McConnell Air Force Base has $1B impact on Wichita and Kansas

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — McConnell Air Force Base released numbers on Monday showing how it helps the Wichita-area economy.

In fiscal year 2023, McConnell says it had just over a $1 billion impact through almost 10,000 direct and indirect jobs.

About 4,800 military personnel worked at the base during the fiscal year 2023, including airmen from the active-duty 22nd Air Refueling Wing, reservists from the 931st Air Refueling Wing and Air National Guard members from the 184th Wing.

More than 1,000 civilians worked at McConnell.

The military and civilian salaries combined totaled over $517.5 million, with a calculated nearly $464 million indirectly generated from wages allocated to jobs that support McConnell’s employees, such as restaurant and retail jobs around Wichita.

McConnell spent over $12.1 million on construction and purchases on the base, including about $9 million to repair the Child Development Center.

Next month, the public is invited to visit McConnell Air Force Base during the Frontiers in Flight Open House and Air Show . The Aug. 24-25 event is free and will feature the U.S. Navy Blue Angels.

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