There was an unmistakable sound in the skies above Fort Smith last month. The loud boom of two F-35s making the journey from a Lockheed Martin facility in Fort Worth, Texas, to their new home at Ebbing Air National Guard Base echoed around the community and marked an exciting milestone.

 That event has been years in the making and signals the opening of the next chapter in Arkansas’s contributions to our country’s defense.

 Since the U.S. Air Force announced its selection of Ebbing as the new home of a pilot training center for our allies in March 2023, we have been looking to the horizon with eager anticipation to witness the first aircraft soar above the River Valley. Now, with the arrival of the pair of F-35A Lightning II fifth-generation fighter aircraft belonging to Poland, we are bringing a manned flying mission back to The Natural State for the first time in a decade.

 The Arkansas Congressional Delegation, along with state and local leaders, has worked seamlessly to secure this designation and champion the investments necessary to ensure the installation can successfully host U.S. instructors and allied partners receiving training, as well as many of their families.

 As Ranking Member of the Senate Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies (MilCon-VA) Appropriations Subcommittee, I have been honored to shepherd legislation through the Senate allocating funds over multiple years to prepare Ebbing to successfully host this program.

 In Fiscal Year 2024, we delivered $83 million to ensure the pilot training center could proceed with the projects required to adapt the airbase for this new role, including construction of a three-bay hanger and other facilities to help train pilots on the next generation aircraft. And we are also poised to bring further funding in FY2025 that will extend its capacity to host pilots from Poland, Finland, Germany, Switzerland and Singapore in the future.

 One of the last acts of the 118th Congress was the approval of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2025, which included a key win in that effort. The bill included authorization to fund an Academic Training Center with classrooms, flight simulator spaces, conference rooms and administrative support stations. President Biden quickly signed the bill into law in late December, ensuring progress on another important step to cement Fort Smith as the home of the pilot training center for many years to come.

 While these investments and the new mission will undoubtedly bring positive benefits to the community and our state, it is important to remember that this initiative is also a tremendous asset that will improve America’s national security. Developing these capabilities side-by-side with our allies and partners is critical as the world faces increasing conflict and turmoil.

 That’s why it was so important to pass the FY25 NDAA and the policies it includes to strengthen our military. The bill also bolsters recruiting and retention efforts through improvements to servicemembers’ quality of life – including a historic 14.5 percent pay raise for junior enlisted troops – as well as enhances our readiness and deterrence efforts as rivals like China, Iran, Russia and North Korea continue to test and disrupt the global order.

 I am proud to support those efforts, including provisions that directly impact Arkansas and grow our national security footprint, and will continue advocating for a strong defense which our state can help deliver with unique and considerable effect.