Tinker, community celebrate aerospace complex partnership

  • Published
  • By Brandice Armstrong
  • 72nd Air Base Wing Public Affairs
TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. (AFNS) --  Air Force, Tinker Air Force Base, state and community leaders celebrated the Tinker Aerospace Complex lease signing Oct. 23 here. 

Oklahoma County purchased a 430-acre property, which formerly belonged to General Motors earlier this year, then in late September county commissioners celebrated the signing of the property lease to the Air Force.

"Today we have a special and happy opportunity to formally inaugurate the Tinker Aerospace Complex," said Secretary of the Air Force Michael B. Donley. "This represents a tremendous partnership between the Air Force, Tinker AFB and the state of Oklahoma, and of course Oklahoma County.

"For the county, a currently vacant facility will once again become the nucleus of productivity," Secretary Donley said. "For the Air Force, we will be able to consolidate functions that are spread out across several buildings (at the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center), while enhancing the quality of the facilities in which workers are housed, and improving the working conditions of those who are doing the work on the front line of depot maintenance."

Over the next five years, the Air Force is expected to spend an estimated $50 to $100 million in renovations and improvements, including the removal of overhead assembly lines. When finished, the Air Force will have about 1 million square feet of industrial space.

The complex will house some of the 76th Maintenance Wing operations and other Department of Defense workloads. The first workload, the TF33 engine and sheet metal work, is estimated to move into the Tinker Aerospace Complex by summer 2009, Tinker AFB officials said. 

After moving into the Tinker Aerospace Complex, the Air Force will demolish substandard facilities, or an area equating 1.1 million square feet. Remaining vacant space will likely be used for partnerships with the local community and industry, Tinker AFB officials said. 

"It's no surprise to me that we're here today, even though this has been a long, hard-fought battle by so many, to celebrate this," said Lt. Gen. Terry L. Gabreski, the Air Force Materiel Command vice commander from Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. She was twice stationed at Tinker AFB.

General Gabreski said Tinker AFB has a long-standing relationship with the community, dating back to 1941 when the Oklahoma Industries Authority purchased land and sold it to the U.S. government for "$1 and other considerations." The land would be later known as Tinker Air Force Base. 

By allowing Tinker AFB to lease, the Air Force will continue to prosper and meet its mission, said Maj. Gen. Loren M. Reno, Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center commander.
 
"Phenomenal people living in a phenomenal community delivering phenomenal support to the warfighter -- that's what we're about," General Reno said. "One of our strategic goals is to secure the right workload and lean and transform the ALC. What you see here helps us to do exactly that."

The GM plant, which closed in September 2006, has seven buildings, totaling more than 3.8 million square feet.

In May, Oklahoma County voters passed a $54 million bond issue to allow county officials to purchase the campus, and the state donated $10 million, which reduced the bond to $44 million. Oklahoma County commissioners paid $54 million for the plant and leased it to Tinker AFB officials.

Ray Vaughn, the Oklahoma County District 3 commissioner, said although it was a difficult time when the GM plant closed, he's happy the county can accommodate Tinker AFB and its personnel with a better facility. He also said he's glad that through the lease signing the county can better support the economy.

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