AFCEC on track to complete F-35 beddown

  • Published
  • By Nathan Smith
  • AFCEC Public Affairs
JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas --  In late 2013, the Air Force identified Hill Air Force Base, Utah; Luke Air Force Base, Arizona; and Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, as the new homes for its fleet of F-35 Lightning II fighter jets. To facilitate the beddown, the Air Force Civil Engineer Center has taken on the mission of providing facilities necessary to accommodate the next-generation aircraft.

Among facilities being constructed or upgraded to accommodate the F-35 at Hill are hangars for the aircraft maintenance unit, or AMU, two new munitions storage magazines and a building to house training simulators.

The initial projects at Hill are on track to be completed by fall of 2015 despite unique technological challenges essential in maintaining these aircraft, said Jaime Cantu, project manager for the hangar upgrades at Hill.

"It's a much more complex airplane," Cantu said. "Maintenance of the airplane is more computer-based. It's more technologically advanced than the F-16 in that regard."
AFCEC engineers designed the facilities to take into consideration the advanced technology inherent to the new aircraft, Cantu said.

Hill is on track to receive the first of 72 F-35s by summer 2015.

In Arizona, Luke AFB is facing some distinctive challenges in preparing for the F-35 beddown, since the installation is slated to become the sole location for combined training between the U.S. and partner nations.

"The beddown here is unique due to the multi-national makeup of the units that will be training here," said David Irwin, AFCEC project manager for Luke.

Construction wrapped early this year on the academic training center, which will eventually house 12 simulators. AFCEC also completed construction of facilities for the initial flying squadron and supporting AMU.

Luke received the first 19 of its 144 jets upon completion of the facilities, which is quite a feat, said Lt. Col. David Lercher, F-35 division chief for the Luke AFB F-35 Integration Office.

"Just bedding down 144 jets is a lot of paperwork and coordination in and of itself," Lercher said. "Throw in the seven other partner nations and it becomes quite the coordination timeline, not only to coordinate within the U.S. Air Force, but because of its joint platform, the Navy and Marines as well."

Facilities for a second flying squadron and supporting AMU at the Arizona base are expected to open in June, with facility plans underway for four additional flying squadrons and associated AMUs.

Once the beddown is complete, Luke will be the largest F-35 base in the world, with six flying squadrons supporting forces from the U.S. and seven partner nations.

The F-35 beddown at Nellis AFB,  is expected to be fully operational in early 2020. Meanwhile, the installation is using existing infrastructure to support the 422nd Test Evaluation Squadron's development of tactics and training for the F-35.

The 422nd will occupy the new buildings as they are completed. Infrastructure includes a test evaluation squadron, a flight test instrumentation facility, a hangar and supporting AMU, an aerospace ground equipment maintenance facility and an engine shop.

When the Air Force initially identified Nellis as a future home for the F-35, AFCEC was challenged with finding personnel experienced with the aircraft, but as the project has moved forward, subject matter experts have gained valuable experience, said Timothy Morrison, the military construction program manager at Nellis.

"In the last several years, the number of F-35-experienced personnel has increased, which has helped us better define the unique facility requirements," Morrison said.

While few project managers involved had experience with the F-35 initially, the program was similar to previous aircraft beddowns such as the F-22 in the early 2000s, Morrison said. That historical knowledge, paired with the use of design-build projects, led to construction flexibility and has helped keep projects on schedule.