News

New tower open for business

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Matthew Hubby
  • 436th AW Public Affairs
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  Dover Air Force Base held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its new air traffic control tower Oct. 26.

The new tower will replace the base's original tower, which was constructed in 1955. The new tower will feature upgraded equipment and will help to increase the overall safety of flight operations at Dover.

"Today we leap forward from an analog past to a digital future," said Maj. Joseph Rojas, 436th Operations Support Squadron. "We have moved from the oldest stateside Air Force control tower, to the newest. We are ready to face the challenges of both today and tomorrow."

The tower is in the final phase of construction and should be completed next week. The tower cost approximately $16.2 million to complete, and features both a tower and a support building, combining both tower operation and radar approach into one building.

"This tower plays a critical role in Dover's airlift mission," said Col. Manson Morris, 436th Airlift Wing commander. "It is an outstanding facility, with better equipment to better observe and control the air space around Dover. It will improve the safety of our operations, and in turn, the critical role Dover plays in our nation's airlift mission."