The presence of the latest advanced fifth-generation F-35 Lightning II (TR-3) aircraft at Montgomery Regional Airport’s Dannelly Field represents far more than a routine basing decision for the 187th Fighter Wing. These platforms constitute critical national-level security assets, equipped with classified stealth technology, sensor fusion systems, and mission data links that underpin the United States’ air dominance strategy for decades to come.
Yet all 20 of these fighters remain parked on an open flight line under sunshades at a public-use airfield. This airfield has an inadequate hardened infrastructure, minimal dedicated security forces, no defensive ground movement sensors, no thermal imaging sensors, and no drone/autonomous aerial counter measures, not to mention a perimeter offering little resistance to determined adversaries.
This exposure is not theoretical. Under the command of then-Col. Doug “Cinco” DeMaio, the 187th Fighter Wing conducted several wargaming exercises and force protection assessments, along with rigorous perimeter security exercises at Dannelly Field. The prospect of a breached perimeter, and defeated security posture demonstrates with stark clarity how easily hostile actors could reach these irreplaceable aircraft. DeMaio’s concerns and reports of simulated threats to higher command were met with crickets.
The exercise was designed precisely to expose the dangerous fallacy that our most sophisticated combat platforms can be adequately protected by light security details and standard civilian airport fencing. The results should have triggered immediate corrective action. Instead, vulnerability persists.
The threat landscape has only grown more acute. The recent multiple unauthorized drone incursions at Barksdale Air Force Base – home to our strategic B-52 bomber fleet – serve as a chilling precedent. Swarms of drones, exhibiting non-commercial characteristics and resistance to electronic countermeasures, penetrated restricted airspace over sensitive flight lines. If such incursions can occur at a major active-duty installation, the risk at a shared public airport like Dannelly Field is exponentially higher. Small commercial or hobbyist drones could deliver explosives, conduct surveillance, or disrupt operations with virtually no warning, all launched from nearby civilian areas beyond the current security envelope.
The implications for national security are severe. Compromise of even a single F-35 could result in the loss of proprietary low-observable coatings, electronic warfare suites, and software architectures that provide our decisive edge against peer adversaries. The potential for technology transfer to state actors such as China or non-state terrorist networks cannot be overstated. Moreover, a successful attack would deliver a strategic propaganda victory to our enemies, eroding confidence among allies and signaling weakness in our homeland defense posture.
The 187th Fighter Wing carries a proud legacy rooted in the Tuskegee Airmen, whose courage and excellence set an enduring standard. That legacy demands that we treat their modern successors – and the advanced platforms they operate – with the seriousness their mission requires. Continuing to house these aircraft without hardened aircraft shelters, reinforced perimeter defenses, dedicated rapid-response security teams, or relocation to a more secure military installation constitutes an unacceptable risk. Congress, the Department of Defense, and Air National Guard leadership must address this exposure immediately.
The American people have invested a titanic fortune in these F-35s. In a worst case scenario, a swarm of attack FPV drones costing less than $250 each could decimate the entire Wing; the replacement value of the 187th's aircraft is approximately $3 billion. They deserve to know their premier combat aircraft are not left exposed on a commercial tarmac, vulnerable to the next perimeter breach or drone swarm that succeeds where previous exercises have already warned us and the proof of concept plays out daily in bloody technicolor from the conflict in Ukraine.
This is not merely a local basing issue or funding shortfall. It is a matter of negligence by the state adjunct general and governor’s office and one that threatens our very existence through negated strategic deterrence.
The time for half-measures has passed. Secure these assets or accept the strategic consequences when the next breach is not an exercise. As a former special operations soldier who has conducted a physical, on-the-ground assessment of such things, I can assure you that I could devastate the force posture of this critical Fighter Wing in less than 15 minutes … and I’m sure our adversaries could do far worse. Alabama Air National Guard, please heed this warning!
Troy Carico is a former infantry enlisted soldier (11B) and infantry officer with branch qualifications including counterintelligence (35E) and military intelligence (35D). He served with distinction in the U.S. Army for more than 22 years and is highly decorated and service-connected disabled. He also has prior service as a civilian intelligence officer for the Defense Intelligence Agency Great Skills Program and has served in numerous clandestine assignments throughout the world. You can find him on X @CaricoTroy, LinkedIn @Troy Carico, and Substack.
The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of 1819 News. To comment, please send an email with your name and contact information to [email protected].
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