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Date: 10/27/2021
CHICOPEE – The Westover Air Reserve Base broke ground on a maintenance hangar and hosted a ribbon-cutting for their newly-constructed firing range during a Oct. 19 ceremony.
Congressman Richard Neal, Chicopee Mayor John Vieau and other city officials were in attendance for the Westover reveal. According to Colonel Joseph Janik, the initiation and completion of the two facilities will expediate day-to-day operations while providing an opportunity for Westover to work with local communities.
In regard to the developing hangar bay, the project was rewarded $46.4 million in June of this year to commence construction. The hangars on the Westover base house eight C-5 aircrafts, as well as undergoing regular inspections via a Regionalized Isochronal Inspection Program for incoming and outbound aircrafts, according to Janik.
He shared that a new hangar became an essential need due to the current inspection hangar being too small to accommodate the tail section of aircrafts. The limited quarters would force workers to contend with inclement weather during inspection and maintenance on C-5s, often causing delays in the base’s turnaround time. “To have the opportunity for this brand-new maintenance hangar speaks volumes of what this installation means and provides not only for this nation’s defense, but also the community,” said Janik.
Neal then spoke about the lengthy process behind the new hangar’s development, sharing that the initial request came from a former commander of the base over 10 years ago. “We decided many years ago that we would invest heavily in this base,” said Neal, who also detailed the additions of refurbished air traffic control center and recruitment center over recent years.
The congressman explained that the hangar will provide thousands of jobs for the community while continuing to aid the nation’s national defense efforts. “This is a very significant day for Chicopee, for Western Massachusetts and the United States of America,” said Neal. Construction on the hangar is expected to be completed by December 2023, according to Westover’s press release.
Westover also presented a ribbon-cutting for a state-of-the-art $10.9 million firing range that finished construction in August. Westover Civil Engineer David Morin discussed how the range provides a multitude of new features. “While this facility may not be the most attractive on the outside, it’s the inside that counts,” said Morin.
Along with incorporating 28 shooting lanes and lighting changes for night-vision target practice, he explained that the facility will allow Westover to perform heavy weapon modification and training, a feature that would originally require trainees to travel to Vermont to undertake. Janik also spoke about how the firing range will be utilized in partnerships with local law enforcement partners with neighboring communities. “This is a great opportunity for Westover and the community as well,” said Janik.