NAS JRB FORT WORTH, TEXAS –A significant milestone in the modernization of the United States Air Force (USAF) Reserve Command (AFRC) was reached with the Military Construction (MILCON) of a new two- story squadron operations facility and simulator facility set to be complete Fall, 2024 at Naval Air Station (NAS) Joint Reserve Base (JRB) Fort Worth. This completed project will support the delivery of 5th generation fighters to the 301st Fighter Wing, the USAF AFRC first stand-alone F-35 wing.

This project, consisting of over 55,000 square feet of new facility space, required coordination of multiple groups involving subject matter experts, engineers, trades, and occupants.

Civil Engineer Corps, United States Navy, Facilities Engineering and Acquisition Division Director Lt. Isaac Leskowat provided, “The prime contractor on the project is Conti Federal Services, and oversight is provided by the Fort Worth Office of Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) Region Southeast. The USAF Reserve 301st Fighter Wing will be the end users of the facility. Also coordinating with multiple other agencies and offices for facility commissioning, ensuring specification and environmental compliance, as well as coordinating simulator installation with Lockheed Martin’s team. There are more teams involved with the project to include the USAF program transition team that oversees the transition from the F-16 to the F-35. Coordination has been a critical piece of this project.”

The construction project began with the development and requirement for design back in 2016. It was then awarded in September 2021 which involved the demolition of existing structures and the construction of the new facility space. Along with any construction project, challenges emerge.

“Every day is a challenge in construction, but it’s about how you approach those challenges, and who you have in your corner on your team to address and overcome those challenges. The project started out with demolition of existing facilities and was immediately besieged by geotechnical issues and delays. Since then, the project team has overcome every manner of circumstance from severe weather damages, implementing enhanced security postures, overcoming design and construction conflicts, and managing schedules to mitigate mission impacts,” said Leskowat.

The new facility will provide the 301st Fighter Wing with the necessary infrastructure to support the F-35 mission. The squadron operations facility will serve as the command and control center for the wing, while the simulator facility will provide pilots with the opportunity to train on the F-35 in a realistic simulated environment.

Upon the completion of this project, Leskowat shared his thoughts on what it does for the base and our community.

“This demonstrates the continual development of the capabilities at NAS JRB Fort Worth and truly highlights the relationship of the joint DOD tenants that make us successful day in and day out,” Leskowat commented. “The personnel that come to work at the base, and the reservists who dedicate their time to serve their community, state, and nation are members of the community right here in Fort Worth, as well as surrounding areas. It is a great opportunity and privilege to ensure the highest level of combat readiness through the deployment of the F-35 and the development of the necessary competencies and proficiencies that follow.”

NAS JRB Fort Worth is the first and finest joint reserve base, known for training and equipping air crews and aviation ground support personnel, while supporting missions such as airlift, aerial refueling, and global mobility, making it an integral part of national defense infrastructure.