TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Leaders from the 325th Fighter Wing, First Air Force, and the Tyndall Program Management Office hosted a State of Tyndall update for local community leaders April 23 at Tyndall AFB. Key topics included an updated timeline for the installation’s $4.9 billion rebuild, current construction projects, and an overview of installation impacts and community interests. Leaders also provided an overview of Tyndall’s future mission to house up to three squadrons of F-35A Lightning II aircraft beginning September 2023, and reiterated the importance of executing the current mission throughout the rebuild.
“Rebuilding the base is an important part of what we do, it’s not all we do,” said Col. Greg Moseley, 325th FW commander. “Every day, our Airmen are focused on operation readiness for the 325th Fighter Wing and our mission partners.”
This mission will continue as Tyndall evolves into the Installation of the Future – an initiative that paves the way for more resilient, energy efficient and eco-friendly facilities. Tyndall is leading the charge to create an efficient and innovative 21st-century base to serve as the benchmark for the entire Air Force and Department of Defense.
To do so requires working hand-in-hand with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to develop all new military construction projects. There are 44 projects planned or currently underway, resulting in 120 new facilities and the demolition of 247 of the base’s 484 pre-storm structures. The overall installation design is laid out in 12 geographic zones to better organize and align different mission sets.
“In addition to the military construction projects, Team Tyndall is also executing well over 200 repair and renovation projects across the installation,” said Col. Travis Leighton, director of the Air Force Civil Engineer Center Natural Disaster Recovery Division.
Construction efforts underway will continue to ramp up, with an expected peak in 2024, and the primary focus will remain on preparing buildings needed to support the wing’s new F-35A mission.
“You will see some mobilization over the next 12 months; you’ll see a lot of demolition; you’ll see some temporary facilities; but you’ll continue to see the 325th carry out their mission as they always have,” said Leighton.
In addition to projects on base, the Florida Department of Transportation’s overpass project is currently underway, which aims to minimize the traffic congestion on a section of U.S. Highway 98 between the North and South sides of the base. The completed project will connect the two sides of the base for the first time in history, and provide the community with quicker and safer transit past Tyndall AFB. The overpass is the long-awaited result of coordination between the State of Florida, Bay County and Air Force officials and is estimated to be operational by the end of 2021.
Nearly 30 stakeholders, both within and outside the DoD, are involved in working towards the goal of re-shaping Tyndall into the Installation of the Future. Leaders reiterated that the support of the local community is critical to this goal.
“We are really proud to be part of Team Tyndall and appreciate how this community reaches out to the military,” said Lt. Gen. Kirk Pierce, 1 AF commander. “Our mission depends on all of you. The support we get in Bay County, the support we get around the base, how welcoming everybody is… I really can’t say enough.”
Tyndall leaders plan on continuing to update Bay County stakeholders periodically as the rebuild progresses.
Please direct any questions to the 325th Fighter Wing Public Affairs office at (850) 283- 3333.