: Air Force officials broke ground July 1 at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, on a new $36 million project to expand the facilities of the Air Force Research Lab’s sensors directorate. The Dayton Daily News reported July 1 that the project, which is due for completion in April 2011, will add offices, labs, and a testing range to the existing sensors directorate building. It is part of the effort to consolidate sensors directorate work at Wright-Patterson by moving about 100 research positions to the Ohio base from Rome, N.Y., and Hanscom AFB, Mass. Butt Construction is the lead contractor. Overall, Wright-Patterson is undergoing about $332 million in construction projects as about 1,200 research positions transfer to the base per BRAC 2005, according to the newspaper. For example, the Air Force is constructing a 680,000 square-foot complex at the base to house it human effectiveness research under one roof.
The two prototypes for the Air Force’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft program have started ground testing, Air Force Chief Staff Gen. David W. Allvin announced May 1, ahead of a planned first flight this summer.