Federal and local officials alike attend the groundbreaking for the start of construction on the F-35 Multi-Country Academic Training Center at the Ebbing National Guard Air Base.

Federal and local officials alike attend the groundbreaking 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.