Carper, Coons, Blunt Rochester Highlight Much-Needed Hangar Construction at Dover Air Force Base

Today, U.S. Senators Tom Carper, Chris Coons and Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester (all D-Del.) highlighted the award of a contract to construct an aircraft maintenance hangar at Dover Air Force Base. The contract has been awarded to Archer Western Federal JV for over $41 million. This is a crucial next step for the base to be able to perform maintenance year-round, in all-weather conditions, to its C-5M Super Galaxy and C-17 Globemaster III aircraft.

The hangar project is one of the top military construction priorities of Dover Air Force Base and Delaware’s congressional delegation. Once completed, the new hangar will greatly improve aircraft maintenance efficiency rates at the base.

“For too long now, our world-class Dover Air Force base has not had a hangar large enough to fully enclose its aircraft so maintenance can be performed any day of the year, regardless of weather,” said Senator Carper, a 23-year veteran of the Navy. “For decades, I, along with our congressional delegation, been working tirelessly to ensure Dover Air Force Base has modern facilities to perform its missions. I also worked to modernize the Air Force’s fleet of C-5s, and over the past nine years, C-5M flight crews operating out of Dover Air Force Base have helped make the C-5M the world’s top aviation record holder. Needless to say, I’m so proud of the servicemen and women that serve at Dover, and I’m thankful that we can help them get the space, tools and resources they so vitally need and rightfully deserve as their carry out their mission, and continue to break world records!”

“Dover Air Force Base is one of the finest military bases in the country, and I’ve been working to get funding for a C-5M maintenance hangar for several years. I’m glad that its construction will soon be underway,” said Senator Coons.  “The men and women who serve and work at Dover Air Force Base deserve all the support and resources they need, and I’m proud to fight for those resources on the Senate Appropriations Committee.”

“The servicemembers courageously serving at the Dover Air Force Base deserve the highest quality facilities,” said Congresswoman Blunt Rochester. “When I visited the base in February, the servicemembers I spoke to noted that they were lacking a hangar large enough to perform maintenance on its aircraft, regardless of weather conditions. The construction of this hangar will enable them to fulfill their duties more efficiently and will ensure readiness of our nation’s C-5M and C-17 fleet. I am so grateful for the service of everyone at the Dover Air Force Base and incredibly grateful that they will now have the resources they deserve.”