HomeNewsArticle Display

Making space: ALC breaks ground on new maintenance facility

  • Published
  • By Brandice J. Armstrong
  • Tinker Public Affairs
TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  It is official. Construction for the 76th Aircraft Maintenance Group's multi-bay hangar is underway. Approximately 20 bystanders watched April 19 as Tinker's senior leaders broke ground at the construction site.

Held just west of Bldg. 2280 on the flight line, the intended facility will hold up to four KC-135 Stratotankers and will support programmed depot maintenance. Construction is scheduled to be completed in January 2012.

"There are not a lot of military construction projects ongoing in our Air Force today. So to me, this is a recognition and commitment by our Air Force to the important mission we have here," said Brig. Gen. Bruce Litchfield, 76th Maintenance Wing commander. "It is not only a commitment, but a recognition of the future that we have at Tinker Air Force Base and what we have to do to sustain the force. This will be a world-class facility to compliment our world-class work force."

First introduced in 2008, the intended 162,600 square-foot hangar is an Air Force project in partnership with the U.S. Army Corps Engineers.

"I think this project shows the commitment the corps has to teamwork and partnering with the Air Force and to ensuring we have a quality product that is built on time," said Army Lt. Col. Gene Snyman of the Tulsa District of the U.S. Army Corps Engineers.

Designed by LWPB Architecture of Oklahoma City, Korte Construction Company of St. Louis is the general contractor.

When operational, the hangar will sustain up to three shifts and more than 180 aircraft maintenance group personnel.

"This hangar will be a hub of major operations. We envision using it to combat the ever-increasing major structural repair challenges we encounter repairing the aging KC-135 fleet," said Kevin O'Connor, 76th AMXG deputy director and event narrator.

"We also envision replacing hundreds of components and performing myriads of operational checks in this facility."