Now that Congress has passed a must-pass federal spending bill, a unique deal in Maryland has been finalized. The Maryland Air National Guard will absorb the 121st Fighter Squadron from the DC Air National Guard. In return, Washington D.C. will gain ownership of the former Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium, the Washington Commanders’ previous home.
This multifaceted agreement also includes millions of dollars to rebuild Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, which collapsed in March, resulting in six fatalities. Maryland Air National Guard Brig. Gen. Drew Dougherty called the deal a “historic moment,” ensuring the future of his unit’s flying missions, which were previously slated to become exclusively cyber-focused. He stated, “This transition is the first step in delivering a path where we can maintain our highly experienced pilots and maintainers, positions that are critically manned across the total force.” The Maryland unit will now operate the F-16 fighter jets, maintaining around-the-clock deployment readiness.
Simultaneously, the transfer grants D.C. control of the federally owned land surrounding the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium, a site associated with the city for nearly a century. While this could entice the Washington Commanders to relocate from Maryland back to D.C., it doesn’t guarantee the construction of a new stadium. The District and the Commanders must first negotiate a separate agreement before any stadium construction can begin.