The Army Corps of Engineers selected five contractors to present their design-build proposals for the expansion of the National Museum of the US Air Force in Dayton, Ohio, announced museum officials. This is the second phase of the request-for-proposal process for the museum’s fourth building, which is scheduled for opening in late 2015, according to the museum’s Aug. 8 release. The five contractors are: Whiting-Turner Contracting of Greenbelt, Md.; M.A. Mortenson Construction of Minneapolis; Turner Construction of Washington, D.C.; Hensel Phelps of Chantilly, Va.; and Archer Western/Butt Construction of Chicago. They have until Oct. 2 to submit their proposals; the construction contract is scheduled for award in late 2013, states the release. The planned 224,000-square-foot hangar would house aircraft from the Presidential gallery, including President Kennedy’s Air Force One, the research and development gallery, including the XB-70 bomber prototype, as well as vehicles from the space gallery, among others. (Dayton report by Rob Bardua)
The Air Force's new Aircraft Readiness Unit will maintain and provide Collaborative Combat Aircraft for operations, but won’t serve as a “schoolhouse” teaching fighter pilots how to manage these escort drones.