Brig. Gen. George Walter, commander of the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers Southwest Division addresses attendees at the groundbreaking ceremony for the start of construction on the F-35 Multi-Country Academic Training Center at the Ebbing National Guard Air Base.
This facility represents a significant milestone in international defense cooperation.
The facility will serve as a world-class training hub for F-35 pilots and maintenance personnel from the United States and our allied partner nations.
The Air Force has estimated the cost to complete the training center is $807 million. An initial estimate, provided by federal and state officials, ranged between $850 million and more than $1.2 billion. About $600 million in federal funds has been appropriated since 2021 for the pilot training center.
The academic center will be 44,000 square feet and will cost around $74 million, according to Erin Cumbo, Ebbing program manager for the Little Rock District.
| Date Taken: | 05.06.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 05.08.2026 13:24 |
| Photo ID: | 9672554 |
| VIRIN: | 260506-A-NU482-1001 |
| Resolution: | 2640x1768 |
| Size: | 1.3 MB |
| Location: | FORT SMITH, ARKANSAS, US |
| Hometown: | FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS, US |
| Hometown: | FORT SMITH, ARKANSAS, US |
| Hometown: | RUSSELLVILLE, ARKANSAS, US |
| Web Views: | 5 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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