U.S. Rep. Steve Womack 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.

U.S. Rep. Steve Womack 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. He spoke about the economic impact the project will have on the residents of Fort Smith and the surrounding community. 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.