‘Significant’ construction at pilot training center could begin in mid-2025

Groundbreakings for new facilities, including large flight simulator buildings, at Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Fort Smith could take place as early as summer 2025, and begin a four- to five-year building program for the foreign military pilot training center.

Col. Nicholas Ihde, commander of the 85th Fighter Group at Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Fort Smith, said between $10 million and $12 million has been spent on temporary facilities during what he categorizes as stage one of preparing the base for the training center. Stage two could begin in the summer of 2025 and see up to $200 million in “significant” renovation of existing facilities.

The 85th Fighter Group and the 57th Fighter Squadron, both under the Eglin, Fla.-based 33rd Fighter Wing, is based at Ebbing and are responsible for training F-35 pilots from numerous U.S. and NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) allied countries.

Ebbing, home to the 188th Wing in Fort Smith and co-located with the Fort Smith Regional Airport, was selected in March 2023 by the U.S. Air Force to be the long-term pilot training center supporting F-16 and F-35 fighter planes purchased by Singapore, Switzerland, Poland, Germany, Finland and other countries participating in the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. Jets for the Polish Air Force could arrive as early as Dec. 20.

The original plan for the base to support 36 planes has been amended to accommodate 46 fighter jets. The most recent estimate is that the training center will cost $850 million when fully operational.

In a recent interview, Ihde said existing facility renovation will include Hangar 200, the large main hangar with “Home of the Flying Razorbacks” painted above the large hangar doors. He said the facility is being “entirely refurbished,” to include a new fire suppression system.

The final stage of work will be “real new stuff” buildings, Ihde said. Two of those buildings will be large flight simulator facilities that could cost up to $100 million each. Ihde said one facility will be for NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) allies and the other facility will be for the Republic of Singapore Air Force. Singapore pilots and associated personnel are expected to have a long-term presence at Ebbing.

“Those are the two biggest buildings that are going up at Ebbing … those full motion simulators, there is four of those each in each of those buildings. So that’s why that building jumps up in cost,” Ihde said.

Officials with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, who are helping coordinate construction for the pilot training center, outlined in May 2024 construction plans, timelines and estimated costs.

Ihde said there are now about 25 active duty and guard members affiliated with the 85th, and when the training center is “at its peak,” there will be around 225 to 250 military members and civilians employed. That estimate does not include personnel, and family members, affiliated with the Singapore contingent.

He also praised community support for the base and its operations, saying that in his talks with community groups, he has yet to “meet a single person who says, ‘We don’t want this.’ They’re saying, ‘Bring it.’”