KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. –The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Albuquerque District, and the Air Force Research Laboratory held a groundbreaking ceremony to mark the beginning of construction for the Skywave Laboratory, March 16, 2021, at Kirtland Air Force Base.

The 3,500 square-foot building will house several lab areas, lab support space, an administrative area, a break area, and exterior equipment platforms. The facility will be used to improve and augment Air Force Research Laboratory transition technologies. These technologies will be used to enhance the impact of the space environment and Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) and Command and Control Center (C3) systems. This laboratory will allow scientists to test Skywave technologies on a remote site which uses existing signals in the region.

The 3.7 million contract was awarded July 17, 2020. The project is scheduled for completion Oct. 25, 2021.

“It has been a pleasure working with AFRL, and to provide them with new facilities that will aid in their groundbreaking research for the future,” said Filemon Gallegos, program manager, USACE-Albuquerque District.