Fort Smith’s burgeoning role in global F-35 fighter pilot training has taken on sharper definition, with the price tag for the training centre now estimated at $1.2 billion, a notable climb from earlier projections of around $800 million. This development at Ebbing Air National Guard Base was brought into focus during a recent meeting of the Fort Smith Regional Airport Commission, where the scope and timeline of the ambitious project were further detailed.
aircraft at Ebbing Air National Guard Base, Fort SMith, Arkansas on December 23, 2024. This marks a significant milestone in the Foreign Military Sales training program and highlights the strong partnership between the U.S. and Poland. The aircraft’s arrival will kickstart Polish pilot training at Ebbing ANGB, beginning in January 2025. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by A1C Miles Chrisman)
The spiraling cost reflects the project’s progression from initial planning to the complexities of active construction, a phase described by Col. Nicholas “Matrix” Ihde, commander of the 85th Fighter Group, as moving beyond the “planning phase and easy stuff” to one with “a lot of moving parts and pieces”. Significant construction is slated to commence this summer and extend through 2028, a period requiring close collaboration between the military and local authorities. To this end, Col. Ihde intends to hold monthly meetings with the airport commission to ensure a unified approach as the dual mission of military training and commercial aviation evolves at the Fort Smith Regional Airport.
The training centre at Ebbing, co-located with the 188th Wing, was selected in March 2023 by the U.S. Air Force as the long-term hub for training pilots on both F-16 and F-35 aircraft destined for international partners participating in the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. Nations such as Singapore, Switzerland, Poland, Germany, and Finland are among those who will send their pilots to Fort Smith for instruction. Already, four Polish F-35s are on the ground, with the fleet expected to grow to 16 by the close of 2025, predominantly consisting of Polish aircraft. The arrival manifest also includes Singaporean F-35s in the autumn of 2026 and their F-16 counterparts around August 2027, with German F-35s and pilots also anticipated in 2026. The 85th Fighter Group and the 57th Fighter Squadron, both operating under the 33rd Fighter Wing from Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, hold the responsibility for shaping these future F-35 aviators.
Retired Air Force Col. Rob Ator, now Arkansas’ Secretary of Veterans Affairs and a key figure in securing the training centre for Ebbing during his tenure with the Arkansas Economic Development Commission, underscored the enduring strategic importance of the facility. He stated that the mission is projected to span three to four decades, delivering significant long-term benefits to the region. Initial analysis from the Congressional Research Service points to an annual economic impact ranging from $1.2 billion to $1.4 billion.
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