Wayne County Military Affairs Committee

Seymour Johnson’s Vital Role to Our Nation’s Defense

The 4th Fighter Wing has played a key role in every major conflict in the last 60 years, with its aircraft and airmen being involved in all stages of each conflict.

Seymour Johnson is home to 95 F-15E Strike Eagle fighter aircraft, designed for all-weather, long range, high speed missions. It is designed for, and fully capable of, fighting its way into its target, delivering its ordinance with pinpoint accuracy, and returning home safely. Our 95 aircraft represent almost one-half of all of the F-15E Strike Eagle’s in the world. These aircraft are divided into 4 fighter squadrons, 2 operational and 2 training.

Every new F-15E pilot and weapons system officer is being trained at one of the 2 training squadrons at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base.

In addition to the aircraft and its operators, the 4th Fighter Wing is home to over 4,000 airmen dedicated to ensuring the wing is ready to support combat and peacekeeping operations around the world. Their expertise encompasses all disciplines: medical, security forces, explosive ordinance disposal, aircraft maintenance, civil engineering and many others.

The 916th Air Refueling Wing is a “tenant wing” at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, home to 16 KC-135 Stratotankers which supply air to air refueling and cargo and military personnel transportation around the globe.

Economic Impact Statement

Seymour Johnson Air Force Base is Wayne County’s largest employer. It employs 5,604 military members (combined active duty and reservists) and 904 civilians, with a combined annual payroll of over $330,000,000 per year. In addition, they fund major local expenditures of approximately $200,000,000 per year and results in job creation of another $61,000,000 per year.

Good People

In addition to the economic impact, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base brings to the local community a tremendous number of well-educated, culturally diverse, morally grounded personnel who enrich our community and which enrich our schools, churches, civic organizations and neighborhoods with resources unmatched among communities our size.