National Guard Bureau officials have dedicated Sheppard Hall, the new $52 million addition to the Air National Guard Readiness Center at JB Andrews, Md. The addition, named after retired Maj. Gen. Donald Sheppard, former ANG director, includes administrative offices for the ANG directorate and a fitness center. The new office space allows all ANG directorate staff to be united under one roof. Previously some staff worked out of a building in Crystal City, Va. The united location at Andrews also provides enhanced force protection measures for the entire directorate staff, which was required by BRAC 2005. The addition also features an environmentally friendly and energy-efficient design, including a roof that absorbs rainwater and provides insulation. The dedication ceremony took place Sept. 24. (Andrews report by TSgt. John Orrell)
Research and development spending on the Air Force’s sixth-generation F-47 fighter and its advanced propulsion system is expected to peak in 2028 before dropping in the following years, according to Air Force budget documents.