield Air Base remains a vital strategic asset,” Maj. Gen. Rodney Boyd, Illinois’ adjutant general, said in a prepared statement. “We are working closely with national leadership to align the 183rd Wing with future capabilities that match the evolving needs of our national defense.”
Illinois Air National Guard spokesman William “Dutch” Grove said of the 192 affected positions, 117 are part-time traditional guardsmen positions involving uniformed personnel who work one weekend each month. The other 75 positions are all full time and are a mix of civilian federal employees, guardsmen, military technicians and civilian contractors.
According to the Illinois National Guard, officials are working with affected personnel to reassign them to other positions or retrain them for new roles within the Illinois Air National Guard.
Community leaders say the loss of the engine repair mission is significant but not unprecedented.
Ryan McCrady, executive director of the Springfield Sangamon Growth Alliance, said the 183rd Wing has adapted to changing military missions before, including during the federal Base Realignment and Closure process that ultimately brought the engine repair mission to Springfield.
“It’s not unusual if we look at the history of the Illinois National Guard’s presence in Springfield for there to be changes in missions from time to time,” McCrady said.
Rather than trying to reverse the Air Force’s decision, McCrady said the community’s best strategy is to work with military leaders to secure a replacement mission.
“My experience is that fighting it doesn’t usually create a good outcome for the community,” he said. “What usually works better is working alongside the military, understanding what their needs are, explaining to them what capabilities we have here in the community and looking to support their effort to locate a different mission back into the community.”
McCrady said Springfield has several advantages, including a highly trained workforce, decades of experience supporting the Air National Guard and an airport that has invested heavily in military operations.
“The Springfield Airport is a significant and highly qualified asset,” he said. “I’m confident that we’ll be able to get a mission there to replace it.”
Although the elimination of 192 positions is expected to have an economic impact, McCrady said it is too early to estimate its magnitude. He said the priority now is minimizing that impact by helping the Air National Guard transition to a new mission.
“We have a long history and a good relationship with them,” he said. “We’re in a better position by being able to build on our good relationship with them.”
The 183rd Wing has undergone several mission changes over the past two decades as the Air Force has restructured its force to meet changing national defense priorities. Whether Springfield ultimately receives a replacement mission will determine the long-term impact of the loss of the Centralized Repair Facility.
Illinois’ two senators, Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth, along with U.S. Rep. Nikki Budzinski, issued a joint statement.
“Our offices have been in communication with the Illinois National Guard about the 183rd Wing’s Centralized Repair Facility, and we’re working alongside Illinois National Guard leadership to ensure that the 183rd continues to have a mission worthy of the quality work done by the base’s highly skilled airmen and women,” it read.
The office of Rep. Mary Miller also responded to an inquiry from Illinois Times: “Congresswoman Mary Miller is aware of the Air Force’s decision affecting the 183rd Air Wing and is actively seeking more information from the Department of War.”
Scott Reeder, a staff writer for Illinois Times, can be reached at sreeder@illinoistimes.com.
This article appears in July 23-29, 2026.
There will be no new missions, the Illinois guard did not secure property for expansion. Best hope for that hanger is acquired by the Army guard .