Asking the question: Tillis asks Army plans on Bragg runway

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (AP) – North Carolina U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis wants to know Army plans for extending the runway at Pope Field at Fort Bragg.

The Fayetteville Observer reports local officials have been pushing for the runway extension for a decade. Tillis filed legislation Thursday requiring the secretary of the Army to report to the Senate on its plans.

The 7,500-foot runway at Pope is too short for loaded C-17 or C-5 cargo aircraft to safely take off. A C-17 requires a 10,500-foot runway while a C-5 needs 11,500 feet.

Tillis said the Air Force had once made extending the runway a priority. But he says the Army did not give it the same priority when Pope was absorbed by Fort Bragg in the last round of base realignments.

___

Information from: The Fayetteville Observer, http://www.fayobserver.com

(Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)