LITTLE ROCK AIR FORCE BASE, AR – On 29 May 20, the Air Force Civil Engineer Center (AFCEC), in collaboration with Little Rock AFB, Air Force Installation Contracting Center and Air Force Installation Mission Support Center Detachment 9, awarded a $180 million contract to complete the runway replacement at the base.
AFCEC and 772nd Enterprise Sourcing Squadron (772nd ESS) will oversee the project and Contrack ECC, LLC will execute the replacement of the runway at Little Rock. The project will replace the original runway infrastructure, constructed in 1956, involving the removal of airfield obstructions and modification of lighting for eight taxiways and the landing zone.
With the award of the contract to complete the replacement of the runway, Contrack ECC, LLC will initiate the construction on the landing zone, lighting systems, and taxiways.
As AFCEC’s Facility Engineering directorate oversees the execution of the project, they also provide design and planning, and ensures the project stays on time, within budget, delivering timely, and resilient infrastructure solutions.
"The Air Force depends on the technical expertise of the professionals from AFCEC and 772nd ESS to deliver quality runway and infrastructure solutions for mission commanders” said Col Scott Matthews, director of AFCEC Facility Engineering Directorate. “This runway is 64 years old and we have incorporated modern design and construction techniques to ensure the longest lifespan at the overall lowest lifecycle cost.”
Little Rock AFB provides agile combat airlift worldwide and trains pilots and aircrew for all Department of Defense branches. In order to provide rapid global mobility, the base needs a reliable, safe runway that meets the dimensions and weight-bearing capacity for their aircraft.
“This vital airfield construction project will posture Little Rock Air Force base to train, receive, and project combat airlift forces for generations to come,” said Col John Schutte, 19th Airlift Wing and installation commander. "The upgrades and modifications being made to our 12,000-foot runway will improve both mission capability and safety for the largest fleet of C-130s in the world.”
Once the airfield is complete, the airfield will be at a length of 12,000 feet and 150 feet in width. Accommodating the C-130 aircraft maintained at Little Rock, in addition to the aircraft in the Air Mobility Command fleet such as the C-5 Galaxy, KC-10 Extender, C-17 Globemaster III, and KC-135 Stratotanker.