MC-12 site survey begins next week Published June 4, 2010 By Wayne Crenshaw 78th Air Base Wing Public Affairs ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- A team of 16 people will be here next week on a fact-finding mission important to the future of the base and the community. The team arrives Monday and will conduct a site survey related to the MC-12W Liberty. Robins is competing with five other installations to house the aircraft, which is the Air Force's newest manned intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance platform. The mission would bring two squadrons of 37 aircraft and 700 people here, although it's also possible the squadrons could be divided between two bases. The site survey team members are from Air Combat Command and the Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency. Tuesday they will get a driving tour of the base, and then team members will split into groups to look more closely at particular areas important to the bed down decision. The team is not the decision maker but is here to collect facts and make a report, said Michael O'Gorman, Warner Robins Air Logistics Center Business Office chief. The decision falls to the secretary of the Air Force and chief of staff of the Air Force, and is expected in March. In addition to looking at mission-support facilities, the group will be looking at personnel-support facilities, such as the fitness center and housing. "We want to show that we've got the facilities that will support the mission," Gorman said. "There is a lot that this base can offer."