New maintenance facility planned for 507th, 137th Published Oct. 30, 2008 By Brandice Armstrong Tinker Public Affairs TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla., -- Officials with the 507th Air Refueling Wing and 137th ARW want to better support the warfighter and will soon be able to do so. Beginning in spring 2009, the 507th ARW and 137th ARW complex will undergo a makeover of sorts. Two facilities will be demolished and in their place, construction will begin on a 28,000-square-foot fully-enclosed scheduled-maintenance single-bay hangar. "The new hangar will be used for heavy maintenance [such as] periodic inspections, landing gear changes, jacking and boom work," said Senior Master Sgt. Steven Wright, 507th Maintenance Squadron Accessories Flight chief. "If our schedules hold up, we should break ground in April 2009 and finish in 2011." Planning for the new hangar began about three years ago when Department of Defense officials associated with the Base Realignment and Closure initiative recommended the 137th Airlift Wing, an Air National Guard unit, situated at Will Rogers World Airport, relocate to Tinker and work side-by-side with the 507th ARW. When the ANG unit relocated to Tinker, it brought approximately 200 associate maintenance personnel with them, making the current work environment -- one fully-enclosed scheduled maintenance hangar and one fuel systems maintenance hangar --insufficient. Additionally, DOD officials also suggested the 507th ARW take on four more KC-135 Stratotankers, raising their number from eight to 12. Tinker gained the additional aircraft in summer 2006. "The addition of this facility will further help our maintenance capabilities and strengthen our association," said Joseph Wade, 507th ARW Facility program manager. The new hangar is a part of the DOD's Military Construction Program. Meaning, Congress approved the project and provided the funds to pay for the $10 million project. Situated on Reserve Road, the new hangar will replace Bldgs. 1037 and 1041. The metal buildings currently house the wing's hydraulics, wheel and tire shops and aircraft parts. Once completed, the new hangar, designed by architectural engineering firm Frankfurt-Short-Bruza Associates of Oklahoma City, will house those shops.