DEFENSE BILL MAY GIVE EDWARDS $20 MILLION FOR RENOVATION WORK.Byline: Jim Skeen Daily News Staff Writer A defense bill containing $20 million for construction projects at Edwards Air Force Base Edwards Air Force Base, U.S. military installation, 301,000 acres (121,805 hectares), S Calif., NE of Lancaster; est. 1933. It is one of the largest air force bases in the United States and has the world's longest runway. and $12 million for rocket research at Phillips Laboratory was approved last week by the House of Representatives. Included in the bill, which now goes to the Senate, was $8 million for renovation of a maintenance facility originally built in the 1950s and $4 million for renovation of another maintenance hangar that will be used for the F-22 Advanced Tactical Fighter The Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) contract was a demonstration and validation program undertaken by the United States Air Force to develop a next-generation air superiority fighter to counter emerging worldwide threats, including development and proliferation of Soviet-era Su-27 program, officials said. The construction funding includes $5 million for upgrades to the base's anechoic chamber Noun 1. anechoic chamber - a chamber having very little reverberation room - an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling; "the rooms were very small but they had a nice view" , a facility that simulates flight conditions for testing aircraft electronic warfare Noun 1. electronic warfare - military action involving the use of electromagnetic energy to determine or exploit or reduce or prevent hostile use of the electromagnetic spectrum EW military action, action - a military engagement; "he saw action in Korea" equipment. ``Edwards is one of the premier military research and development facilities in the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. and its physical plant must be maintained,'' said Rep. William M. Thomas, R-Bakersfield, whose district includes Edwards. ``The F-22 program and the anechoic chamber are two of our most important defense programs for the future of our military.'' The construction also includes $3 million for the conversion of oil burning boilers to natural gas boilers. The bill includes $12 million for the Integrated High Payoff Propulsion Technology at Phillips Laboratory. The program is aimed at improving both military and civilian rocket propulsion Rocket propulsion The process of imparting a force to a flying vehicle, such as a missile or a spacecraft, by the momentum of ejected matter. This matter, called propellant, is stored in the vehicle and ejected at high velocity. technology. The bill also includes $2 million for the disposal of 200,000 pounds of pentaborane, a chemical commercially produced in the 1950s as a potential advanced aircraft fuel. Pentaborane was tested as high energy liquid rocket fuel at Phillips Laboratory, but the fuel never lived up to its potential. Tests with pentaborane ended in the mid-1960s and the unused propellant pro·pel·lant also pro·pel·lent n. 1. Something, such as an explosive charge or a rocket fuel, that propels or provides thrust. 2. was placed in storage. The bill also includes a requirement that the secretary of the Air Force allocate real property and maintenance repair funds for of its bases and facilities using the same procedures and criteria. Previously as a research and development facility, Edwards received less money than other Air Force bases, officials said. How much more money the base would receive using the new procedures was not immediately known. |
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