Boise, Idaho — Local leaders are putting together a high-flying campaign to get a fighter jet to the Gem State and are hoping it’s an idea that will really take off.

The F-35A Joint Strike Fighter is looking for a home. The Air Force says need for the plane and all the people to run training for it would bring in 3,000 jobs and enough cash to fill a cargo plane.

And Boise Chamber President Bill Connors likes the sound of that.

“We think it’s a significant economic impact,” said Connors. ”It’s about a billion dollars to support the economy, and that supports everybody from a small dry cleaner to major businesses here.”

Idaho, specifically Gowen Air Force Base in Boise and Mountain Home Air Force Base, are on a short list of places the plane might finally land.

Boise mayor Dave Bieter says that’s for a lot of reasons.

“The number of days you can fly in our area, the care that’s been taken to make sure our airspace is open — there’s no encroachments in our facilities. We think that all leads to a very good opportunity,” said Bieter.

Not everyone’s excited about the idea.

“Growth in and of itself is not necessarily good,” said David Frazier, editor of the online blog, The Boise Guardian.

Frazier classifies the process as a public relations war that Lockheed, the company that makes the plane, is pitting states against each other.

He also cautions those optimistic about Idaho’s chances, saying it doesn’t make sense to believe the military would use two bases, less than 60 miles apart.

“I think decisions should be made on the basis of national security rather than economics and politics,” Frazier said.

Gov. C. L.”Butch” Otter says if it isn’t a political decision, Idaho will win, claiming the state’s support for the military will be a big factor.

The Air Force spends the next few months putting together an environmental impact statement at each of the sites that are being considered.

“If it’s based on a truly thorough analysis, then we ought to be the one that wins,” said Bieter.

The Air Force is also considering bases in Florida, Arizona, and New Mexico.

The project web site is www.F-35ATrainingEIS.com. To take a look at Idaho’s campaign, or to leave feedback, visit www.IdahoF35.com

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