A small reconnaissance plane has a large impact on the military — and possibly the Sacramento region. Local supporters are pushing for Beale Air Force Base, just north of Wheatland, to become the permanent home of the MC-12 Liberty reconnaissance planes. Beale has housed the planes for the past 18 months, but local leaders want the air base — about an hour from downtown Sacramento — to become a permanent site.
If that happens, about 700 military employees — including higher-paid officers — would transfer to Beale. The reconnaissance planes are used in combat, with monitors and cameras to help troops know of possible trouble, especially in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Air Force should make a decision within a year.
