TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- The future of American strategic deterrence has officially broken ground in Oklahoma. With the turn of a few shovels of dirt, military and civic leaders paved the way for the Bomber Agile Common Hangar—a massive, state-of-the-art facility designed to bridge generations of depot legacy with tomorrow's stealth technology, permanently changing how the Air Force handles aircraft sustainment.
As the primary hub for this sustainment, the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex (OC-ALC) will oversee the high-tech maintenance operations housed within the new facility.
"At the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex, we say that readiness starts here, and today is about propelling that readiness forward," said Brig. Gen. Lindsay Droz, OC-ALC commander. "We are moving beyond the legacy of World War II hangars to create purpose-built environments that are designed for the next generation of airpower."
Since Tinker inducted its first B-52 Stratofortress in 1955, local maintainers have shared a deep, historic bond with these aircraft. Col. Cisco Harris, Installation and 72nd Air Base Wing commander, highlighted what this groundbreaking means for the region's enduring legacy.
"We are gathered to do so much more than just shovel red dirt. Today, we are stepping out of our past, and laying the foundation for the future of American airpower," Harris said. "This project is simply the next chapter in Oklahoma’s great story. Aviation is woven into the very fabric of this community. It has been ever since Tinker was born right across the street 85 years ago—growing into the state’s largest single-site employer today."
The BACH will eliminate physical constraints, dramatically expanding depot capacity to meet the demands of the 2026 National Defense Strategy. For Harris, achieving this modern strategic posture relies entirely on the unique spirit and reach of the local community.
"Oklahoma continuously pushes the envelope across the aerospace industry because it is in our DNA," Harris said. "Because of the incredible workforce travelling to Tinker Air Force Base from 52 of Oklahoma’s 77 counties every day, we are able to do something truly extraordinary. Air Force leaders selected Tinker for this critical future mission due to our uniquely talented workforce, armed with decades of unparalleled experience supporting global strike options for our Commander in Chief."
Inside its walls, the BACH will serve a dual purpose: modernizing the longstanding powerhouse of today while posturing the base for the stealth bomber of tomorrow. Initially, the facility will support the B-52's Commercial Engine Replacement Program (CERP) and Radar Modernization Program, transforming the aging Stratofortress into a highly modernized platform dominant through 2050.
As the B-52 upgrades mature, the facility will seamlessly transition into the official depot-level maintenance hub for the Air Force's newest stealth bomber: the B-21 Raider.
"This effort to design a common facility that marries the Air Force's legacy giant with our future sixth-generation bombers is exactly the type of creative and smart planning required of us as warfighters today," said Col. Spencer Turner, B-52 system program manager. "To maintain deterrence and project United States interests, we must project power... and the BACH is that strength made physical."
For the maintainers and engineers at Tinker, the dirt turned at the groundbreaking represents a direct investment in global strike readiness.
"It is the ultimate embodiment of our 'buy once, agile for life' strategy," Turner added. "Every contract we sign, every component we model, and every square foot of concrete we pour is dedicated to giving warfighters the tools they need to fly, fix, and fight.”