Camp Ravennais one of three locations under final consideration for a national missile defense base. A $3.6 billion economic infusion, 2,500 construction jobs and 850 permanent ones are at stake, so Ohio’s congressional delegation is stepping up a joint-effort to push for the project.
Bi-partisan
Both U.S. senators and 14 of its 16 of congressional representatives have signed and sent a letter to the head of The Missile Defense Agency. In it they point to advantages in transportation, workforce and more as reasons for picking Camp Ravenna over Fort Drum, N.Y. and Camp Custer, Mich.
Formerly the Ravenna Arsenal
The Ravenna site is in Congressman Tim Ryan’s 13th District.
“There will be big economic benefits for the entire region, and expertise that’s going to be in our community. So we’re making a really hard push for this. And we’re thinking the next phase of the decision will probably be in November. So, it’s getting close.”
East coast defense umbrella
The installation would include silos for 14 interceptor missiles designed to knock down enemy ICBMs headed for the eastern U.S. Congress mandated building such a site to in 2013, partly in response to North Korea’s efforts to develop nuclear warheads and long-range missile testing.