Springfield Air Guard Base Abuzz with Renovations

There is a flurry of construction activity at the Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport in Springfield, Ill., as the Air National Guard’s 183rd Fighter Wing transitions to its new non-flying missions after operating fighters for nearly 60 years. Springfield’s State Journal-Register reports that $20 million in construction projects are already underway, including renovating a 1950s-era hangar into a state-of-the-art facility for repairing F-16 engines and erecting a new base entrance. Next year, work is slated to commence on a project worth upwards of $17 million to renovate existing buildings into a new air and space operations center for these Air Guardsmen, according to the newspaper. The wing relinquished its F-16 flying mission as part of BRAC 2005. Its last F-16 departed in September 2008. The wing now repairs F110 engines for F-16s. The hanger and base entrance are scheduled for completion next year.