Ground Broken on Compass Call Training Facility

Construction began last week at Davis-Monthan, AFB, Ariz., on the new academic training facility for the 55th Electronic Combat Group, which operates EC-130H communications-jamming aircraft. Officials broke ground on the $78 million complex on Aug. 15, according to the base’s release. Work on the facility is expected to be done by October 2014, and the complex is slated to be fully operational by December of that year, states the release. The 42nd Electronic Combat Squadron, the Air Force’s sole EC-130H formal training unit, will run the facility, which will house a flight-deck simulator, two different mission-crew simulators, the squadron operations center, office space for Air Force and contract instructors, and multiple training classrooms. “This multi-simulator facility will allow for initial, upgrade, and continuation training in one location and will enhance our ability to support current and future contingency operations,” said Col. Marty Reynolds, 55th ECG commander. EC-130H training is currently spread across different buildings on Davis-Monthan as well as other bases, he said. (Davis-Monthan report by SrA. Camilla Elizeu)