Ebbing Air National Guard Base & the Foreign Military Pilot Training Center
One of the most consequential developments in Fort Smith’s modern economy is happening beside the runways of the city’s airport. Ebbing Air National Guard Base — long home to the Arkansas Air National Guard’s 188th Wing — was chosen as the long-term site of a Foreign Military Sales (FMS) pilot training center that trains allied-nation pilots on F-16 and F-35 fighter jets. It’s a project measured in hundreds of millions of dollars, expected to reshape the local economy for years.
What the base is
Ebbing Air National Guard Base sits adjacent to Fort Smith Regional Airport and is home to the 188th Wing, staffed by roughly 1,000 Guardsmen and Airmen. The wing shares the runway and facilities with the civilian airport, a common arrangement that lets military and commercial aviation operate side by side. For decades the base has been a steady part of Fort Smith’s identity and payroll; the new training mission builds on that foundation rather than replacing it.
How Fort Smith won the mission
Beginning in 2020, the Department of the Air Force searched nationwide for a location to host training for fighter jets purchased by U.S. allies through the Foreign Military Sales program. Ebbing was named the preferred site in 2021, and on March 15, 2023, the Secretary of the Air Force signed the final record of decision formally selecting the base. The center is designed to support F-16 and F-35 aircraft purchased by partner nations including Singapore, Switzerland, Poland, Germany, and Finland, among others.
Timeline and aircraft
An initial training operation reached an operational milestone in 2024, and construction has continued since, including work on an F-35 academic training center underway in 2026. The first F-35A Lightning II jets for the mission have arrived at Ebbing, with partner nations’ aircraft — including Singapore’s F-35s and F-16s — scheduled to follow through 2026 and 2027 according to program reporting. As the mission has grown, planners have noted that additional space and facilities are needed to accommodate it — a sign of how large the footprint has become relative to early projections.
Why it matters for the River Valley economy
Estimates tied to the project have described a build-out cost that could reach up to $1 billion when fully operational, with a projected annual economic impact of roughly $450 million for the region and state, and an estimated 1,500 associated military personnel and family members once fully running. For a city the size of Fort Smith, that translates into demand for housing, schools, retail, and services across Sebastian County and neighboring communities. Newcomers relocating for the mission are among the drivers behind renewed interest in Fort Smith’s housing market — see moving to Fort Smith, and the Fort Smith Directory for the local services that relocation demand keeps busy.
FAQ
What is the Foreign Military Sales training center at Ebbing? A U.S. Air Force-hosted program that trains pilots from allied nations on F-16 and F-35 fighter jets those countries purchased through the Foreign Military Sales program. Ebbing was formally selected for the mission in March 2023.
Which countries will train at Fort Smith? Partner nations named in connection with the program include Singapore, Switzerland, Poland, Germany, and Finland, with the first F-35s already on the ramp.
How big is the economic impact? Public estimates have described up to a $1 billion build-out and roughly $450 million in annual regional economic impact once the center is fully operational, along with about 1,500 associated military personnel and family members.