Air Force, industry, state, and local officials on Tuesday ceremoniously opened the new Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul Technology Center near Tinker AFB, Okla. Once fully completed, the MROTC will comprise 17 hangars, including 1.6 million square feet of back-shop, industrial, logistics support, classroom, and research space. Finished since construction began last spring is the first hangar, where Boeing and Air Force technicians will perform system upgrades for E-3 AWACs aircraft. Officials expect to see two more hangars completed in mid-2008.
Air Force depots are not typically meant for quick repair jobs, but during Operation Epic Fury, the service moved some of its stateside heavy maintenance capability forward to fix battle-damaged aircraft closer to the fight.
