A groundbreaking ceremony here May 18 marked the start of construction on the new “East Campus,” a large, multi-facility footprint that will shift how the Ogden Air Logistics Complex sustains the nation’s newest fighter and trainer fleets.
While the ceremony marks the start of an infrastructure project, the end state is a high-tech sustainment hub. By 2032, this site will house five distinct, mission-critical facilities: a T 7A depot maintenance complex, an F 35 maintenance hangar, and dedicated shops for F-35 composite repair, egress systems, and canopies.
For Brig. Gen. Hall Sebren, commander of the Ogden ALC, the project represents a foundational upgrade to the Air Force’s sustainment enterprise.
“The East Campus is a strategic investment in our nation’s air superiority and the long-term readiness of our most advanced aircraft,” Sebren said. “By centralizing our sustainment capabilities, we are accelerating how we deliver combat power with the F-35 and ensuring the next generation of fighter pilots have the T-7A trainers they need. This project secures the Ogden ALC’s position as the lead sustainment authority for these platforms for decades to come.”
For the nearly 6,900 military and civilian personnel who currently make up the Complex at Hill AFB, this represents a move away from legacy infrastructure and toward a centralized, industrial campus.
The East Campus infrastructure project will put all needed utilities in place to support 12 incoming military construction projects, according to Marc Pett, Ogden ALC MILCON program manager. These future facilities will directly support the expanded F-35 and T-7A maintenance, repair and overhaul, or MRO, missions.
Building the East Campus is the key to getting the base ready for the new T-7A Red Hawk.
As the Air Force’s next-generation trainer, the Red Hawk requires a specialized depot capability that currently doesn't exist. This infrastructure project ensures that when the aircraft arrives, the Ogden ALC is ready to keep the trainer flying.
“The East Site Campus will be the only location where the T-7 MRO will occur,” Pett said. “No other locations will have the capability or capacity to maintain the T-7 fleet.”
This expansion is also an investment in the fifth-generation readiness of the F-35 Lightning II. By creating dedicated facilities for composite and canopy repair, the complex is streamlining its overhaul process.
As F-35 operations expand, Pett said that additional training for new personnel will be required in areas like low observable coating, composites and airframe repair. This mission expansion is expected to drive an increase in the Ogden ALC workforce to support the requirements of the new East Campus.
Working alongside the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to manage the construction, the final campus is designed around the Ogden ALC's core mission, providing comprehensive logistics, maintenance, and engineering support for the Air Force's most advanced weapon systems.