New $35 Million Training Building Complete At Tulsa Air National Guard Base

Airmen in Tulsa who fly the F-16 will soon use a brand new $35 million training center to prepare for combat.

City leaders helped cut the ribbon Friday to celebrate the new building at the Air National Guard base. This is the first Air National Guard unit in the country to receive the technology that will be put in the building.

The walls are black in many of the rooms. Airmen who are part of the F-16 air crew will use simulators in those rooms as part of their training.

138th Fighter Wing Commander Colonel Michael Meason said the training facility makes Tulsa more attractive to eventually serve as a base for the F-35.

He also said he expects airmen from other units will travel to Tulsa to use the facility.

Congress approved $25 million for the project. Tulsa voters approved more than $9 million through Vision Tulsa to make it all happen.

Col. Meason described what the simulators will be able to do for the airmen using the technology.

"In the simulator we can replicate threats, we can replicate environments worldwide. We can practice in any weather conditions that may be too risky to practice and train to in real life,” Col. Meason said.

The simulators were built locally, at L3 Harris in Broken Arrow. Airmen are expected to start training at the new building in January.