By Maria Hickey, KWMU
St. Louis, MO –
The 131st Fighter Wing will move from Lambert Airport to Whiteman Air Force Base near Sedalia, Missouri.
The decision, made by the Air Force and Department of Defense, sends nearly 250 jobs to provide support operations and maintenance for the Air Forces' B-2 Stealth Bomber. Another 600 employees will remain at Lambert.
The unit's fate was up in the air after the Base Realignment and Closure Commission announced last year the F-15 fighter jets would be moved.
131st Fighter Wing Vice Commander Greg Champagne says unit's members were relieved to hear the news.
"It's been eight months of just kind of waiting and wondering what kind of mission the Air Force would give us," Champagne said. "This is an outstanding mission for the Guard to be in this B-2 Bomber."
Champagne says the transition to Whiteman is not expected for some time.
The F-15s are slated to leave Lambert in 2009.